Food & Beer Culture

The braai is more than a cookout in South Africa. You light wood or coals, wait for the embers to reach the right glow, then lay meat on the grate. A cold beer is almost always part of the ritual. The braai is considered a social institution, complete with National Braai Day on September 24, which coincides with Heritage Day.

On the grate goes boerewors, a coarse farmer's sausage made from beef, often blended with pork or lamb and seasoned with coriander. A light lager suits it well, rinsing away the fat without masking the spice. Milk Stout, meanwhile, pairs beautifully with grilled dishes bearing roasted notes and a sweetish marinade.

In Cape Town, fish joins the mix. Snoek, a long predatory fish from the Atlantic, is often grilled over embers and basted with apricot jam. The sweetness, smoky edge, and salt of the fish meet a lean lager that cuts right through the combination. It's a true Cape classic.

Cape Malay cuisine, shaped over centuries by the kitchens of Southeast Asian communities, brings spice to the table. Bobotie, a richly spiced ground meat bake topped with egg custard, along with mild curries, call for a mild lager, since too much hop bitterness would only sharpen the heat.

Also typical of the city is the Gatsby, a hefty baguette loaded with meat, fries, and sauce, usually shared among friends. Drinking happens in company—in the garden, on the beach, or at a taproom in Woodstock. Beer usually comes by the bottle or the pint, and rounds tend to get bought in turn.