There is something quite special about Port Alfred. A little coastal town snuck away in the middle of nowhere in the Eastern Cape that is surrounded by vast farmlands and not much else. Perhaps it is that fact that it sits on the beautiful Eastern Cape coastline with its incredible beaches, or perhaps that it has the Kowie River that runs through or perhaps it is the community that supports the casual but functioning little town.
Perhaps it is all of these and some other magic which makes Port Alfred unlike any other town in South Africa.
Over the last 20 years, Port Alfred has become something special to us. It all started when we decided to frequent the town as a December holiday getaway with our families. Every year we would look back at our times in Port Alfred and the memories it helped create. We felt the urge to get closer to this town and the community which made these memories.
After buying a couple of Holiday homes for the growing family, we finally decided to invest in the town with the purchase of the famous “Little Brewery on the River” previously owned and managed by Ian Cook.
In July 2024, we become the new owners of the brewery with the hope of continuing the legacy that Ian has built over more than a decade and a half. The brewery is recognised for the exceptional quality of the beers that are produced and the excellent service that the team provides.
We hope that we can continue to produce excellent Kraft Beer by maintaining the current brands and team. We will obviously try our luck at some other brewing concoctions, but being honest, we have very low expectations that this will result in an awesome beer.
Two Brothers & Owners Andre & Adrian
Our Story ….
As with all great stories, there was no intention to buy a brewery!
Andre, the elder of us, has been known to come up with some crazy ideas and has always been looking at “innovative” ways to invest in Port Alfred. These have ranged from introducing a “tuk-tuk” service to cater for parking problems to purchasing some “fix-im-uppers” to sustainable fish farming. Interesting as these are, we never really managed to get any of his ideas into a workable outcome.
Late one Sunday night, I get this call from him suggesting that he has now come up with a winner! He was watching a TV series set in Maui, which is part of the Hawaiian archipelago, and produces and exports pineapples. Ok, so just down the road from Port Alfred is Bathurst which is also known for producing pineapples and has the biggest one in the world, so there is a correlation of sorts.
So, the food guy (called Guy) wasn’t in Maui for the pineapples, but rather for a by-product the pineapple industry – liquor production. Some clever clogs came up with the idea to use the offcuts of the pineapple production systems to act as the sugar source required to produce alcohol in the form of vodka’s, gin’s, rum’s, etc.
All seemed like a great idea so far – take the same logic and start up a distillery in Port Alfred that produces various types of spirits – Sugar, water, yeast and we are all good to go.
Let the distilling begin!!!!
The only real problem with this whole idea was the fact that in order for this to work, we would need a distillery … and as fate would have, there was none in Port Alfred. So, we had to take a little trip down to the coast to find a suitable location to build a distillery.
Joburg -> quick flight -> Gqeberha -> Port Alfred-> look for awesome location.
We looked at several possible “distillery” locations, however none seemed to fit what we wanted. In our minds, we wanted a location that would be able to function as a distilling plant but also offer a place where people would also enjoy the town and provide facilities for “tasters” and an accompanying food options.
Remember, at this point we are looking to find a place to distil spirits and provide some form of experience to go with.
Becoming somewhat despondent with what was available and running out of options, we both thought that this awesome idea was starting to become a distant memory.
It was at this point that the agent casually mentioned “Oh, by the way, the brewery is up for sale. If you want to, we can go have a look. If nothing else, you can have an ice-cold local beer.”
A month or so after visiting the Little Brewery on the River, we meet with Ian and in principle the deal was done (much like the old way of doing business by handshake).
Several months go by and boom, we are now the proud owners of the local brewery in Port Alfred.
Let the brewing begin!
Our Beers
Alfreds Own Lager – Lager beer is a type of beer that is fermented and conditioned at low temperatures. Known for its clean, crisp, and refreshing taste, lager is typically light in colour, though it can range from pale to dark. It is brewed using bottom-fermenting yeast, which works more slowly than ale yeast and thrives in cooler environments.
Alfred Own Lager is a typical lager-style beer is the result of the perfect marriage of the sweetness of pale and roasted malt with the bitterness of local and imported hops. The initial mouthfeel is rich and full, while the finish is clean and dry. It is definitely refreshing, and the creamy lace left on the glass as it goes down is testimony to the quality of it’s brewing. With an abv of 4,5%, Alfreds Own Lager is versatile enough to range from “just a quick one” to a “session beer”.
Coin Ale – Ale is a type of beer characterized by its warm fermentation process, which uses top-fermenting yeast. This method typically results in a sweet, full-bodied, and fruity taste. Ales are brewed at higher temperatures compared to lagers, leading to a quicker fermentation process. They come in various styles, such as pale ale, India pale ale (IPA), brown ale, and stout, each offering distinct flavors and aromas. Ales have a rich history and are known for their robust and complex flavour profiles, making them a favourite among craft beer enthusiasts.
The rich, opulent caramel colour gives a hint of the slight caramel taste and smooth finish that is inherent in this fine ale. All round, Coin Ale is lighter than it’s look would suggest, and makes for easy drinking, with its abv at 4,5%. This brew is named for a previous seasoned Brew Master, Colin Coetzee, who developed the beer in the brewery’s early years.
Kowie Gold Pilsner – Pilsner is a type of pale lager beer that originated in the city of Plzeň (Pilsen) in the Czech Republic. Known for its light, golden color and crisp, refreshing taste, Pilsner is typically characterized by a distinctive hop bitterness and a clean, dry finish. It is brewed using bottom-fermenting yeast and is often made with noble hops, which contribute to its floral and spicy aroma. Pilsner is one of the most popular and widely consumed beer styles in the world, appreciated for its balanced flavor and refreshing qualities.
Kowie Gold, so very typical of the traditional European pilsner style, is crystal clear and the colour of pale straw. Very mildly fruity on the taste, this excellent pilsner has a dry, refreshing finish, and at 4,5% abv is a very definite “session beer”.
Named for the Kowie River, upon which banks it is brewed, this pilsner has received international acclaim, while made from predominately local ingredients with just a smattering of selected imported hops.
Squires Porter – Porter is a dark style of beer that originated in London in the 18th century. It is known for its rich, roasted malt flavours, which often include notes of chocolate, coffee, and caramel. The beer typically has a medium to full body and a slightly sweet, malty finish. Porters are brewed using top-fermenting yeast and a variety of dark malts, giving them their distinctive colour and robust flavour profile. This style of beer paved the way for the development of stouts and remains popular among those who enjoy complex, flavourful beers.
For our Porter, dark roasted malt is used to produce a rich full-flavour brew that lives up to the promise of it’s attractive dark and mysterious looks. It has an exceptionally creamy taste and smooth finish, detectable mild coffee aromas, and lacks the bitterness that is so often associated with many dark beers. It is lighter in body than the average porter, making it dangerously drinkable considering it’s alcohol content. Brewed entirely from local malt and hop ingredients, this dark beer has an abv of 6,5%.
Well, just a month into us owning a brewery, we where invited to the Bathurst Country Affair which provides a platform to market this historic town in the Eastern Cape. if you looking for some history about the area, have a look at some of the local sites (try https://www.pigandwhistle.co.za to start with) as there …
Not even a month into managing the brewery and we have decided to participate in the Bathurst Country Affair which promises to be something quite special and we also want to support local marketing events. Needless to say, we have no merchandise, marketing material hidden away in the cupboard so it has been a mad …
Well it is all done and dusted. Ownership of the brewery from Little brewery by the River to Kraft Alchemy was concluded during the month of July 2024 (whoop-whoop). Andre and I are now the proud owners of Port Alfred’s very own little craft brewery – that produces extraordinary craft beer by the way. We …
To all the beer-lovers in Port Alfred and those that come from far and wide to taste the spirit of the local brew at Kraft Alchemy, we want you all to engage with us and provide feedback on what could make our beer and brewery better.
