Imagine that you are invited to a braai. You are well settled with an impala steak or maybe a potjiekos, but what do you drink with it? South Africans are known to be keen beer drinkers. They also produce some of the best wines in the world (worthy of a full encyclopedia on their own). But by no means is it the whole story. As with the food of the country, the drinks of South Africa have been influenced by the different cultures that they have colonized through the years.
South African alcohol
Amarula Cream – A local cream liqueur, usually drunk after dinner. It is made from the fruit of the marula tree (Sclerocarya Birrea), a favorite of elephants, baboons, and monkeys that are said to get drunk and have fun while the rotten fruit ferments in the wild.
Beer: South African beer is typically American-style. Castle lager is the biggest runaway vendor of them all, but local brewing giants South African Breweries also produce Carling Black Label, Grolsch, and several other brands. Lion beer and Namibian Windhoek beer are also popular.
Mahewu / mechow / umqombothi – Under different names in all local languages, traditional African beer is made from corn or sorghum puree, malt, yeast, and water. It is thick, heavy, creamy, slightly sandy, slightly sour, with a relatively low alcohol content. Traditionally it was made by women and drunk almost immediately. In old-style breweries, it came for the bucket. These days you can buy it in cardboard boxes too – look for Joburg Beer. It is considerably cheaper than Western-style “light” beers.
Dop (dawp): Afrikaans general term for any alcoholic beverage: “Do you want a dop?”
Mampoer ( mom -poo-er) / witblitz (vit-blitts, literally ‘white lightning bolt’): Powerful homemade brandy / firewater, similar to American moonshine, made from a variety of different fruits. Surprisingly, it is generally the God-fearing Afrikaans housewives who are responsible for this lethal ale. Approach it in moderation.
Van der Hum Liqueur – This wonderfully aromatic liqueur is a blend of brandy, wine, naartje (mandarin / satsumas) peel and spices. It was distilled here for centuries by housewives before being officially bottled. It is named after Admiral Van der Hum of the Dutch East India Company fleet, who is said to have ‘liked it to the point of distraction’.
Wine: Jan van Riebeeck, the Dutch founder of the Cape Colony, produced the first recorded wine in 1659. The first French Huguenots arrived 20 years later, and from that moment on, South African wines began to make their mark on the world. . Constantia wine was a favorite at the Georgian court in England, mentioned by Jane Austen. Fine wines receive a WO (Wine of Origin) label, with around 60 districts. It is impossible to go into detail here, but there are some local specialties to consider.
Hanepoot (haa-nah-poort): a sweet wine made from the Muscat blanc d’Alexandrie grape.
Hanerood : a sweet wine made from a blend of red grapes
Pinotage (pee-no-target): Found only in South Africa, this red varietal is a cross between pinot noir and cinsaut (hermitage), producing smoky, earthy and distinctively rich wines.
Winery names that are making headlines right now include Meerlust, Kanenkop, Veenwouden, Hamilton Russell, Klein Zalze, Vergelegen, and Morgenster. However, there are many other excellent wines and wineries in the country, so guide yourself locally.
South African non-alcoholic drinks
Amasi / maas (pronounced um-ah-see): a thick sour milk drink, similar to yogurt and similarly said to be very good for digestion. It is not traditionally pasteurized and fermented in a squash (squash), but now it is also sold in pasteurized form. Amasi is the Zulu name, maas the Afrikaans.
Cooldrink, colddrink: any soft drink, like Coca-Cola or Fanta. Refreshments are reserved exclusively for club refreshments. Among the local specialties, look out for Stoney ginger beer and Schweppes’ twist granadilla (passion fruit), both of which are delicious.
Mageu / mahewu / amarhewu / amahewu: The non-alcoholic version of maheu, this is a cornmeal (corn or sorghum) porridge. Traditionally made at home the night before drinking, it is also commercially available these days.
Rock shandy: a local specialty that is a beautiful thirst-quenching alternative to overly sweet sodas: half lemonade (e.g. Sprite), half soda water, with a dash of Angostura bitters (the ‘rose’ in pink gin ), a lemon wedge and lots of ice
Rooibos (roy-boss): Afrikaans for red bush . Now adopted around the world as a health drink, rooibos has been drunk as a tea in South Africa for generations, usually served black with lemon or honey. The Cyclopia genistoides shrub is native to the Cederberg Mountains of the Western Cape and is said to be caffeine-free, high in antioxidants, and very low in tannins.
