From its deep-rooted heritage to its pivotal role in South African social culture, beer is a testament to craftsmanship and resilience - and South African consumers want quality in their beer.

The journey of beer, from seed to sip, is a story of dedication and innovation, where every step reflects the artistry and precision of the brewing process.

Despite challenges like variable municipal water quality, load shedding, and drought, South African brewers consistently rise to the occasion.

Their commitment ensures that beer drinkers can enjoy the quality and consistency they have come to expect and celebrate in every glass.

The Beer Association of South Africa (BASA), which represents the country’s biggest commercial breweries through to small and traditional craft breweries, is confident that South African beer generally meets the standards that drinkers expect.

“We believe that South African beer quality is of a high standard and, thanks to our members’ rigid attention to preparation, distribution, and sustainability,” Charlene Louw, CEO of BASA, said.

She added that maintaining consumer trust in the beer industry is crucial. According to the most recent data, the industry contributed 1.3% to South Africa's GDP in 2019 and supported 249,000 jobs.

This highlights the significant impact that the beer industry has on the economy and employment in the country. It is imperative that we prioritize building and maintaining trust with consumers to ensure the continued success and growth of the industry, Louw said.

Nishal Sanpal, Africa Zone Quality Manager at AB InBev, which makes SAB products such as Castle Lager, Carling Black Label, and Brutal Fruit, says customers expect beer to be available, affordable, and to deliver a consistent taste.

SAB’s ability to produce the same taste for Castle Lager as it did in 1895 relies on quality management systems that establish processes, product quality standards, and specifications for every bottle.

“We prioritise consumer feedback. SAB has a complaints line, where customers let us know if they are not happy with our quality. Over the years, we have seen a decreasing number of complaints, and consumers are calling with compliments on our products.”

Although the techniques for large-scale brewing and the basic ingredients of beer (malt, hops, yeast, and water) are the same around the world, every beer has a unique signature.

In some ways, South African tastes are not the same as in other countries. For example, local drinkers enjoy a particular signature for Castle Milk Stout, which tasters describe as being dominated by bold flavours such as “butterscotch.”

Budweiser beer is described as being quite a subtle taste compared with Carling Black Label, which is fruitier and bolder.

SAB sources most of its raw materials locally, using producers who must meet stringent standards.

In striving for superior quality, brewers have to overcome the challenge of highly variable raw materials, partly as a result of climate change, which causes droughts and floods.

Most of the SAB operations around South Africa use municipal water, with rigid quality monitoring and treatment. While the SAB brewery in Newlands, Cape Town, uses natural spring water on site, this water is still tested to ensure it meets the necessary standards.

Sustainable farming methods and renewable energy are not only good for the planet – they help to maintain the quality of the beer.

Consumers have also supported recyclable packaging. SAB regards the farmers that supply its products as its partners, and they are equally committed to maintaining beer quality. Some of the partnerships with barley farmers stretch back decades.

Where necessary, crop experts in SAB will work with farmers to improve the quality of their barley. SAB also owns some of the vertical operations, including malting the grains, which ensures consistency of flavour and the overall brand signature.

Large-scale producers can produce beer more cheaply than smaller brewers, but in a high-volume environment, it is important to maintain quality, Sanpal said.

“AB InBev’s priorities in brewing are superior quality and food safety, and we are able to back up our claims with independent testing. If a batch is not compliant, meaning out of brand limits, we dump it, no matter what it costs us.”

While the product may pass all necessary taste tests when it leaves the brewery, a critical element in maintaining quality is the distribution chain.

Sanpal said that over the years, shelf life has received intense scrutiny. Typically, beer can maintain its quality in the bottle from six months to a year, but because brewing is a biological process, beer will become stale over time.

Good brewing and quality processes, and pasteurisation can help to keep beer fresh for longer. Packaging has benefited from technological development. A lot of attention is paid to auditing the product throughout the distribution chain. SAB monitors best before dates and intervenes where necessary.

Over the years, the profile of beer consumers select has grown. Apart from traditional lagers, the market for fruit-flavoured beers and ready-to-drink beverages has grown, as has the market for zero- and low-alcohol beers.

While these were originally regarded as watery and flavourless, innovations in brewing techniques have made it possible to extract the alcohol while retaining the flavours.

“We are rightly proud of our beer tradition in South Africa. With decades of experience and billions of rands invested in equipment and processes, South African brewers are well equipped to maintain the value, consistency, and quality of a broad spectrum of traditional beers and flavoured alcoholic beverages,” Louw said.