UCT brewing team triumphs at national intervarsity competition

The South African Intervarsity Brewing Challenge is an annual showcase of brewing talent from universities across South Africa. It has grown from six participating universities at its inception to 18 this year. The 2024 competition, held from 24 to 26 October, was hosted by the Central University of Technology and supported by sponsors such as Heineken, SAB, and the Craft Brewers Association of South Africa.

Jac Sussens, a PhD candidate in the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Department of Chemical Engineering and Brewing UCT’s lead brewer, said that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the competition continued. “We didn’t get to attend in person but sent our beers away to where the judges gathered for judging,” she explained.

Established in 2006, the team has its home in the university’s Department of Chemical Engineering and operates under the guidance of the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER). UCT was one of the six universities that first competed in the competition, and to date has won the overall “Best of Show” category seven times, with the last three wins happening consecutively.

Challenges, strategy, and winning beers

Preparing for such a high-stakes competition involves months of planning and brewing. Sussens described one of the unexpected challenges the team faced: “One of our fridges broke midway,” she noted, explaining that this created logistical issues as they needed optimal temperature control for the six beer styles they entered. Despite this setback, the team managed to adapt and produce top-quality beers.

“The feedback we received from the judges and other brewers was incredibly encouraging.”

The brewing process itself is a labour of love, requiring attention to detail at every stage to avoid any missteps. “We always try to keep things clean, keeping oxygen away from the beer where necessary,” Sussens explained, emphasising that meticulous cleanliness must be one of the hallmarks of their brewing technique. This careful attention helped them avoid “major flaws in terms of contamination or oxidation”.

The Intervarsity Brewing Challenge brings together brewing enthusiasts from across South Africa for a few days of tasting, testing, and celebrating craft beer. Representing UCT at the event were four team members: Winnie Motswagae (team captain), Tafadwa Chapara, Rufaro Mukwenya, and Kevin Netshivhongweni, along with team mentor Dr Juarez Amaral Filho. Reflecting on the experience, Sussens said: “The feedback we received from the judges and other brewers was incredibly encouraging.”

Each beer was evaluated by a panel of expert judges, and Brewing UCT’s entries received praise across multiple categories. In a highlight of the competition, UCT’s Witbier was awarded “Best Beer in Show” in the Summer Beer category. This is significant, as “Best Beer in Show” is usually won by an IPA or Lager, and definitely not by a low-alcohol (3.55%) beer such as Witbier.

Brewing journey

No other brewing competition in South Africa currently offers the same level of prestige and support as the intervarsity event. And UCT’s winning entries spanned a range of styles; among their standout beers were:

• Munich Dunkel (1st place, Lager category)
• Witbier (1st place, Summer Beer category and Best Beer in Show)
• Baltic Porter (1st place, Aged Beer category)
• Gose (1st place, Sour Beer category)
• Saison (3rd place, Wild African Ale category)

While most team members are chemical engineering students, the team occasionally includes students from other disciplines as well. Explained Sussens: “We’ve been more open recently to other people joining, especially if they have brewing experience or a genuine interest.”

“It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come, and I’m excited to see what the team will achieve in the coming years.”

With their recent success, Brewing UCT has secured not only recognition but also substantial financial support. The team won R10 000 per category, totalling R51 000 in cash prizes, along with two valuable density meters. Sussens noted that this equipment would be a game-changer for their brewing experiments, as the instruments – more commonly used in commercial breweries – would increase their analytical capabilities.

The team operates with no corporate sponsors, relying on their competition winnings as well as support from CeBER, which oversees their finances and logistics. Sussens is optimistic about the team’s potential to innovate and inspire new generations of student brewers. Reflecting on their recent win, she added, “It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come, and I’m excited to see what the team will achieve in the coming years.”