Cheers Vol. 31 July / Aug 2017

cheers C O M P L I M E N TA R Y M A G A Z I N E

J U L /A U G 2 0 1 7 V O L 3 1

BEAN THERE, DONE THAT

A WRAP OF GREAT COFFEE SHOPS

OLÉ OLÉ OLÉ REAL DEAL SHERRY DRAUGHT BEER NITROGEN AND CO2 PLAY THEIR PART

WHISKY FINISHES ADDING EXTRA ONE OF 6 BOTTLES OF JOHNNIE WALKER GREEN LABEL A COPY OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK

FLAVOUR

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

COWBOY BEANS

Be sure to visit www. topsatspar. co. za

Enjoy Responsibly. Not For Sale To Persons Under The Age of 18.

contents VOLUME 31

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48

Pale gold in appea rance , She rry is a lab our of lov e for

its produ cers and fans.

30 04 EDITOR’S LETTER Fond recollections of first tastes 06 NEWS &

NEW RELEASES

SA brandy strikes gold in San Francisco, Fairview’s national success, Something new and edgy from Hunter’s and heaps more.

14 TINUS TALKS The sweet side of wine

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16 WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Sherry… just not in South Africa

36 20 WHISKY FINISHES What Sauternes, Pinotage and beer casks add

44 BOOK GIVEAWAY The South African Gluten-free Cookbook

25 TASTED & TESTED Finished whiskies under review

48 SPICING THINGS UP A splash of this & that adds excitement…

30 GIVING IT GAS Draught beer and chemistry

52 SHORN SHEEP Wool’s a wonder fibre

34 THINGAMAJIGS Things to cure a bad case of winter chills 36 BEAN THERE, DONE THAT

A wrap of great coffee shops 40 EMILE JOUBERT Breakfasts for real men

56 ENTERTAINMENT The Beach Boys to Baywatch to weapons deals, look & listen 58 FOR HIRE DVD & video buck the trend 60 ARMCHAIR TRAVEL Breakaways in winter

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To p Buy! SEE P44 TO WIN THIS RECIPE BOOK

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60 06 Rememb er you can

access Cheers magazine 63 SUNNY SIDE UP A bright & breezy blogger 64 KAMBERG TOPS AT SPAR FESTIVAL

21 years young in 2017

67 COMPETITION Win one of 6 bottles Johnnie Walker Green Label valued at R650 each 68 WHAT’S APPENING? Fast fitness tips 69 NEXT ISSUE What to expect in Cheers 70 WORD TO THE WISE Tips and tricks to save a drop or two

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72 LOOPDOP Die Sannieshof days

on your mobile , tablet

or laptop www.ch eersma g.co.za

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EDITOR’S

cheers

LETTER

team

BEING BORN UNDER THE SURNAME OF MCDONALD,

TOPS at SPAR Jess Nicholson Group Promotions & Advertising Manager – Liquor

THE LORDS OF THE ISLES, CERTAINLY HELPS WHEN INTERACTING WITH WHISKY FOLKS FROM SCOTLAND! THERE’S A WEIRD KINSHIP AND RECOGNITION OF SHARING A HERITAGE STRETCHING BACK CENTURIES. THE

Publisher Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za

FACT THAT I HAVE GROWN TO LOVE WHISKY IN ITS MANY SHAPES AND FLAVOURS OVER THE YEARS

Editor Fiona McDonald fiona@integratedmedia.co.za

IS SIMPLY A BONUS.

Art Director Annalie Boshoff annalie@integratedmedia.co.za

DATE WITH A DRAM Much like my wine writing career, my love affair with whisky started accidentally. As a relatively young news journalist I was at some or other media event. And if memory serves me correct it was held at the Durban Light Infantry Drill Hall – which is located smack-dab in the middle of Greyville Racecourse. There was no horseflesh on display or thundering hooves and sweaty beasts flashing by because it was in the days before night racing began.

One of my colleagues had volunteered to do a bar run to freshen up everyone’s drinks. His name was Greg but his penchant for “bellying up to the bar” had him tagged with the nickname Grog – and he even got a weekly column to go and review dive bars and drinking holes around the city for it! It was his dream assignment…

His powers of concentration were a little suspect by this stage of the evening so instead of returning with a brandy and ginger ale for me, he handed over a whisky and ginger ale. In the finest female tradition of not making a fuss (something I stopped doing when I turned 40: now I MAKE a fuss…) I quietly took the drink. And to my surprise really enjoyed it!

Over the course of a few months the ginger ale gave way to water – and that was when the love affair really began. Without sweetness and a light ginger tinge clouding things, I was able to pick up the subtle nuances of flavour that make whisky such a lovely drink. I’m partial to a touch of peat – but not too much. An Ardbeg is fine occasionally but I’m more likely to enjoy a Lagavulin or Bruichladdich ahead of it.

Aah! But the Speyside is where my heart truly lies – and not just because that’s where my forebear, the cattle drover Donald McDonald of Invernesshire hailed from. No, it’s because of the gentle nature of the distilled spirit, it’s biscuit, heather and lightly grassy overtones along with a light nutty note often imparted by maturation in sherry casks.

Yet it has to be said that blended whiskies hit the spot too – as do the Irish whiskeys, regardless of whether you believe they introduced whisky distillation to the Scots or not. I just love whisky and am really excited that it’s a spirit that is constantly evolving with its makers finding new expressions. To me, the issue of whisky finishes is like the icing on a cupcake. But when you can have a cupcake with a whisky-tinged icing, such as that made by Teresa Ulyate in this issue – well, that’s just heavenly!

Long may my love affair with the water of life continue.

Cheers,

Fiona

FIONA MCDONALD CHEERS EDITOR

che ersmag.co.za

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CheersMag

@CheersMag

Advertising Eloise Meyer eloise@integratedmedia.co.za Photography Thinkstock.com Contributors Clifford Roberts, Gerrit Rautenbach, Teresa Ulyate, David Bowman, Tinus van Niekerk, Emile Joubert, David Bristow, Gareth George Head Office Cape Town Tel: 021 685 0285 Address Suite WB03 Tannery Park 23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Postal Address PO Box 259, Rondebosch, 7701 Printing Paarl Media Cape, a division of Novus Holdings Published by Integrated Media for TOPS at SPAR

STOCKISTS SPAR Good Living items are available at your nearest SPAR outlets.

COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS Competition submissions should reach us no later than 15th August 2017. The Prize/s is as indicated, no alternatives or cash will be provided. The decision of Integrated Media will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Under no circumstances shall Integrated Media, TOPS at SPAR, SPAR or its appointed representatives and the prize donors be liable to anyone who enters these Prize Draws for an indirect or consequential loss howsoever arising which may be suffered in relation to the Prize Draws.

By entering these competitions you make yourself subject to receiving promotional information. Entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions.

Prize Draw Rules: The prize draw is only open to consumers who must be over 18 years of age and resident in South Africa. Employees of Integrated Media and TOPS at SPAR, SPAR and their respective advertising, media and PR agencies, as well as the family members, consultants, directors, associates and trading partners of such organisations and persons are ineligible for the draw. Participants can only win one competition every 3 issues.

THE WORLD’S MOST ADMIRED SOUTH AFRICAN WINE BRAND* *The highest ranked South African Wine Brand featured in the Drinks International Top 50 World’s Most Admired Wine Brands 2016.

E n j oy Re s p o n s i b l y. N o t fo r S a l e to P e r s o n s U n d e r t h e Ag e o f 1 8 .

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Hot news REVEL IN WINTER One of Stellenbosch’s most historic wine cellars is hosting a winter festival on Saturday 29 July. Muratie, a quaint old

We give you the lates t on what to

buy, do, eat and dri nk.

winery which defiantly refuses to dust away any cobwebs spun by resident cellar spiders, is the place to be for what the Melck family have dubbed “a mellow fireside celebration of Cape Port-style wines” at their Flavours of Winter festival.

Port lovers are invited to cosy up in one of the Cape’s oldest wineries, appreciating the rich and luscious flavours of Cape Port-style wines and nosh on delicious winter warmer treats prepared by the Muratie Farm Kitchen.

All the wines on show will be available for purchase at cellar door prices. In addition, von Geusau will be tempting taste buds with their decadently delicious hand crafted chocolates.

Biblical proportions Jim Murray publishes the Whisky Bible annually – and when it hits the shelves, whisky lovers globally fall over themselves to see what he has selected as his top whisky of the year. Murray is an authority and commands respect among distillers and connoisseurs worldwide.

The cost per person is R100 which includes a tasting glass. It kicks off at 10h30 and will end at 16h00. Due to limited space, visitors are advised to book in advance by either phoning Muratie at 021-865 2330 or emailing: taste@muratie.co.za.

ROLL UP FOR THE WINE CARNIVAL! If wine pourformance is your thing, then Port Elizabeth is the place to be from 27 – 29 July. It’s the venue for the ever popular annual TOPS at SPAR wine show. Life is a Cabernet, the

organisers believe; and have exhorted keen wine consumers: “Come one, come all … it’s time for The Greatest Show on Earth!”

Family favourites such as Boschendal, Beyerskloof and Bellingham will be present – as will JC Le Roux

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TOP S Buy

adding a bubbly vibrancy, along with Franschhoek’s La Bri and the KWV. Almost every letter of the alphabet is covered, right down to Van Loveren and Zandvliet!

White, red, pink, sparkling and sweet. There truly is something for everyone.

The fun then heads to the The Boardwalk in Pretoria the following month where it will be staged from 24 – 26 August.

For ticket prices and info visit: www.wineshow.co.za

In his estimation, Glen Grant’s 18 year old deserved the 2017 title of Best Scotch Whisky of the Year. Murray also rated this rare, special-edition Speyside spirit his 2017 Single Malt of the Year, as well as his Best Single Malt in the 16 - 21 year age category, calling it “the best new offering from the motherland in a few years; a sensational return to form.”

Rich and spicy on the nose and the palate, its smooth floral and caramel notes make it hard to resist, and interestingly, it’s the first Scotch to make Murray’s top three list since 2014.

The good news for local aficionados is that the spirit hits South African shores this month.

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POP-UP IN BOTTELARY

TOP S Buy

SINGLE MALT TRIUMPH Whisky Magazine hosts an exhaustive tasting competition every year to seek out the world’s best whiskies. It’s done this for 11 years and recently announced the results of its 2017 World Whiskies Awards.

Citrus flu fighter An apple a day is supposed to keep the doctor away but citrus is a known flu fighter.

For those who want to take their citrus with a bit of a boost, Belvedere, the world’s first super luxury vodka, have just the thing: a lemon-lime spritz.

Summer bodies are built in the long dark and chilly days of winter so the low calorie cocktail is ideal for the health conscious individual – and is the perfect guilt-free yet refreshing drink since it contains only 33 calories per drink where other cocktails are in the region of 150 calories!

BELVEDERE LEMON-LIME SPRITZ 30 ml Belvedere vodka 30 ml dry vermouth 3 lemon slices 2 lime slices Combine all ingredients in a glass, top with equal parts of sparkling water and tonic water. Enjoy!

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Judged by industry experts, master distillers and specialist whisky writers, the competition is held over three – exhaustive – rounds. This year 500 whiskies from 30 countries were tasted and top honours went to Glenmorangie for its Lasanta expression and to Ardbeg’s Corryvreckan as the best Highland Single Malt and best Islay Single Malt respectively.

First aged and matured in ex-Bourbon casks for 10 years, Glenmorangie Lasanta is then finished in Spanish Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for a final two years.

Judges wrote: “Deliciously bold sherry. Nutty, with dried fruit, a touch of dryness, apricots, dates and walnuts. A dry palate, but superbly balanced. Menthol, fruit cake, dark chocolate, cinnamon and clove notes. Excellent.”

Meanwhile, Ardbeg Corryvreckan, which takes its name from the treacherous whirlpool off the coast of Ardbeg’s remote island home of Islay, was hailed for its “fresh sea breeze aromas and a distinct prickle from the alcohol”.

The judges commended its distinctive character, saying: “Sweet, dense, smoky and salty on the palate. Like biting into charcoal. Sea saltlaced, sticky toffee pudding. Orange oils and a spicy bite – star anise and white pepper, plus some seaweed.” Expressing his delight, Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, said: “This success is a fitting tribute to the craftsmanship and passion for which both Glenmorangie and Ardbeg are rightly renowned.”

Last year, Stellenbosch’s Bottelary wine region had top chef and Ultimate Braaimaster judge Bertus Basson in the area, doing a winter pop-up and cooking at various wine farms when not at his own successful restaurants.

In 2017, it’s the turn of Scottish-born chef George Jardine who will be showing off his culinary wizardry in the Bottelary pop-ups.

Renowned producer Kaapzicht is the venue on 27 August while Mooiplaas wine estate and private nature reserve hosts Jardine on 19 November. The theme of the menu and events will serve to highlight the deep historical roots of the region and farms of Bottelary Hills.

“Bottelary Hills is home to some of the oldest wine farms in the country and many of them have been nurtured over generations by the same families. As a result, they have an incomparable understanding of the terroir, which shows in the wines the region produces,” says Stellenbosch Wine Routes manager Elmarie Rabe.

Tickets are limited and cost R550 a head so booking in advance is strongly recommended.

Attendees get to enjoy a wine tasting prior to the three-course lunch feast and will also get a bottle of Bottelary Hills wine to take home with them! To make a reservation or for more info, visit the Stellenbosch Wine Routes website at www. wineroute.co.za or phone (021) 886 8275.

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CHAMELEON BREW Africa’s top-selling cider brand – Hunter’s – has just introduced a product which will appeal to a broad swathe of the drinking market: a hybrid beverage for those who want something utterly new and unlike anything they’ve ever had before … EDGE is expected to break

Centenary of CWMs Duimpie Bayly, Bennie Howard and the late Tony Mossop were the first three people to ever be awarded the Cape Wine Master title.

That was 33 years ago and with four more new Cape Wine Masters (CWM) awarded their certificates by the Cape Wine Academy and Institute of Cape Wine Masters after a gruelling series of exams and tastings, the final tally of CWMs now stands at 100.

The four new CWMs are winemakers Brendan Butler and Anton Swarts, international marketing manager François Cillié, and sales and marketing manager, Ivan Oertle.

Brendan Butler also won two trophies – the Brandy Trophy sponsored by Van Ryn, and one awarded by Kleine Zalze for the Best Dissertation; while Ivan Oertle received the Viticulture Trophy from La Motte.

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barriers, delivering the freshness of a cider from the first sip to the fullflavour of hops on the last.

“EDGE is for every social occasion that brings together what unites us,” said global marketing manager Maijaliina Hansen. “Created for those who like to explore the new and unconventional. For those who are bold, individual and confident to choose both the crisp refreshment of cider and easy drinking taste of hops.”

Hansen said: “What makes EDGE different is that it is real. Real cider combined with real hops extract. EDGE delivers bold masculine packaging and a real hops taste. The quality is undeniable.”

With a rich, golden colour and a distinctively smooth taste, this refreshing cider is balanced with the taste of real hops. It’s ideal for those occasions when beer is just not enough and flavoured fruity beverages don’t cut it: EDGE is the best of both while keeping it real.

EDGE is available in both cans (six and 12-packs) and in embossed bottles. Its premium blue and gold make it stand out from the crowd.

GOLD AT GOLDEN GATE South Africa’s brandy producers could be forgiven for thinking they’d found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow when the results of the most recent San Francisco World Spirits Competition were announced.

Once again Oude Meester revealed their Midas touch at the competition, with a haul of three Double Gold medals for their Oude Meester 12-Year-Old Reserve Brandy, the Oude Meester 18-Year-Old Sovereign and the Oude Meester Demant – which incidentally also won the title as World’s Best Brandy at the 2017 World Brandy Awards.

Van Ryn’s Distillery, another perennial global top performer, claimed two Double Gold medals for the Van Ryn’s 12-Year-Old Distiller’s reserve and the Van Ryn’s 20-Year-Old Collectors Reserve respectively.

Now in its 17th year, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) is considered among the most influential and widely respected spirit competitions in the world. This year’s competition attracted a record number of entries with more than 2 100 spirits submitted for evaluation by an expert judging panel comprising 43 international industry experts.

“Any medal from the SFWSC is considered a proud achievement, but for Distell to win five Double Gold medals is truly an exceptional performance and perhaps the most authoritative acknowledgement that South African brandies can compete head-to-head with the world’s most famous cognacs,” said Distell Brandy Ambassador, Nick Holdcroft. “We are extremely proud of the quality of our brandies within our borders, but to win in a part of the world like San Francisco is truly special, and shows the opportunity we have in spreading these products internationally.”

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WORLD BEATING WINES In the previous issue of CHEERS magazine, there was a story about a historic sweet Constantia wine tasting held at Klein Constantia. Barely a month later, it was announced that the modern equivalent of the wine – Vin de Constance 2013 – was the overall best sweet wine in the Decanter World Wine Awards for 2017. The Decanter World

Wine Awards (DWWA) is arguably the world’s most highly regarded global wine competition, attracting 17 200 entries in 2017.

Adding further lustre to South Africa’s achievement was the news that Elgin producer, Paul Cluver Wines’ Seven Flags Chardonnay 2016 was the Best Chardonnay in Show, beating Chardonnays from France, Australia, America, Argentina and elsewhere. It is the second consecutive year this has happened with De Morgenzon’s Reserve Chardonnay having won in 2016.

Platinum Awards as the best South African entries in their respective categories (formerly known as regional trophies) went to: Nederburg The Anchorman Chenin Blanc 2016, Trizanne Signature Wines Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2016, Saronsberg Full Circle 2015, Uva Mira The Dance Cabernet Franc 2014 and Rustenberg Red Muscadel 2015.

Elgin pioneer, Paul Cluver Wines, was awarded bragging rights as the best Chardonnay overall at the 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards in London.

Dine with the winemaker On 12 August, the talented and passionate young chef, Frikkie van der Merwe, will collaborate with Plaisir de Merle winemaker, Niel Bester, to treat guests to a food and wine pairing that will spoil the taste buds and emphasise the versatility of the Plaisir de Merle wines.

The dinner will take place in the historic Cape Dutch Manor House that reflects the estate’s diverse cultural heritage and progressive approach to winemaking through the elegant and eclectic rendition of old and new.

Tickets for the four-course dinner cost R595 a head and includes wine thoughtfully paired with each dish. Space is limited so guests are advised to book in advance by telephoning 021 874 1071 or emailing info@plaisirdemerle.co.za to be part of this exclusive event.

WAR, WOMEN & WINE Elgin’s Spioenkop wine estate has introduced two new Chenin Blancs which pay tribute to two special – historic – South African women. Setting

these wines apart is that they are made purely from grapes grown in Spioenkop’s vineyards – and is also the only Chenin Blanc from Elgin. Although Belgian-born winemaker Koen Roose has won acclaim for Spioenkop’s 1900 Chenin Blanc, that wine was made from grapes sourced elsewhere in the Western Cape winelands.

Roose is paying homage to two women who played a part in the Anglo Boer War (1898-1902) with his two new Chenin Blanc wines named Johanna Brandt (wooded Chenin) and Sarah Raal (unwooded).

Brandt was the “petticoat commando”, lauded as a visionary, prophet, spy and writer with political influence and who organised women to spy on the British officers and hid prisoners who were on the run. “Her vision and mentality fit perfectly with the style of wine that is named after her. She was smart and feminine with a wild side and that’s the style of wine I want to make. Her surname means ‘fire’

in English and fire brings me back to the toasting of barrels, so it helps wine lovers to remember the difference between the two women and wines – wooded and unwooded.

Sarah Raal was taken prisoner and held at a concentration camp in Springfontein until her escape. She then joined her brothers on commando and took part in a number of guerrilla engagements, displaying considerable bravery. “I wanted a Chenin that has a chalky mouth, a limey texture that is not bold and tropical. I want to taste Elgin in the wine; that crispy minerality that is built on natural acidity from the grape itself. A style that is so sensual that it is a perfect match for fine dining. There is a common understanding these days that meat is no longer a foundation stone for the next generation of restaurateurs. More and more chefs are looking for natural seasonal products that reflect their origin, going botanical with a lot of fruit, flowers, vegetables and spices.

These wines will be perfect with this type of cuisine,” the winemaker said.

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ONE ELLIE, ONE BOTTLE A recent census showed that just 400 000 elephants remain on the African continent – but that they are being poached for ivory at the rate of 96 elephants per day. “The

future of the African elephant is at a tipping point, said Amarula global general manager Dino D’Araujo. “The species simply cannot sustain a slaughter on this scale and survive.

This fuelled Amarula to intensify its efforts by joining forces with WildlifeDirect, working closely with respected conservationist Dr Paula Kahumbu to save our elephants,” he said when announcing the second phase of the popular “Name Them, Save Them” conservation effort.

Amarula is putting a named elephant from Phase One of the campaign and information regarding the animal on the labels of 400 000 individualised Amarula bottles – one bottle for each of the earth’s remaining African elephants.

Innovative new print technology as well as an algorithm which randomly generates one-of-a-kind images have been used to ensure that each label is one hundred percent unique. The dedicated website – https:// amarula.com/trust – is up and running and Amarula has pledged to donate one US dollar to Wildlife Direct for every digital elephant created on the site.

D’Araujo noted: “We have always had a special bond with these magnificent creatures as the marula tree and its fruit contribute enormously to the well-being of the elephant and the very existence of Amarula. We had to come up with something that would personalise the plight of the African elephant in a way that would resonate with the international community and rally it to the cause. We think “Name Them, Save Them” is the perfect vehicle for this outreach,” he said.

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WORLD ADMIRATION Nederburg has the honour of being the only South African wine brand to make it onto the list of Drinks International’s ‘World’s Most Admired Wine Brands’ Top 50. This achievement

puts Nederburg in the company of several of the world’s famous names in wine, including Spain’s Torres which occupies the Number One spot, Chile’s Concha y Toro, Australia’s Penfolds, and French icons Chateau Margaux, Chateau D’Yquem, Chateau Haut-Brion, and Chateau Latour.

To make it into the international line-up of the top 50 wine brands, wineries have to show consistent or improving quality; a reflection of region or country of origin; a responsiveness to the needs and tastes of target audiences; excellent marketing and packaging; and a strong appeal to a wide demographic.

“The winery has performed brilliantly in the past year,” said global marketing manager Lynette Lambrechts, citing its being named ‘South African Wine Producer of the Year’, as well as a trophy for the best Cabernet Sauvignon in the world for its Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, at the 2016 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), as well as being honoured as the 2017 Platter’s ‘Winery of the Year’.

“We have worked hard in gaining increased worldwide visibility for the brand through new wine listings in top international markets such as Canada and the United States. Going forward, we’ll certainly not be resting on our laurels,” Lambrechts vowed. “Being featured in position 36 in the Drinks International top 50 list of ‘World’s Most Admired Wine Brands’ inspires us while we build Nederburg’s global presence, enticing wine consumers worldwide to keep on discovering what Nederburg stands for and has to offer.”

SA craft pioneer Forester’s Lager and Bosun’s Pale Ale were craft beers brewed and sold by Mitchell’s Brewing of Knysna decades before craft brewing even became a thing.

Mitchell’s was started in 1983 and continues to go from strength to strength, broadening its national footprint while not compromising on quality.

Current managing director Hein Swart first tasted it on a Knysna holiday years ago – and it ultimately changed his life since he joined SA Breweries and began his beer career. As a qualified SAB Master, he’s uniquely positioned to take a brand like Mitchell’s, with its craft brewing history of more than 30 years and drive it forward commercially.

Apart from the brand-new packaging design, there has also been investments in optimising quality, consistency, and production processes at the brewery in the heart of Knysna. Filtration and pasteurisation capabilities have been implemented, and a fermentation tank farm extended to boost reliable supply.

International brew-master, Jörg Finkeldey, who consults to Mitchell’s said, “The range continues to remain true to original ingredients, and we’re constantly refining processes to ensure the best brew across our entire range.”

“Getting craft beer right is part-science and part-art,” Swart said. “It takes a high level of commitment from everyone at the brewery, and we’re very fortunate to have such a long-standing and dedicated team of people involved from the local community.”

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TINUS

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TA L KS

A LOCAL CIDER MIGHT HAVE THE TAG LINE OF IT BEING “DRY… BUT YOU CAN DRINK IT.” WELL, SEEMS LIKE WINE IS GOING THE OTHER WAY.

GILDING THE LILY

A

lmost imperceptibly, sweetness has been creeping into South African white, red and rosé wines, regardless of the varietal, types and styles involved.

It’s almost as if the wave of consumer interest in sweeter wine which started appearing in international markets some years ago, has now reached South African shores like a tsunami.

The commercial demand for sweeter wine is nothing new: there was the infamous Portuguese Mateus Rosé, the most popular wine in the world during the early seventies.

Rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix was photographed drinking the wine from the bottle, and in 1973 Elton John merrily sang, “I get juiced on Mateus and just hang loose…” Apparently even Queen Elizabeth II demanded it.

Then there were the Zinfandels from the Unites States, also Cold Duck, Blue Nun from Germany, the Asti’s from Italy, and in South Africa we have had – and still find – the late harvest wines.

Nowadays, especially in the lower to medium price range categories, more pertinent sweetness is evident across the board. Don’t be surprised

Perhaps this snobbishness, this prejudice towards sweeter wines has at long last been reversed to make place for a more relaxed, mature view of selecting, serving and enjoying wine.

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if your favourite Merlot or Chardonnay suddenly tastes sweeter than before.

In fact, the current top selling wine brand in the world is “4th Street” from South Africa, the sales of which have increased by three million nine litre cases in 2015.

The “taste sweetness” in wine is attributed to “residual sugar”, or RS for short and is commonly measured in grams per litre (g/l). More specifically RS is the level of fructose or grape sugars and glucose that are not converted into alcohol during the wine’s fermentation.

On the other hand, the “sweet fruit” taste of a wine is primarily determined by the ongoing interaction of sugar, alcohol, acids and tannins, responsible for a combination of richness, depth, flavour intensity and concentration, finesse and harmony. Sweet taste derived from residual sugar can be measured while sweet fruit impression is an intangible of mouthfeel, sensations and perceptions.

In South Africa a wine with a residual sugar content of below 2.5g/l is certified as “extra-dry”; between 2.5 to 5g/l or not exceeding 9g/l, is regarded as “dry”, provided the total acidity is more than 2g/l below the sugar content whilst a “semi-dry” wine will have a RS between 5 to 12g/l, or not exceeding 18g/l if the total acidity is not more than10g/l below the sugar content reading. A “semi-sweet” wine will have a RS of between 5 to 30g/l.

Therefore, one could savour a cabernet sauvignon with 9g/l of RS and a total acidity of 6g/l, and although the wine might have a sweetish taste, it will still be a dry wine.

Linked to the above parameters is the fact that acidity counterbalances

the sweet taste of wine, thereby tricking our perception of sweetness.

This means that a wine with a higher acidity will taste more “dry” than a wine with less acidity. For this reason the term “dry”, simply depicting a wine with little or less residual sugar, is misused. The reason for this is that we cannot easily differentiate between a wine that tastes sweet due to a higher RS, or because of the sweet fruit impressions present in the wine.

A dry wine is simply a wine with a low reading of residual sugar, meaning it is not sweet. The key is not to confuse the absence of sweetness or dryness with the absence of fruit. In a dry wine you will, and should still, taste fruit; the wine will just not taste sweet, like fruit juice.

Could it be then that the shift of popular wine preference towards sweeter wine is simply a sign of growing up that is slowly becoming evident among South African wine drinkers? Not so many years ago it was a social taboo to serve sweet wine, including the glorious muscadels and hanepoots. People allegedly preferred drinking dry wine, wine snobbery prevailed. In the meantime the sweeter wines were enjoyed with alacrity in the quiet, hence the tongue-in-cheek expression, “talk dry and drink sweet.”

Perhaps this snobbishness, this prejudice towards sweeter wines has at long last been reversed to make place for a more relaxed, mature view of selecting, serving and enjoying wine.

That will be a good day for wine.

THE WHISKY ISSUE

SPAIN HAS A WINEMAKING CULTURE THAT STRETCHES BACK CENTURIES. PROBABLY ITS MOST FAMOUS EXPORT IS SHERRY. FIONA MCDONALD TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS FORTIFIED WINE STYLE.

A TASTE OF

SPAIN SU

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PE

DO 1933

RIOR S

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THE WHISKY ISSUE WINE SHERRY

A

lexander Fleming, founder of the miracle drug penicillin once said: “If penicillin can cure those that are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life.”

It still rankles some producers that South Africa signed away their rights to use the words “sherry” and “Port” on the locally made fortified wines as part of a trade agreement with the European Union. The ban came into effect in 2016 but consumers still associate the deliciously sweet, spicy and nutty wines enjoyed in winter with the traditional terms.

Of course, half the reason wine producers are miffed is that the millions of Euros that the European Union were supposed to send to South Africa as their side of the bargain – and earmarked for transformational projects within the local industry – never materialised!

Small wonder that South African producers feel as if they got shafted…

But to the man in the street, the guy who buys a bottle of richly sweet Old Brown for a night’s fishing with mates or someone who wants to sip something red and raisiny flavoured next to the fire to ward off some of winter’s chill, does it really matter? Sedgwicks, for example, have stuck to the bargain and dropped the “sherry” from their labels and their famous product is simply called Sedgwicks Old Brown. But consumers who know and love it still call it Old Brown Sherry… Obies for short!

Behind the ban on the terms sherry and Port is the protection of a geographical area of origin.

Just as sparkling wine made the traditional way cannot be called Champagne unless it is made in the designated geographical area of Champagne in France, the same logic applies to these fortified wines.

Sherry occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of wine lovers. It’s a product that has been deeply unfashionable for years – but it seems to be clawing back a little bit of market share. Much of this can be attributed to the change in food culture. The swing to tapas

and a variety of small snack plates at restaurants means that people have become more adventurous with flavour – and sherry is also the natural accompaniment to tapas.

SO WHAT IS SHERRY? It is a fortified wine, made in a range of styles (see sidebar on p18), which is from the Jerez region of Andalucia in southern Spain. The area of Jerez has been an important grape growing and wine making area for centuries – even as far back as a few hundred years BCE. The Moors are credited with having introduced distilling when they conquered the area in the 700s which led the making of brandy and grape spirits.

Under Moorish occupation the town was know as Sherish – from which both the words Sherry and Jerez are derived. It was also because the Brits battled to correctly pronounce the name of the city – which phonetically is said Hereth.

Conveniently for Francis Drake, nearly 3 000 barrels of sherry were on the quayside about to be loaded when he sacked Cadiz in 1587. They were shipped back to England as one of the spoils of war and this style of fortified wine became extremely popular.

To be a true sherry, the wine can only come from the geographically defined area of Jerez, coincidentally the first ever declared wine DO (denominacion de origen) in Spain in 1933. There are three towns which conveniently make up the ‘sherry triangle’: Jerez, El Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda.

The grapes used to make sherry are predominantly Palomino (used in 90% of all sherries), muscat d Alexandrie (muscadel) and Pedro Ximenez.

What makes sherry so special is that it’s never a single vintage product. If you have Chardonnay made in 2016 – it’ll forever be a 2016 Chardonnay. But sherry uses a fractional blending system known as the solera method – so the final, bottled product will contain more than one vintage.

In a very simplistic explanation, imagine barrels stacked upon one another, for example, three high.

Three barrels form the base, two in the middle and one on the top.

Each year, some of the bottom barrel’s contents are drawn off and bottled. (A maximum of 30% by Spanish law.) Wine is then taken from the middle two barrels to top off and fill the bottom barrels – and vice versa with wine from the top barrel being used to top off the slightly depleted middle barrels.

The top barrel is then filled with fresh new fortified wine.

But that’s not all… the most important part of sherry is a very special yeast, called flor. This yeast blooms on top of the wine in the barrel and forms a fuzzy white skin atop it. This controls the oxidation of the contents by forming a barrier between the wine and the air in the

ABOVE: It’s alive!

The flor yeast, so crucial to the development of great flavour in true sherry, forms a protective layer atop the maturing wine.

What makes sherry so specia l is that

it’s never a single vintage product. barrel. It also contributes a nutty, dried apple flavour to the sherry.

For this yeast to survive, it needs that addition of fresh wine to provide nutrition for its growth.

Historic records reflect that South Africa was making “sherry” before the 20th century and by the 1930s was well established. By the mid-1960s there were in the region of 50 different “sherries” available locally.

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WINE SHERRY

STYLES OF SHERRY? FINO – the driest and youngest of all sherries being between three and five years old. Only from Jerez and El Puerto de Santa Maria.

ABOVE: A sherry bodega in El Puerto de Santa Maria. Some of these barrels may even be snapped up by Scottish distilleries for use in their spirit maturation process, adding character to their whisky.

Perhaps the most recognisable local producer is Monis. For his Cape Wine Master dissertation in 2014 Conrad Louw looked at the making of this fortified wine in South Africa, noting that locally mainly Chenin Blanc and Palomino grapes are used.

Giacomo, Pietro and Roberto Moni left Tuscany for South Africa in 1906 and soon made inroads producing wine, cheese and later, pasta. In 1956 Monis wines bought 50% of Nederburg wines which is why the Monis brand is an important one within the Distell stable.

Monis also observes the ban, simply labelling their products Medium Cream or Full Cream, for example. The difference between them is in the sweetness levels with the former being between 83 and 122g per litre of residual sugar and the latter then going up to around 176g/l.

Sherry has made a magnif icent

comeback, thanks to a wave of high-end releases that have reinvigorated interest.

Those in the know are aware that Paarl producer, the KWV, has some real treasures lurking in their vast cellar complex. Fortified sherry-style wines that have lain undisturbed for years, some decades even. The company has a proud history of making this style of wine for at least 100 years – and continues to do so.

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But in 2016 SA’s largest independent wine and spirit producer and distributor, DGB, decided to offer local consumers a taste of the real thing, importing sherry from Spain.

“We knew the timing was right to introduce a superior range of Sherries into the South African market,” marketing director Jacques Roux said at the launch.

“Sherry has made a magnificent comeback, thanks to a wave of highend releases that have reinvigorated interest in the category among foodies and fine wine drinkers,.

We watched this with interest, and the upshot of it is that we are now seeing an increasing resurgence of the various styles of sherry on wine lists and in craft cocktails.”

The sherries were sourced from the bodegas (wine cellars) of Caballero in Spain’s Sanlucar de Barrameda, Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera. Caballero is recognised as a top sherry producer, having been named 2011 Best Spanish Wine Producer and the International Wine & Spirits Competition’s best sherry producer in 2014.

And then there is Old Brown which locally is a blend of Jerepiko/ Jerepigo (which is essentially sweet grape juice fortified with grape spirit to prevent fermentation) and ‘dry sherry’. There are a variety of local producers – from Sedgwicks to Mooiuitsig and Orange River Cellars.

MANZANILLA – also young and dry, like Fino, but only ever from Sanlucar de Barrameda.

AMONTILLADO – has a higher level of fortification with grape spirit so the alcohol level is up to 18% and its aged longer in barrel. Darker brown in colour than Fino and Manzanilla.

OLOROSO – also fortified to 18% but instead of being protected against oxygen, it is allowed to age with exposure to air.

CREAM SHERRY – typically a blend of Oloroso and PX Sherries with levels of varying sweetness. The most commercial of styles very popular in the British market.

PEDRO XIMENEZ (PX) – the sweetest of all sherries with the Pedro Ximenez grapes being left to dry in the sun and raisin after picking which concentrates the sugars. Then pressed to make wine and fortified.

THE WHISKY ISSUE

BARRELS OF Fun

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WHISKY HAS BEEN AROUND FOREVER BECAUSE OF INNOVATIONS LIKE THE CASK FINISH THAT KEEPS THIS SPIRIT INTERESTING AND MOST OF ALL, DESIRABLE, SAYS CLIFFORD ROBERTS.

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THE WHISKY ISSUE SPIRITS WHISKY FINISHES

WHAT IS A WHISKY FINISH? In the world of spirits, legal definition is important and strict.

To be Scotch for example, the spirit must be distilled in Scotland, from water and malted barley and matured in oak casks for at least three years. That’s just for starters. So, it’s to be expected that under these rules that distillers pride themselves on achieving differentiation through innovation and insist that any comparison of whiskies in terms of say, “whisky finishes”, be absolutely equal.

The term itself is not specifically defined in regulation, but is popularly taken to mean the transfer of mature spirit from one cask to a new or different cask before bottling. This should not be confused with whiskies that spend the largest part or entire aging in for example, sherry casks, as is the case with The Macallan Sherry Oak.

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ABOVE: The James Sedgwick distillery in Wellington is where innovative batches of whisky spend a year in barrels previously used for the maturation of Pinotage or Pedro Ximenez sherry, taking on a slightly different flavour.

RIGHT: The process all starts off the same ‌ with the initial brewing and fermentation in a mash tun.

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THE WHISKY ISSUE SPIRITS WHISKY FINISHES

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Wood is one of the most important components in the making of a whisky.

he cask finish has been a tool of the whisky-maker that is worthy of declaration on the label for decades. Still, it represents one of the frontiers where new and exciting expressions continue to excite the serious whisky-lover almost as much as the maturation age of the spirit.

The term itself broadly refers to the practice of using stock-in-trade barrels for additional maturation of whisky over months or years, allowing the whisky to take on a different organoleptic character.

American oak may, for example, add vanilla notes while sherry brings spice, depth and fullness of flavour.

In almost all cases, cask finished whiskies are supplementary to the main brand in a portfolio.

“Wood is one of the most important components in the making of a whisky,”says whisky aficionado Hector Mcbeth, owner of WhiskyShop.co.za. “While the use of different types of wood is not new as a trend, the marketing thereof is.”

Whisky finishes that distillers employ, encompass five categories of casks: virgin oak, wine, fortified wine, spirit and beer. “Beer casks are big now because of the popularity of craft beer, while an interesting development emerging in Europe is the use of Irish oak,” he says. “Also worthy to note is that sherry casks aren’t necessarily Spanish oak, but could be American oak that previously held sherry.”

Just a few months ago, Three Ships in Wellington launched the first whisky finished in a cask previously used for the maturation of Pinotage, a uniquely South African wine cultivar. The Three Ships 15 Year Old Pinotage Cask Finish claims the title for oldest whisky launched in South African history.

Not that distiller Andy Watts and the team at James Sedgwick Distillery are new to this kind of thing. The Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish, which undergoes a three-year maturation before spending six months in first-fill bourbon casks, was first released in 2005.

The whiskies on South African liquor store shelves that make use of this kind of technique are generally not mainstream, everyday brands.

For one, using additional barrels usually means an extra cost that the whisky-lover is likely to appreciate in the pursuit of a sublime, sipping whisky experience.

Calitzdorp’s famous Boplaas, maker of Portugal-style wines and brandy, added gin and whisky to its portfolio over the past 18 months.

Boplaas Whisky is made from South African maize, distilled to an alcohol content of 93% and then diluted with distilled water to 68% strength.

The ageing takes place in American oak barrels for around five years.

This is followed by six to 12 months in Boplaas brandy barrels. After the ageing, the whisky is once again diluted with distilled water to 43% and then bottled unfiltered.

“We’re constantly experimenting with different types of barrels,” says Boplaas winemaker and distiller Margaux Nel. “We get some interesting and great results, but we’re very conscious of what is commercially viable.”

Fortunately, it seems that even the average spirit appreciator is far more adventurous thanks to the work of the pioneers of this technique, the investors who’ve stuck with it and the more current diversity exploding in categories like gin.

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SPIRITS WHISKY FINISHES

Madeira or Sauternes, in addition to the very popular use of sherry casks,” says Marc Pendelbury, one of the most recent South African additions to the esteemed Keepers of the Quaich Scotch whisky fraternity.

Whiskies have even been finished in casks formerly used for making Indian Pale Ale; and, specific wines like Banyuls, Pinot noir, Cabernet sauvignon, Burgundy and Champagne.

Some of the earliest adopters to promote the whisky finish include Glenmorangie and The Balvenie, which have continued to add to their portfolios in this field.

Among them, you’ll find at places like TOPS liquor stores, Glenmorangie Highland single malt’s 12 Year Old Lasanta sherry cask finish, Quinta Ruban Port cask finish and Nectar D’Or with casks from Sauternes.

There’s Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old, which employs ex Oloroso sherry casks and American oak ex-bourbon barrels and hogsheads; and 17 Year Old, with American oak barrels and European oak sherry casks as well as the brand’s 14 Year Old, finished in casks of Caribbean rum.

Glenfiddich includes the 21 Year Old, which spends four months in “Reserva Rum” casks.

Adding even more paints to its whisky palette is Irish brand Tullamore Dew. Its 15 Year Old Trilogy is “triple distilled pot still, malt and grain whiskeys perfected in three different oak asks: oloroso sherry, bourbon and golden rum”.

“All whisky starts in pretty much the same way,” declared The Glenlivet for the South African release of its speciality cask-finished range last year. New make spirit is diluted slightly and put in barrel for the legislated minimum number of years.

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“This is where the magic of the process begins.”

Over time, the spirit diffuses into the porous wood, which also acts as a filter. Chemical reactions between the ethanol and the compounds in the wood produce the taste, aromas, colour and mouthfeel of the whisky.

The Glenlivet Nàdurra Peated Whisky, for example, is finished in casks that previously held heavily peated Scotch whisky, giving a gently smoky twist to the classic, smooth and fruity house style that The Glenlivet is known for.

“A new trend in the promotion of finishing is brand new, ‘virgin’ oak casks that have never been used before to impart a lot of wood influence over a shorter time span,” says Pendelbury, who founded and co-owns the WhiskyBrother whisky shop in Hyde Park, Johannesburg.

“Since cask finishing started appearing on labels in the 1980s it has become a totally acceptable method for whisky producers to deviate from their traditional house profile. With that said, not all cask finished whisky is necessary better, or even as good; like all things

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough.”

– Mark Twain

whisky it is a matter of personal preference.

“But don’t draw conclusions too fast. For example, if you try a sherry cask finish but don’t enjoy it, don’t immediately rule out all other sherry finishes (or even sherry maturation for that matter). Sherry is a very broad drink in its own right with many different varieties and flavours, so you need to dig deeper in order to understand when it is used for a finishing. Similarly, if you try a cask finish from a particular producer but don’t like it, don’t rule out the rest of the producer’s range, which will undoubtedly differ in flavour.”

ABOVE: Colour coding provides an easy way for The Glenlivet to keep track of the various barrels in their vast maturation warehouses in the Scottish highlands.

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TASTING W

Y K S I H

NOTE

THE SUBTLE FLAVOURS OF WHISKY ARE INFLUENCED BY A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS. A TASTING PANEL COMPRISING EXPERT HECTOR MCBETH, WRITERS CLIFFORD ROBERTS, DR WINNIE BOWMAN, FIONA MCDONALD AND CHEERS MAGAZINE PUBLISHER SHAYNE DOWLING REVIEWED A FEW EXAMPLES.

“I

t’s the water source,” some whisky lovers maintain, while others believe that the origin of the barley and whether it’s peated or not has the biggest impact on what the dram in the glass tastes like.

Both are true, but ultimately wood plays one of the most crucial roles because of the length of time that the spirit of Scotland spends maturing in oak barrels.

This tasting looked at the impact that barrels which had already done service maturing either sherry from Spain, French dessert wine Sauternes, Pinotage from South Africa or even India Pale Ale beer can have on a whisky’s flavour.

“Whisk y, like a beautif ul woman,

demands appreciation. You gaze first, then it’s time to drink.” – Japanes e

S

PANEL CHOICE

GLENFIDDICH RICH OAK “Old school,” McBeth said. Leathery notes, soft and gentle textured with a subtle elements of floral pot-pourri and even a touch of moss. Clifford Roberts liked is cinnamon and citrus zest nuances. Rounded, superbly smooth and velvety with a hint of treacle sweetness on the end.

bestselling author, Haruki Murakami.

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GLENMORANGIE NECTAR D’OR

SINGLETON TAILFIRE With no age statement, this is a young whisky.

Fruity, quite fiery in its spirit bite but with nougat notes and prominent toasty oak adding some woodsmoke nuances too.

Bold, edgy and firm structured.

Finished in barrels previously used for French sweet wine Sauternes (like South African noble late harvest) Dr Bowman found dried apricot while McBeth noted winegum flavours. He also described the nose as ethereal and light with subtle almond/marzipan.

Publisher Shayne Dowling said it was the lady in the group – elegant and beautiful.

GLENFIDDICH IPA Finishing whisky in ex-beer casks is the latest thing and what surprised the panel was how light the influence of the beer was. “There’s a slight yeasty character or cream cracker biscuit note,” said Roberts while McBeth likened it to baking cookies. Both Dowling and McDonald noted the peppery flavour.

Dr Bowman said the palate was silky and smooth with a light refreshing bitterness on the end – like a beer.

“The water was not fit to drink. To make it

palatable, we had to add whisky. By diligent effort, I learned to like it.” – Winston Churchill

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GLENMORANGIE LASANTA

MACALLAN FINE OAK 12 YEAR OLD Three types of oak are used in this: European oak, American oak that’s contained sherry and American oak with bourbon.

The nose was a touch leathery and oily but the palate was beautiful as Clifford Roberts commented.

Burnt butter with shortbread and toasted pecans Fiona McDonald said.

The nose and palate are like walking through autumnal woods, with dry, dusty leaves underfoot. Its sherry cask finish makes Lasanta light and gentle in the mouth yet full-bodied.

McBeth praised this for being “textbook sherry cask finish – not overpowering”.

Smooth and creamy with light spicy notes, caramel and shortbread flavour.

THE WHISKY ISSUE

THREE SHIPS 15 YEAR OLD PINOTAGE CASK FINISH An absolute “Wow!” if you can get your hands on one of the 4 000 bottles of this. Included in the tasting because of its uniquely South African finish in an old Pinotage barrel, the whisky is not widely available. It’s big and robust with a noticeably different, red-tinged colour and light cherry, red berry fruit nose, all wrapped in a bold oak cloak.

That same big woody flavour is on the palate – really toasty! “It’ll be hard to drink more than one glass,” McBeth said.

Today’s rain is tomorr ow’s whisky.

- Anonymous

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THE WHISKY ISSUE ADVERTORIAL JOHNNIE WALKER GREEN L ABEL

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN...

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

J

ohnnie Walker®, the number one Scotch whisky in the world, is to re-introduce Johnnie Walker Green Label™, its blended malt Scotch whisky, as part of its core range globally in response to demand from consumers and customers around the world.

Johnnie Walker Green Label is crafted from a palette of Speyside, Highland, Lowland and Island malts matured for at least 15 years, delivering all the character of a single malt whisky, but with greater depth and a wider flavour experience.

The unique flavour profile of Johnnie Walker Green Label is a result of the careful balancing of four key signature styles, represented by Talisker™, Linkwood™, Cragganmore™ and Caol Ila™.

Talisker from the Isle of Skye, with its wood smoke, pepper, oak and rich fruits, gives the blend power and depth of character. Linkwood, a distinctive Speyside malt, adds the finesse with its light garden fruits and flowers and cedar wood notes. Cragganmore, a sweet and fragrant Speyside malt, gives the blend an exceptional malty heart and hints of sweet wood smoke and sandalwood.

Finally, Caol Ila – Islay’s best kept secret – is a very special malt which brings an element of maritime mystery through its notes of rich fruit, drying sea salt and peat smoke, each adding to the natural intensity of Johnnie Walker Green Label.

Guy Escolme, Johnnie Walker Global Brand Director, said: “Johnnie Walker Green Label is an exceptional whisky which is a tribute to the craftsmanship of our blenders and their great skill in selecting and blending malt whiskies to deliver a rich, multi-dimensional and balanced flavour profile.

of The uni que fla vou r pro fil e n La be l is a Jo hn ni e Wa lk er Gr ee

result of the carefu l balan cing of four key signa ture styles .

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“We have listened to our customers and consumers and we are responding to popular demand to bring it back into our core range. Johnnie Walker Green Label has always had a following and releasing limited volumes of it in the US and Australia this year to mark the tenth anniversary of its first introduction has revealed how much consumers have missed Johnnie Walker Green Label and want to see it back. We’re thrilled to be able to respond to that.

Johnnie Walker Green Label has won a string of international awards including Double Gold and Best Blended Scotch at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in both 2006 and 2007.

It will occupy a unique place in the Johnnie Walker core range as a blended malt Scotch whisky with a distinctive character derived from mature casks from classic malt distilleries.

Jim Beveridge, Johnnie Walker Master Blender, said: “The challenge of Johnnie Walker Green Label is to have a wide flavour spectrum from malts matured for 15 years in American and European Oak, ensuring that those flavours really complement each other and work in harmony to create a blend of great complexity which, at its heart, is true to the Johnnie Walker style of big and bold flavours with a signature smokiness.

“Crafting this blend is all about making the aromas more pronounced and vibrant, allowing us to shape a blend that has the depth of character which just isn’t possible from one malt whisky alone.”

In the Johnnie Walker core range, Johnnie Walker Green Label will sit between Johnnie Walker® Double Black™ and Johnnie Walker® Gold Label Reserve™.

So lift a glass on the 25th of July to say Happy Birthday to John Walker, the founding father of this iconic scotch whisky brand. Born in 1805, he would have been delighted to see his whisky – whether its Red, Black, Gold, Green, Platinum, Swing or Blue Label – still being demanded and enjoyed by people all over the world.

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18. Drink Responsibly.

THE WHISKY ISSUE

e Che mis try exp lai ns why som en in th ei r br ew er s us e ni tr og beer and others don’t; and, how draug ht beer was the start ing

va ti on . po in t of th is in no

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THE WHISKY ISSUE BEER THE SCIENCE OF BEER

Breaki g Beer PUT THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AND BEER HAPPENS NATURALLY. GOOD BEER HOWEVER, REQUIRES SCIENCE, REPORTS CLIFFORD ROBERTS.

B

eer is chemistry. The more this fact dawns, the more people wish they’d paid attention in class. But back then, we all thought a job in chemistry meant a lifetime in a white coat staring down a microscope. Those were the days before crime shows like CSI Las Vegas made chemistry geeks cool.

To the point, chemistry explains why some brewers use nitrogen in their beer and others don’t; and, how draught beer was the starting point of this innovation and continues to be so.

Being a perishable product, beer is generally considered freshest when served as draught because it involves less processes to get the beer from the brewery to the customer. That was until Castle Lager introduced “tank beer” in 2014 with the claim that this particular beer – now unpasteurised for more flavour – was even fresher.

The beer is transported by truck to participating pubs, pumped into a special bag contained in a tank and served directly from there.

Then, to make sure the natural state of the beer is preserved, it’s moved along through the pipeline using compressed air rather than the carbon dioxide (CO²) generally employed in draught kegs.

As we know, CO² is a natural compound that is present in the air and water.CO² is exhaled by almost everything that breathes. Since we’ve learned to capitalise on almost everything around us, we’ve also figured out that it works well for many things from welding to de-caffeinating coffee, and the carbonation of drinks.

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Wit h cha nge s in tas tes and s ev en tu al ly te ch no lo gy, br ew er figured out how to add bubble and impro ve the foam.

As a by-product of fermentation too, CO² quite literally puts the bubble in beer. Historically though, it’s believed most early beers would have had far less fizz because fermentation was done in open tanks. One exception would have been Germanic lagers that benefited from the slightly more carbonation-friendly environment of cool, underground storage.

RIGHT: Alchemy or science?

Nitrogen has an important role to play in head development and mouthfeel on certain beers, especially Guinness..

BELOW: Shiny stainless steel, gauges and pipes are a long way from the romance associated with brewing.

With changes in tastes and technology, brewers eventually figured out how to add bubble and improve the foam, and how C0² is useful to effectively push beer uphill, i.e. from a keg up to the bar tap. What they found was the more fizz in beer, the more people liked it. Today, bubbles and a foamy head are generally as important to the enjoyment of beer as its other attractions. This is in spite of there still being a strong following in the world for low-carbonated beers and for light beers that sell almost exclusively on the visual and textural strengths contributed by their fizziness.

Along this journey of innovation, brewers also came across the rather positive effect that nitrogen can have on some beers as well. This common compound was first identified in the late 1700s and is used in many things from tyres and lightbulbs to cocktails and molecular gastronomy, as well as countless – frankly, dangerous – home experiments (see Google, et al).

In beer, nitrogen has two primary benefits and of course, Guinness – a pioneer of the technique some 60 years ago – is the first to spring to mind. Being less soluble than CO², nitrogen allows for smaller bubble formation, which gives a satin-like silky texture to the beer and it brings greater stability to the foam, or head. Guinness first added nitrogen to draught beer in the 1950s, but later went on to create their famous widget as a way of extending the same “surge and settle” effect to its beer in cans. The widget is a patented, nitrogen-filled capsule that surges with bubbles when the can is opened.

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THE WHISKY ISSUE BEER THE SCIENCE OF BEER

On local shores, South African Breweries introduced a mix of CO² and nitrogen to Castle Milk Stout, launching Ultra Smooth in 2014.

In these kinds of mixes, the nitrogen doesn’t completely replace CO². Only a very small amount of the former is required to achieve the small-bubble effect, which is fortunate considering nitrogen can be more than double the price of CO².

The sensitivity and marvel of it all becomes very clear when you start to delve into the research of people like Charles Bamforth, Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Brewing Science at University of California, Davis.

Also known as the “Pope of Foam”, Bamforth is internationally renowned and has worked in the field since the late 1970s.

In a 2011 online discussion about carbonation, he points out how, apart from the visual appeal,

CO² provides sensory titillation and assists in transporting flavour substances when consumed. In addition to affecting mouthfeel and structure, nitrogen tends to dampen some flavour notes including hop aroma, which you might require if you happen to brew a very strong, roastyflavoured beer.

It’s one reason that lighter beers that use nitrogen are rare.

Guinness itself produces the Nitro IPA, which uses “a complex mix of five hop varieties [that] yields a strong body …”.

Still, nothing happens in isolation and this is true especially in the intricate world of beer. Foam is affected by ingredients, production and the pour itself as much as it is by dirty glassware. As a beer-drinker, you might not be able to do much about ingredients and production, but you can make sure of the rest. Under perfect

conditions, whether there’s nitrogen in your beer or not, the aim when decanting beer is for balanced and patient interaction between all the intrinsic elements of the beer to ensure a good head, says Bamford.

“Get the whole glass converted into foam; don’t be weak-wristed and dribble it in. Start with a vigorous pour and pause, allowing interaction to take place. The more foam, the greater opportunity for stabilising the foam. Then top it up in bursts.

“In Dublin [home of Guinness], you have to be patient,” he adds.

“It can take 10minutes to get your beer because there’s so much foaming potential. They get it to foam and keep topping it up until there’s a superb head.”

If you fail the first time, then clearly it requires diligent practice.

You won’t find any opposition.

BELOW: Don’t be afraid of foam. Foam is your friend so pour vigorously, an expert maintains.

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THE WHISKY ISSUE

WINTER ajigs

thingam

TOP S Buy

There are plenty of things to cure a bad case of winter chills:

hot chocolate, a cosy fire, a fuzzy blanket or some liquid indulgence to name just a few. Keep snug and warm throughout this frosty season.

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FOUNDER’S RESERVE, the latest expression in The Glenlivet’s premium range of single malt whiskies is a modern classic. The perfectly balanced fruity profile is unmistakably. Delicate aromas of citrus fruit, notably sweet orange, on the nose, and sweet notes of zesty oranges and pears with just a hint of candy toffee apples on the palate.

But it also has an intense, creamy sweetness from maturation in first fill American oak casks and an unprecedented smoothness that makes Founder’s Reserve just so accessible to non-traditional whisky drinkers.

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It can be enjoyed straight, on the rocks or as a great mixer in cocktails.

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1. HOT CHOCOLATE BATH MILK Darling Jane, Natural Skincare Store, R65.00, hellopretty.co.za 2. FAUX SEUDE GLOVES Black, Joy Collectables, R99, Spree 3. SWEETS ONESIE, R169.99, Mrp.com 4. NOMU HOT CHOCOLATE PIECES, R99.00, Yuppiechef.com 5. MENS KNITTED CARDIGAN, R129.99, Mrp.com 6. PRINTED SOCKS, Aubergine, R25.99, Mrp.com 7. CROCHET BLANKETS by Shenanigans, R450, Hello Pretty 8. EMOJI SLIPPERS PRINCESS, R99.99, Mrp.com 6. LOVE IN SIGN LANGUAGE EMBROIDED CUSHION, Pillow Talk, R195 10. SEVERIN POPCORN MAKER, R749.00, Yuppiechef.com 11. POM-POM DETAIL BEANIE, Joy Collectables, Burgundy, R129.99, Spree.co.za.

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THE WHISKY ISSUE

WINTER s

essential

Let there be light and warmth ! It’s easier to deal with winter ’s chill when

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your hands are wrapped around something warm to drink and a cosy glow covers everything. SPAR Good Living has a range of items which fit the bill.

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1. WHISKY TUMBLER (250ml) 2. CORDED KETTLE 1.7 litre, 1 year guarantee 3. HOUSEHOLD CANDLES (Rainbow Pack) 6s 4. STAINLESS STEEL VACUUM FLASK, 1 litre, assorted colours 5. CANDLE LED LAMP BC 3.5W (Warm White) 6. CANDLE HOLDER 7. ALUMINIUM KETTLE 2.5 litre, easy pour spout 8. COFFEE PLUNGER (8 cup) 9. SANDWICH MAKER / GRILLER (2 SLICE), 1 year guarantee J U L / AU G 2 0 1 7

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THE WHISKY ISSUE

TO ITALIANS DRINKING CAPPUCCINO AFTER 11AM IS SACRILEGE. IT’S A MORNING DRINK! NOT THAT IT’S STOPPING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE FROM ORDERING A MILK-FROTH TOPPED COFFEE ANY TIME OF THE DAY – OR ANY OTHER KIND OF COFFEE FOR THAT MATTER.

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SOCIETY CAFÉ

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offee. Decades ago South Africans used to enjoy it out of a can or a glass jar. Often it contained a high proportion of chicory too. Information is king. No longer are we satisfied knowing that it’s French Roast or Italian or Costa Rican. No, we want to know if it’s Fairtrade certified and whether the beans were grown at a particular altitude on a north-facing slope!

Perhaps that’s a bit of an exaggeration but coffee shops used to be places you went for a cup of coffee. The modern coffee shop is more than somewhere caffeine is served in latte, espresso, macchiato or cappuccino form: they’re almost second offices with many a business meeting taking place – or interviews – or a great place to work undisturbed utilising free Wi-Fi. Being able to enjoy good coffee and even buy freshly roasted beans to take home is a bonus. And then there’s the frothy art … who doesn’t like the fact that a barista has drawn a heart, fern leaf or swan in the foam? It’s a trend that shows no sign of waning.

South Africans love coffee.

In May, Winston Thomas of Cape Town’s Origin coffee roasters was adjudged the country’s champion Barista with TriBeCa Coffee’s Harry Mole and Khulekani Mpala in second and third place respectively.

So, when you’re seeking a truly great caffeine fix where are the best places to visit?

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THE WHISKY ISSUE COFFEE CAFÉ SOCIETY

JOHANNESBURG

DOUBLESHOT COFFEE & TEA ADDRESS: 15 Juta St and Melle St, Braamfontein, Johannesburg HOURS: 8.30am to 5.30pm PHONE: 011 100 5241 Coffee and tea run in the veins of the folks who own Doubleshot. The idea behind the establishment of this popular spot on the corner of Juta and Melle Streets in Braamfontein was to showcase what’s possible going from bean (and leaf!) to cup. Alex Kay is a third generation of tea and coffee growers from Malawi while Alain Rosa is a top-notch tea blender and coffee roaster.

They have even given their roasters names: Mini-me for sample batches and Luigi for the big stuff, seven kilos of beans at a time.

Expect the unexpected since they’re always experimenting with flavour. Nothing boring here with a range of methods of preparation too. (Think Aeropress or siphon.) But you’re safe in their expert hands.

Relaxed and unpretentious, Doubleshot was one of Joburg’s originals and remains one to seek out for an excellent cup of java or chai.

BEAN THERE COFFEE COMPANY ADDRESS: 111 Smit Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg and 44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark, Johannesburg HOURS: Mon – Fri: 7.30am to 4pm, Sat: 9am to 3pm, Sun: 9am to 12 PHONE: 087 310 3100 South Africa’s first Fairtrade certified coffee supplier, Bean There is all about ethics and wanting to make a difference in the lives of bean growers in Africa. They have personally travelled the continent making contact with growers in Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia and Kenya.

It’s more than just a coffee shop. You can buy beans, coffee machines, home brewing equipment and filters … everything you might need for a perfect cup of coffee. Bean There’s Milpark venue doubles as a coffee training school and many a local barista has learned the ropes of grinding, pressure, milk temperature and more through them.

Its Milpark digs are light and airy with funky lampshades hung over the counter while a bicycle graces a wall right next to a roaster which gives off heavenly seductive aromas while the beans are being heated and processed. The coffee is top notch as one would expect.

A speciality of theirs are coffee cupping evenings with knowledge happily shared with fellow enthusiasts.

FATHER COFFEE ADDRESS: 73 Juta Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg and The Zone, 177 Oxford Road, Rosebank, Johannesburg.

HOURS: Braamfontein – Mon – Fri: 8am to 4pm, Sat: 8.30am to 4pm Rosebank – Mon – Fri: 7am to 6pm, Sat 9am to 6pm, Sun 9am to 4pm PHONE: 082 513 4258 Flooring takes on an intriguing décor nuance on the walls of Father Coffee in the form of wooden planks artfully arranged in a herringbone pattern, a copper tubing frame above the bar and big balls of suspended leafy plants. But it makes a great backdrop for the host of folks sitting at the tables, laptops open and working while sipping on freshly-brewed coffee.

It’s all about attention to detail, from the roasting of their own beans (which are also available fresh to take home) to their custom-made cups which fit the palm of one’s hand beautifully.

As Stacey-Lee wrote on their Facebook page: “Delicious coffee, and the guys behind the counter know what they’re talking about. Love the clean, simplistic feel of the coffee shop with the light wood panels.

Very cool over-all.” Or this from Tobias, a foreign visitor to SA: “It is one of the best coffee places we visited in SA. I had an amazing brew coffee (with beans from Rwanda) made with the Aeropress – and this was only the second good brew coffee I got during the whole trip!”

AFRICABLACK ROASTERY & ESPRESSO BAR ADDRESS: New Market Road, North Riding, Johannesburg HOURS: Mon – Fri: 6.30 to 5.30pm, Sat: 7 to 2pm PHONE: 011 462 2443 One of the biggest plus points of this popular spot in North Riding is that it opens early – 6.30am or as Robin Williams said in Good Morning Vietnam: “Oh-six-hundred hours …

Omigod that’s early!”

As one customer, Diederick wrote when reviewing the place; “An overall impression of tranquillity. Surprising, as it is situated alongside a major arterial road and in a semiindustrial area. Cool decor, no music and people quietly going about their meetings and business. Exactly what’s required for morning coffee and breakfast.”

So what about the coffee which is its main focus? Beans are sourced from Rainforest Alliance Farms – proudly African. Baristas here are well trained and skilled, and boast some top titles. Try the special Arabica blend. There’s also a wholesale operation roasting and supplying beans.

Staff are happy to go the extra mile. As one content customer Rozelle noted, food’s always fresh and tasty and the team are happy to deliver emergency cappuccinos directly to the office in an emergency!

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THE WHISKY ISSUE COFFEE CAFÉ SOCIETY

DURBAN

BEAN GREEN COFFEE ROASTERY ADDRESS: 147 Helen Joseph Road, Durban HOURS: Mon – Fri: 7am to 5pm, Sat: 8am to 12pm PHONE: 031 201 8122 Regulars describe this place as “relaxing” while some others consider it quirky.

On Durban’s Berea, in the foodie belt in and around the Davenport area, it was started by father and daughter team of Peter and Mel Winter (who is also such a coffee nut that she is also the editor of Coffee magazine!).

Beans are organic, roasted on the premises and in small batches to ensure optimum freshness and flavour. Food is ranked right up there with the coffee and the pastries and sandwiches are super fresh and tasty.

As Ncedile wrote: “This place is cosy, always good music and friendly baristas.

The coffee overall is great, baristas well trained and consistent. The clincher is the ambiance, laid back music that is not excessively loud and Wi-Fi that allows good productivity. This is one of Durban’s best.”

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THIS EAST COAST CITY HAS A GROWING COFFEE CULTURE AND IS EVEN HOME TO THE COUNTRY’S PREMIER MAGAZINE ABOUT COFFEE, NOW DISTRIBUTED TO MORE THAN 200 OUTLETS NATIONWIDE. FOR YEARS COLOMBO WAS THE ONLY REAL SPECIALIST BUT THAT’S NO LONGER THE CASE WITH A HOST OF OTHER GREAT VENUES HAVING OPENED UP.

COLOMBO COFFEE ADDRESS: 59 Adelaide Tambo Drive, Durban North, Durban HOURS: Mon – Fri: 6am to 5pm, Sat: 7am to 2pm, Sun: 8am to 2pm PHONE: 031 205 3283 The gritty surrounds of Gale Street and “Slumbilo” used to be where Colombo could be found. These days the far more salubrious surrounds of Kensington’s restaurant strip are home to one of Surf City’s favourite coffee spots.

Cyclists are long gone before the mums doing the morning school run stop in.

Beans are freshly roasted after being sourced from South and Central America as well as African producers. There’s a range of their own coffee available for purchase, along with the regular kit.

They love the fact that consumers are really clued up on their coffee and take an interest in how it’s made. They’re only too happy to engage with their clients over the merits of different beans or a café latte versus macchiato or Aeropress versus domestic pod systems.

As Zaheer said in a review: “What a great little coffee place.

The coffee itself is quality, the kind that doesn’t require sugar.

They offer a few readymade food items like sandwiches – also pretty good. Friendly service too.”

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LINEAGE ADDRESS: Shop 2, Builders Way Centre, 3 and 5 Builders Way Road, Hillcrest PHONE: 031 035 0872 It’s a little inland from Durban but well worth the drive up to Hillcrest – and many is the coffee fan who happily makes the pilgrimage. Started five years ago by a former SA champion barista Craig Charity, the quality of their coffee and beans is not in question.

Manning the machines are baristas Charity has trained: Mfanafuthi Zibula and Fani Myeza who also does the roasting – and likens it to “being in heaven with the angels!”

Heavenly choruses are what devotees of perfectly roasted beans and great coffee hear when visiting this airy space. Don’t miss out on the ethically sourced and as organic as possible deli items which are also available from Lineage.

IWANTMYCOFFEE (IWMC) ADDRESS: Shop 1, Mayfair on the Lake, Cnr Park Lane and Park Drive, Umhlanga HOURS: Mon – Fri: 6.30am to 5pm, Sat: 9am to 2pm PHONE: 031 566 5584 Umhlanga Rocks sprawls languidly just a few kilometres from downtown Durban.

Known for years as a holiday destination, it’s now a foodie – and coffee – destination too.

Started by Just Jinjer singer Ard Mathews and photographer Deborah Good in 2013 it’s now the property of Capitol Caterers who are just as adamant as Mathews and Good that great coffee is the most important thing in life.

Ethiopian beans are their speciality – as is a naturally occurring decaf coffee. Airy and bright with shared tables and a funky blackboard wall at one end, the swift and efficient baristas operating the machine with bangs of tampers and hisses of steam spouts provide the backing track.

Don’t forget to try the choc-chip cookies and the lunch offerings are good too.

As Yathir said: “Trendy spot.

Love the coffee and atmosphere,” while Pooven praised the staff: “The people live coffee! Head barista Sam has a wealth of coffee knowledge. You feel imbibed in the spirit of IWMC ...”

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THE WHISKY ISSUE COFFEE CAFÉ SOCIETY

CAPE TOWN

“I didn’t know there was so much to know about coffee! The coffee menu is extensive and covers every method of coffee preparation out there.”

TRUTH COFFEE ROASTING ADDRESS: 36 Buitenkant Street, Cape Town HOURS: Mon – Fri, 7am to 6pm; Sat: 8am to 6pm, Sun: 8am to 2pm PHONE: 021 200 0440 David Donde is the godfather of coffee in the city. He and a partner started Origin in De Waterkant and he then moved on to start up Truth in Buitenkant, the funky venue that’s more like an active art installation than a mere coffee shop!

Its steampunk installation and costumed waitrons don’t distract at all from the quality of the brew – made from freshly roasted beans. It’s been named both The World’s Best AND The World’s Coolest coffee shop.

It’s the place where the flat white becomes something celestial in its Resurrection Blend form while the Battle Brew is enough to have java lovers slaying dragons – or at least climbing into a mountain of work and nailing that distant deadline!

Here’s what Nicole had to say: “Don’t you just love it when meetings are situated in the perfect location, especially at a place that has some of the best coffee and breakfast in Cape Town?

The service, the Flat White and the Mushroom Bruschetta was so on point this morning, I cannot wait to come by again and try the other gems that are available!”

MISCHU THE COFFEE SHOWROOM ADDRESS: 85 Regent Road, Sea Point, Cape Town.

HOURS: Mon – Fri: 7am to 6pm, Sat and Sun, 8am to 6pm PHONE: 072 563 8090 Caffeine fans on the popular Atlantic Seaboard side of Cape Town needn’t go far for one of the best coffees around. On Sea Point’s main drag, Regent Road, is Mischu, The Coffee Showroom started in 2012 by Mickael Bou Rjeily – Mischu to his mates and everyone else.

Service is always friendly and every cup is genuinely handed over with a smile – but they take their coffee seriously at Mischu. It’s why Mischu won the bragging rights to Best Espresso and Best Cappuccino in the Cape Town Barista Awards in 2012 – and then went on to take the national Cappuccino crown the same year.

Few things can rival a superlative cup of coffee, freshly brewed from great beans and made with skill and great care.

And if you want to just chill out for a while, they offer board games too.

“Just go there,” said Heleen.

“Experience it. Lovely coffee, great vibe. Best part? So many dog lovers come past and grab a cup of coffee, so I get to meet so many new furry friends!”

And Taro wrote in a review: “The Wi-Fi is pretty good and more than anything the staff is friendly. Happiness always makes me smile! For a hot day definitely try the Cafe Freezo.

They also make all of their baked goods in-house and won’t disappoint.”

ORIGIN COFFEE ROASTING ADDRESS: 28 Hudson St, De Waterkant, Cape Town HOURS: Mon – Fri: 7am to 5pm, Sat: 8am to 3pm, Sun: 9am to 2pm PHONE: 021 421 1000 As mentioned, this was the original place which Joel Singer started with David Donde in 2006 in its refurbished former warehouse space in Hudson Street in De Waterkant, becoming part of the urban regeneration into one of the city’s funkiest places.

Its walls used to be lined with hessian sacks of coffee beans which were then roasted on site. When Donde hived off to start Truth, Singer expanded and Origin now boasts six outlets nationwide and a booming wholesale business in roasted beans.

What hasn’t changed is the care taken over each cup of coffee; from the beans to the latte art on the froth. And they take passing on the gospel of coffee seriously too, training baristas to hone their skills and then go out into the world, preaching java and caffeine!

As one reviewer wrote: “Cool and spacious interior. I met the owner who’s passionate and very knowledgeable on what quality coffee should be. It was actually a learning experience. Their teas are also very good. Perfect for a break or a quick breakfast to start the day with quality coffee.”

Chris wrote much the same thing: “First impressions, I didn’t know there was so much to know about coffee! The coffee menu is extensive and covers every method of coffee preparation out there and there is a vast selection.”

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HULLE SÊ DIT IS DIE BELANGRIKSTE MAALTYD VAN DIE DAG. KOOLHIDRATE IS NIE MEER ‘KOEL’ NIE EN DIE SUIKER IS DEESDAE OOK NIE GOED VIR MENS NIE. NOU WAT DAN? SOOS GEWOONLIK, HET EMILE JOUBERT ’N PAAR GOEIE VOORSTELLE.

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ONTBYT HAPPE vir homo sapiens

D

ie buitelug is eenvoudig net nie gemaak vir muesli-, Cocoa Popsof jogurt-eters nie.

Nee, hier moet jy ordentlik brêkfis om krag te kry vir die dag se stap, hengel of ry wat voorlê. ’n Stewige ontbyt word ook veral benodig as jy en jou trawante tot diep in die nag onder die sterre gesit en uitgebreide gesprekke oor wêreldsake genuttig het.

Begin die dag met een van die volgende:

1 VISTERMANSMOOR

Ek is tot hierdie een gedwing omdat die visse wat ek deesdae vang so groot is dat selfs ’n stewige groep mense nie al die vorige aand se gebraaide vis kan opeet nie. Bêre dus die gebraaide galjoen, steenbras, geelstert of kabeljou en maak die volgende oggend ‘n visontbyt.

(VIR VIER HOMO SAPIENS HENGELARUS) 4 groot koppies vol koue gebraaide vis, in vlokkies gebreek met die hand 1 groot soetrissie, ontpit en fyngekap 1 groterige ui, afgeskil en fyngekap 2 middelslag vars tamaties, fyngekap 2 eetlepels mayonnaise Paar skeute Tabasco (sterk)

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Eetlepel kookolie. ½ teelepel sout ½ teelepel swartpeper ½ teelepel suiker 1 Braai ui en soetrissie stadig in groterige pan totdat die ui deurskynend is. Voeg tamatie by en kook totdat tamatie sag is. Kook sous af as dit te lank is.

2 Voeg vis by en roer deur. Prut als vir 10 minute. Laat looi met die mayonnaise, sout, peper en suiker.

Roer deur en prut vir minuut of twee om te sorg als is lekker warm. Spuit met Tabasco. Bedien saam met hompe vars gebotterde bruin brood – en vir die res van die dag gaan dit nie net jou lyn wees wat styf is nie.

WENK: Maak ryker, dikker en rooier deur ‘n klein blikkie tamatiepasta in te roer net nadat jy die vis bygegooi het. En as jy rêrig mal te kere wil gaan, gooi ‘n paar olywe en kappertjiesade (capers) by.

VOLUME 31

Emile Joubert is a PR practitioner by profession, but a food and wine enthusiast by desire. Check out his blog: www.winegoggle.co.za

2 CHOLESTEROLTEMMER

Hierdie een is veral bedoel vir mense wat beplan om vroegdag baie energie te verbrand deur iets soos bergfietsry, rotsklim of wildstroper-ontduiking aan te pak. Die suiker-inspuiting is turbo-aangedrewe, maar laat jou nie met daardie hollerige 10:00-insinking nie.

1 Sif droë bestanddele saam.

Klits eiers. Gooi melk, olie en droë bestanddele by eiers en meng tot dit so ’n romerige, gladde mengsel is – omtrent so dik soos dik room.

Maak geoliede klein pannetjie warm oor kole of gasstoof. Nou gaan jy tien pannekoeke maak – elkeen omtrent so groot soos ‘n piering. Gooi mengsel in pan. Draai pannekoeke om met eierspaan sodra hulle bo vol blasies en styf is. Laat aan die anderkant bruin word. Omtrent een minuut per pannekoek. Plaas pannekoeke eenkant en hou warm.

2 Nou braai jy jou spek in dieselfde pan. Terwyl dit gedoen word, sit twee pannekoeke op elke bord. Sodra die spek reg is kom drie repies goed-gebraaide spek op een pannekoek. Sit dan die ander bo-op, soos ‘n toebroodjie.

3 Bedrup die pannekoektoebroodjie lustig met straaltjies stroop. Moenie skaam wees nie – soet en sout is koning.

WENK: Omskep bogenoemde in ’n ietwat meer dekadente weergawe deur ’n dik laag Mascarponekaas op jou pannekoek te smeer voordat jy die spek opsit. Nee man, moenie bekommerd wees nie, môre is nog ’n dag.

THE WHISKY ISSUE

3

TUISNYWERHEID EMILE JOUBERT

COWBOYBONE

‘n Ruk terug het ek en ’n cowboy deur Glacier Park in Montana gestap om grizzly-bere te tel.

Elkeen van die vyf oggende het met hierdie gereg begin, wat ons vol en vreesloos vir een van die wêreld se gevaarlikste diere gelaat het.

(VIR TWEE TOT DRIE HOMO SAPIENS) 2 blikkies bone in tamatiesous 4 eetlepels botter 1 teelepel swartpeper 1 pakkie spek, in blokkies gesny of ses gerookte of Weense worsies, ook in mondvol repies gesny (voeg kekerertjies, uie en soetrissie ook by as jy deftig wil wees) 1 Braai spek of worsies in pot of pan oor die kole of op gasstoof. Gebruik ’n bietjie van die botter hiervoor.

Braai die vleis lekker bruin. Voeg dan die bone by.

Moet nie die geur in hierdie bone onderskat nie, en dis beter om hulle stadig te laat prut vir 12 tot 15 minute as om net sommer warm te maak.

2 Vyf minute voor jy opskep, voeg jy die res van die botter by, wat als ’n eerlike romerige geur gee, asook die swartpeper vir ’n bietjie skop.

3 Eet verkieslik met eetlepels uit blikborde.

WENK: Skuif die gereg ’n rat hoër deur Worcestersous en ‘ paar eetlepels van daardie ekstrafyngekapte biltong – die poeierige goed – oor te strooi.

Of gebruik kekerertjies (chickpeas) in plaas van boontjies. ’n Garth Brooks-liedjie in die agtergrond help ook.

(VIR VYF HOMO SAPIENS) 500 ml koekmeel (2 koppies) 20 ml bakpoeier (4 teelepels) 2 ml (½ teelepel) sout 20 ml suiker (4 teelepels) 2 eiers 350 ml melk (1 ¼ koppie) 25 ml kookolie (2 eetlepels) 15 repies spek Esdoringstroop (maple syrup of goue stroop) J U L / AU G 2 0 1 7

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THE WHISKY ISSUE B O O K G I V E AWAY THE SOUTH AFRICAN GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK

GLUTENs

maximu B BELOW: There’s help at hand in the shape of The South African Gluten-free Cookbook which conveniently presents 100 recipes – all tried and tested

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eing gluten or lactose intolerant has become quite trendy in the last few years.

While large parts of the population have become hyper-vigilant about the amount of carbohydrates they eat, many are unaware of the role that gluten can play.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and grains or cereals which makes dough elastic and springy.

“Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together,” is the way that the Coeliac organisation website states it.

People afflicted with Coeliac disease – a genuine intolerance for gluten which causes inflammation

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EATING HEALTHILY IS IMPORTANT. FIVE FRUIT AND VEG A DAY, AND ALL THAT… GLUTEN IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHICH IS FOUND IN A LOT OF FOODS AND WHICH CAN MAKE PEOPLES’ LIVE MISERABLE – ASK ANYONE SUFFERING FROM COELIAC DISEASE. of the bowel and intestine and massive discomfort and bloating – have battled for years not only to find products missing this ingredient but also to find recipes.

There’s help at hand in the shape of The South African Gluten-free Cookbook which conveniently presents 100 recipes – all tried and tested – which will make life so much easier for Coeliacs.

One of the most important elements of managing Coeliac disease is knowing which foods contain gluten and which alternative source will give the best results when cooking. This book discusses the various types of flours as well as providing a great gluten-free flour mix which is then used as the basis of many recipes between its pages.

And it’s not just baking: There are fantastic cauliflower, quinoa and kale options with salmon, pesto and Asian-inspired chicken dishes.

It also doesn’t mean that life needs to be boring or devoid of any pleasure or baked goods.

Coeliacs can enjoy freshly-baked – gloriously gluten-free! – waffles, mince pies, Yorkshire pudding and pumpkin fritters as well as breads and quiches galore.

GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR MIX

500 g white rice flour 350 g brown rice flour 200 g potato flour/ starch 150 g tapioca flour/ starch 50 ml (30 g) fat-free milk powder 10 ml xanthan gum Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and use a wire whisk to blend well.

Store in an airtight container and use as necessary.

NOTES We use the gluten-free flour mix in many recipes in this book. Where ‘gluten-free flour mix’ is specified, the recipe has been tested using this mix.

When calculating quantities, remember that 150 g flour equals 250 ml or 1 cup.

To make self-raising flour, add 5 ml glutenfree baking powder for every 250 ml of flour called for.

VOLUME 31

THE WHISKY ISSUE

Sticky toffee pudding

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A COPY OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK

See T&C’s on pg 04 To qualify, send an e-mail or a postcard clearly marked Cheers Book Giveaway and containing your name, ID number, physical address (not a PO Box please!) along with a contact telephone number to qualify for the lucky draw.

ADDRESS: cheers@cheersmag.co.za or Cheers, PO Box 259, Rondebosch 7701.

Entry deadline: 15th August 2017 LIKE us on www.facebook.com/CheersMag to double your chance of winning.

Apple and blueberry crumble

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THE WHISKY ISSUE B O O K G I V E AWAY THE SOUTH AFRICAN GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK

Sticky toffee pudding Serves 6–8

Apple and blueberry crumble Makes 4–6

1 can (400 g) pie apples, roughly chopped 250 g fresh blueberries 125 ml castor sugar 15 ml lemon juice 5 ml vanilla extract CRUMBLE

125 ml gluten-free flour (see box on page 44) 45 ml brown sugar 50 g butter 60 ml gluten-free rolled oats 25 g flaked almonds 45 ml shredded coconut 5 ml gluten-free ground cinnamon (optional) 1 Combine the apples, blueberries, castor sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix well, but gently.

2 Divide the mixture between 4–6 ovenproof ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking tray. (Instead of individual ramekins, you can use an ovenproof baking dish.)

3 Top generously with crumble and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15–20 minutes until the crumble is golden. (For a single dish, bake for 25–40 minutes.)

4 For the crumble, place the gluten-free flour, brown sugar and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

(You can also rub the butter in using your fingertips.)

5 Stir in the oats, flaked almonds, coconut and ground cinnamon (if using).

250 g dried pitted dates, chopped 500 ml boiling water 10 ml bicarbonate of soda 10 ml vanilla extract 100 g butter 375 ml white sugar 2 eggs 750 ml gluten-free flour mix (see box on page 44) 10 ml gluten-free baking powder TOFFEE SAUCE

250 ml cream 125 ml brown sugar 125 ml white sugar 125 ml golden syrup 100 g butter 5 ml vanilla extract 1 Put the dates into a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and vanilla extract and leave to cool.

2 In a separate bowl, cream the butter and white sugar well.

3 Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well before each addition.

4 Sift the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the cooled date mixture.

Mix well.

5 Pour the mixture into a deep 20 x 30 cm ovenproof baking dish that has been greased with butter.

6 Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30–40 minutes until cooked. Remove from the oven and prick all over with a skewer.

Pour over the toffee sauce and leave for up to 10 minutes so that the sauce can soak into the pudding. If not serving immediately, leave to cool and reheat before serving.

7 For the sauce, put all the ingredients into a saucepan and heat until the sugars dissolve. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes.

8 Pour the hot sauce over the pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Ricotta hotcakes Makes 10–12

250 g ricotta cheese 180 ml milk 2 eggs, separated 250 ml gluten-free flour mix (see box on right) 5 ml baking powder 30 ml castor sugar 3 ml salt oil for frying 1 Combine the ricotta, milk and egg yolks in a bowl and mix well.

2 Sift the gluten-free flour, baking powder, castor sugar and salt. Add to the ricotta and mix to combine.

3 Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture.

4 Heat a little oil in a nonstick frying pan. Drop spoonfuls of mixture into the pan and cook until bubbles appear on the surface, then turn them over and cook on the other side until golden in colour.

5 Serve these warm with crispy bacon and maple syrup.

The South African Gluten-Free Cookbook

by Struik Lifestyle, RRP R220.00 Images Credit: Myburgh du Plessis © Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd

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THE WHISKY ISSUE SPIRITS WHISKY FINISHES

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Teresa Ulyate is a multi-tasking working mom who juggles a job, children and a blog: cupcakesandcouscous.com

BLOGSPOT T E R E S A U LYAT E

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WINTER RECIPES WITH

SPIRIT AND WARMTH

SIPPING A LITTLE GLASS OF SHERRY SEEMS DEEPLY OLD-FASHIONED, LIKE SOMETHING A MAIDEN AUNT WOULD DO WHILE CROCHETING AND LISTENING TO THE RADIO – AND YET THAT’S SOMEHOW QUAINT TOO! TERESA ULYATE RAIDS THE LIQUOR CABINET FOR SHERRY AND WHISKY TO ADD A BIT OF HEAT TO THESE WINTER WARMERS.

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OPPOSITE PAGE: Take the humble meatball to a totally different level by adding a bit of sherry to the richly delicious sauce.

ipping spirits has never been my thing but given the seasonal cold weather I’m rather tempted to start! I am more of a wine gal myself but I do keep a small stash of tipple tucked away in my kitchen for culinary purposes. Never underestimate the deep richness a splash of alcohol can add to winter dishes. After all, what would a coq au vin be without the required good glug of red wine? And boeuf bourguinon without it would simply be yet another beef stew…

A dash of sweet wine can really elevate a homemade winter soup and even beer is fantastic in braai marinades, beer-battered fish (a personal favourite in our house and a must try!) and chocolate cake. The recipes for this issue are proof that whisky and sherry in particular are not just good for sipping but fabulous ingredients to use when cooking too.

Spicy meatballs in a gorgeously creamy tomato and sherry sauce make a hearty, warming meal served straight from the oven.

And my experience has shown that the leftovers taste even better warmed up the next day! For pudding these grown up cupcakes will satisfy your sweet tooth. For a darker, more glossy ganache simply skip the whipping step at the end and dip the cupcakes in the cooled ganache. Or whip the ganache for a lighter, fluffier topping – the choice is yours!

SPICY MEATBALLS IN A TOMATO SHERRY SAUCE Makes 20-25 meatballs FOR THE MEATBALLS

500g lean beef mince ½ small red onion, finely chopped 1 tsp crushed garlic Pinch of red chilli flakes 1½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika Salt and pepper Olive oil for frying

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE

Drizzle of olive oil 1 tsp ground cumin ½ small red onion, finely chopped 2 tsp crushed garlic 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes ½ cup beef stock ½ cup sherry Salt and pepper ½ cup cream Cooked couscous / pasta to serve

1 Place all of the meatball ingredients except for the olive oil in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together until well combined. Roll the mixture into balls. (I usually make them the size of a large walnut.) Pop the meatballs into the fridge while you make the sauce.

2 To make the sauce: heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin, red onion and garlic and cook for two to three minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, beef stock and sherry.

Season with salt and pepper, then leave to boil gently for 15 minutes.

3 Stir the cream into the sauce.

Simmer for a further five minutes.

Check the seasoning, then take the frying pan off the heat.

4 Preheat your oven to 180°C. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in another frying pan. Fry the meatballs until brown on all sides.

Do this is two batches if it’s easier.

5 Arrange the meatballs in a single layer in an ovenproof dish.

Pour the sauce over the top. Cover the dish with a lid or some foil and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook the meatballs for a further 10 minutes.

6 Serve with couscous or pasta.

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BLOGSPOT T E R E S A U LYAT E

Grown up cupcakes will satisfy your sweet tooth – especially with whisky added to the chocolate ganache icing.

DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH WHISKY GANACHE Makes 12

FOR THE CUPCAKES

12 cupcake cases 1 cup castor sugar 350ml flour ½ cup cocoa powder 2 tsp baking powder Pinch salt 2 eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup sunflower oil ¾ cup buttermilk 1 tsp vanilla extract 100g dark chocolate, melted

FOR THE WHISKY GANACHE

100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) ½ cup single cream 1 Tbsp butter 1 Tbsp whisky chocolate curls / grated chocolate for decorating

LEFT: Steal with your eyes!

Presentation with chocolate flakes and whipped frosting make these cupcakes utterly droolworthy.

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1 Preheat your oven to 170°C and place the cupcake cases in a muffin tray.

2 Sift the castor sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl.

3 Add the eggs, sunflower oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined. Stir in the melted chocolate.

4 Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases. Bake the cupcakes for 20 - 25 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

5 To make the ganache: chop the dark chocolate into small pieces and place in a small heatproof bowl. Heat the cream and butter over a medium heat until the butter has melted and the cream is just starting to bubble.

6 Take the cream off the heat and pour over the chocolate pieces. Leave to stand for a minute, then whisk until smooth.

Whisk in the whisky.

7 Leave the ganache to cool to room temperature. Whisk the ganache with an electric beater for a minute. Spread the ganache over the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with chocolate curls / grated chocolate.

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VOLUME 31

THE WHISKY ISSUE FASHION WOOL

WINTER WOULDN’T BE THE SAME WITHOUT A CARDIGAN OR JERSEY, KNITTED BED SOCKS, A SCARF, A BLANKET OR EVEN A TWEED JACKET OR A BEANIE. ALL ARE GUARANTEED TO KEEP THE CHILLS AT BAY – AND THE BEST ONES ARE WOOLLEN. FIONA MCDONALD WRITES UNSHEEPISHLY ABOUT THIS NATURAL FIBRE.

M SPINNING A

yarn

erino sheep produce the best wool. It has everything to do with the fineness of the fibre, its individual strand length as well as its crimp – or ability to be bulky, yet soft, light and to trap air in any fabric it’s used in, causing it to retain heat.

The great oracle of Wikipedia also reliably informs that wool “has a high specific heat coefficient, so it impedes heat transfer in general”.

Which is why desert dwellers such as the Bedouin or Tuaregs not only wear wool but also use woollen fabric for their tents.

The first ever merino sheep were shipped to the bottom tip of Africa in 1789, making this the first country outside Europe to own merinos. That might seem like an insignificant fact but before the 18th century, exporting merinos from Spain “was a crime punishable by death”! (Wikipedia again.)

The Spanish had a monopoly on fine wool and woollen fabrics from the 12th to the 16th century, with most flocks owned by the nobility or the church.

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THE WHISKY ISSUE FASHION WOOL

The World Champion hand sheep shearer is a South African, Mayenzeke Shweni.

He took the title for the second time at the world champs held in Invercargill in New Zealand in February.

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ABOVE: A woolly jumper on the hoof. The average yield of fleece from a merino sheep is around 5 to 6kg – but the quality is as important as the weight.

LEFT: It’s a snip…

World champion hand shearer Mayenzeke Shweni in action, winning not just bragging rights but the admiration and respect of Aussies and Kiwis by his near flawless technique and skill.

was drafted, the Bill of Rights proclaimed and the US Treasury established. In Europe, Paris specifically, hundreds of thousands of disillusioned, poor and hungry citizens stormed the Bastille in the French Revolution.

The importation of those merino sheep to South Africa was equally historic. In the space of a few decades these sheep had become significant in the agricultural mix of the Cape. The eastward spread of settlements was aided by the 1820 settlers and then the Groot Trek northwards by the Voortrekkers in 1834 – who took their merino flocks with them.

These days, merino can be found from the dry Northern Cape, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Mpumalanga.

The world has known about this natural fibre for between 9 000 and 11 000 years, with archaeologists making finds of ancient relics from 6 000BCE and older. Woollen garments have been around for about 4 000 years, with the best preserved example having been found in a Danish peat bog and dated to 1 500BCE.

Romans appreciated the benefits of wool, both for garments and for felt and blankets. Leather formed part of the Roman wardrobe, along with linen and wool as the fabrics of choice. Silk from China and cotton from India were considered luxury goods, only within the reach of the very rich or noble.

Legionnaires had breastplates made of woollen felt while the ancient Greeks used it to line their helmets when going into battle.

Its versatility means that wool can be spun and woven into fabric such as blankets (for humans or horses) or felt and also carpets – but this is generally a lower quality wool with shorter, harder fibres. As already mentioned, woollen fabrics can trap air within its strands which is why jerseys and scarves keep you warm – but wool can both repel AND absorb water!

The exterior of a wool fibre is hydrophobic and is water repellent while the interior is hygroscopic and can absorb up to a third of its own weight in water. Nowadays, adventure racers and avid outdoors folks who like hiking and camping will tell you that wool base layers are fantastic because of their insulation as well as wicking properties. Many’s the skier who swears by a highpercentage merino wool garment next to their skin!

Around the late 1700s when the first merino rams arrived in SA, Britain was experiencing the Industrial Revolution in which mechanised production and factories were taking over production. Spinning and weaving was among the greatest of them but it also suffered a massive decline just two centuries later.

A few years ago, heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, began a campaign to promote the country’s local wool industry because wool prices had dwindled dramatically.

Farmers were being paid 63p (R10.40) per kilo in 1997, down from 90p. He implored British fashion houses like Burberry, Jasper Conran, Gieves & Hawkes and others to use wool in their designs and ranges – and it’s had tangible results.

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Reported in the The Daily Telegraph, a Clarence House spokesman said: “The Prince was getting very concerned about the prices that farmers were getting for their fleeces and decided that something had to be done to help them.

“He got together all the interested parties, including people in fashion, clothes retailers, carpet manufacturers and representatives of the wool industry, and they agreed to work together to promote wool.

“The plan is to try and overturn some myths and to talk up the beauty of wool and the ecobenefits of wool, which lasts longer than synthetic materials and is fully biodegradable. This way we hope to reawaken interest in wool.”

Seems like the plan worked because the Express reported in 2014: “Forty years after nearly being destroyed by the trend for synthetic fibres, the British wool industry is undergoing a renaissance.

“It is one fuelled by a new fascination with the natural material from luxury fashion houses such as Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Burberry and Louis Vuitton. As a result exports are up, British mills are seeing a year-on-year increase in demand and suddenly wool is everywhere

you look – from 30something knitters to the catwalks of Paris, Milan and London. The nascent international desire for high-quality woollen clothing bearing the allimportant “made in Britain” label is fuelling a boom in our wool industry.

“Figures from 2008 to 2010 show that the value of the UK wool clothing market has soared to £1.25 billion (R20 billion), including knitwear and work gear as well as suits and luxury fashion brands. A 50% increase in annual sales from £180 million (R2.9 billion) to more than £270 million (R4.45 billion) in just five years is seriously good news for the UK’s 90 000 wool producers who between them produce nearly 40 000 tons of fleece a year processed by more than 40 operational mills.”

That’s a tiny proportion of the world’s annual production of 2 million tons, most of which is produced by Australia (25%) and now China (18%), followed by New Zealand (17%) the United States (11%). South Africa produces just one percent of the world’s total and occupies 11th spot.

Can you look at a woolly sheep the same way now, knowing all this?

INTERESTING INFO New Zealand has six sheep per head of population.

Wool can be used as a soil fertiliser, since it’s an animal protein and a slow-release source of nitrogen. (Wikipedia)

BELOW: Still producing beautiful tartan and tweed fabric to this day is a Victorian era steam-driven weaving machine.

The Islay Woollen Mill Co. maintains this clacking machinery to keep the craft alive on the Hebridean island best known for its peated malt whiskies.

High safety environments such as aircraft and trains specify wool carpets because it ignites at a higher temperature than some synthetic fibres and cotton. It also has a lower flame spread rate, lower heat release rate, doesn’t drip or melt and also forms a char, which is insulating and self extinguishing. There’s also less smoke and fewer toxic gases given off when it does burn. (Which explains why wool is part of the specified kit for fire fighters.) (Wikipedia) Garment manufacturing accounts for 60% of the total usage of wool.

Australian researchers at Melbourne’s school of fashion and textiles found that a blend of wool and Kevlar, the artificial fibre used in body armour, was lighter, cheaper and more effective in damp conditions than Kevlar alone. Up to 20% of its effectiveness is lost when Kevlar is wet. When used with wool, just 28 to 30 layers of fabric were needed for body armour versus 36 layers of Kevlar alone.

(Wikipedia) The expression “taking the p**s” comes from the production of Tweed woollen fabric. In Tudor times urine was collected in London and shipped northward for use in woollen mills as the urine softened the woollen fibres.

Shipping record reflect that in 1612 13 000 gallons – or 60 000 litres – were shipped … and people were paid a penny a bucket!

Sheep aren’t the only source of wool. Goats, rabbits, camels, lamas and alpaca all provide the necessary fibres to keep knitting needles clacking and crochet hooks busy.

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EYES & EARS SUN, SAND AND SURF CROP UP MUSICALLY AND VISUALLY IN THIS MONTH’S ENTERTAINMENT OFFERINGS. THE BEACH BOYS’ NEW ALBUM COULD ALMOST PROVIDE THE SOUNDTRACK TO THE NEW BAYWATCH MOVIE …

1 THE MUMMY

Tom Cruise headlines a spectacular, all-new cinematic version of the legend: The Mummy. He’s Nick Morton, a soldier of fortune who plunders ancient archaeological sites. An ancient queen (Sofia Boutella) whose destiny was unjustly taken from her, is awakened in our current day, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia.

From the sweeping sands of the Middle East through hidden labyrinths under modern-day London, The Mummy brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters.

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BAYWATCH Citizen reviewers of Baywatch, the movie, believe that it takes more than Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s developed biceps and Zac Efron’s pretty boy good looks to rescue this movie from drowning.

Johnson takes the role of devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon, a character made famous by David Hasselhoff in the smash-hit television series. Efron plays brash new recruit Matt Brody, a former Olympic swimming champion sentenced to lifeguard duty as part of his community service for being caught behaving badly. The sun shines, the surf pounds and muscles ripple while the two egos and personalities clash on the beach. But they unite in a common purpose of battling an evil plan.

GIRLS TRIP

New Orleans is the destination of a girls-only trip. The plan is to attend the annual Essence Music Festival to rediscover their sisterhoods and wild sides. The girls in question are played

by Queen Latifa, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Regina Hall and Tiffany Haddish – and with that ensemble cast hilarity is guaranteed. The four are lifelong friends who have not hung out with each other for five years. They forge even stronger bonds while dancing, drinking, romancing and even getting involved in physical altercations. Expect sassy quips, action, reaction, great music and moments of roar out loud laughter.

1967 (was) a year that demonstrated remarkable creativity from the California musicians.

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VOLUME 31

THE WHISKY ISSUE E N T E R TA I N M E N T DVD’S, CD’S & BOOKS

1967 SUNSHINE TOMORROW THE BEACH BOYS

From the original West Coast pop boy band, the Beach Boys comes this compilation album of previously unreleased material recorded in late 1967, a year that marked remarkable creativity from the California musicians. The sessions were of material intended for their 13th album, Wild Honey. Included is the album’s first ever complete stereo mix, various live renditions, session highlights, and additional material sourced from Smiley Smile (September 1967) and the unreleased live effort Lei’d in Hawaii, both of which immediately preceded the Wild Honey sessions.

EVOLVE

IMAGINE DRAGONS Imagine Dragons has been one of the decade’s biggest rock acts. The Las Vegas alternative band have clocked up five Billboard Music Awards, a Grammy Award and massive sales, along with the title of Billboard Rock Artist of the Year in 2013. As the title states and band frontman Dan Reynolds has implied in interviews, this, their third album, is an evolution and charts their musical growth after 2016 was spent on hiatus. The break was self-imposed after the band’s two previous albums and exhausting 10 month promotional tour. The first track released, Believer, was followed up by Thunder and Whatever It Takes, all well received by their legion of fans, with the third track hitting number 5 on the US Billboard chart within weeks.

HOPELESS FOUNDATION KINGDOM

HALSEY The New Jersey native admits to being a “Marvel nerd and big comic-book kid” growing up. She’s a platinum selling artist with 4 million Twitter followers – and she’s been doling out cryptic clues about this album for months now. The concept is of a pair of lovers in limbo – with Romeo and Juliet having provided some inspiration.

She expects this album to generate some airplay. Judging by the success she enjoyed in contributing to the Chainsmokers’ massive smash hit Closer, which shattered chart records, she should be vindicated.

MISS BEHAVE

MALEBO SEPHODI Upon encountering historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s quote, ‘well-behaved women seldom make history’, Malebo Sephodi knew that she was tired of everyone else having a say on who and what she should be. Appropriating this quote, Malebo boldly renounces societal expectations placed on her as a black woman and shares her journey towards misbehaviour. According to Malebo, it is the norm for a black woman to live in a society that prescribes what it means to be a well-behaved woman. Acting like this prescribed woman equals good behaviour. But what happens when a black woman decides to live her own life and becomes her own form of who she wants to be? She is often seen as misbehaving. Miss Behave challenges society’s deep-seated beliefs about what it means to be an obedient woman.

In this book, Malebo tracks her journey on a path towards achieving total autonomy and self-determinism.

IF I STAY RIGHT HERE

CHWAYITA NGAMLANA Shay, a seemingly shy and innocent journalism student, is sent to a female prison to cover a story on an inmate, but falls in love instead. Two months later, Sippy, Shay’s love interest, is out of prison and they move in together. On the outside, Sippy is the haunted one in the relationship, but as their love story unfolds, it turns out that Shay has her own secrets. This immersive and interesting story – written with no small amount of flair and intensity – is sexually charged and filled with moments of

lacerating violence, both emotional and physical. At heart, it is the story of a woman’s inability to let go of that which both nourishes and destroys her.

APARTHEID GUNS AND MONEY

HENNIE VAN VUUREN South Africa remains a deeply unequal society battling the legacy of apartheid and the persistence of corrupt networks that seek to ‘capture’ its democratically elected leaders.

As Hennie van Vuuren argues, in the absence of accountability, corrupt networks of the past stay in business. Rather than face justice, they invite members of the new elite to the table. This meticulously researched book finally lifts the lid on some of the darkest secrets of apartheid’s economic crimes, weaving together a treasure trove of newly declassified documents and eyewitness accounts. This is an exposé of the machinery created in defence of apartheid and in support of sanctions busting and the people who profited. In creating the apartheid arms money machine they were complicit in a crime against humanity. Whistleblowers were assassinated and ordinary people suffered.

Finally, this network of profit is revealed. In forging its future, a new generation of South Africans need to grapple with the baffling silence regarding apartheid-era economic crime and ask difficult questions of those who profited from it. This book provides the evidence and the motivation to do so.

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DISCLAIMER: All books featured here are supplied by Jacana Media.

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LEISURE VIDEO & DVD

A T R U C FOR ED

“W BUGGLES HAD A NUMBER ONE HIT IN 1980 WITH THE SONG “VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR”. IRONIC THAT DVD THEN KILLED THE VIDEO STAR! WILL INTERNET DOWNLOADS KILL THE VIDEO AND DVD OUTLETS? FIONA MCDONALD REPORTS.

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e can’t rewind, we’ve gone too far,” was a line in the chorus of the Buggles hit. Just how far have we gone? Are the predictions of the death of video and DVDs likely to come true?

No. Predictions have been wrong before. Take newspapers for example. Ever since the WorldWideWeb as it was called when it was opened up to the public in the early nineties, people have been made to believe that newspapers would become irrelevant because of the internet and access to 24 hour news channels on television. While it’s true that newspaper circulations are dwindling, it’s more because people don’t have the time to read newspapers rather than a lack of affection for newspapers. Newspapers which have been smart and adapted to what their customers want – and can’t get anywhere else – are doing just fine, and in some cases even increasing their subscriptions.

Publications such as the New York or London Times, the Washington Post, Le Monde, Frankfurter Algemein and others are still printing thousands of copies daily.

Now retired, former marketing manager for Ster Kinekor Greg Landman said the days of making a quick buck out of a video shop is long gone. He should know – he used to own two. One of them has shut its doors but the remaining outlet is thriving.

“Audiences and customers used to be insatiable,” he said. “They HAD to have the hottest movies and they wanted them NOW! The difference is that nowadays there are so many

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ways to access what they want by streaming or downloading.”

So how has he managed to keep his doors open? By adapting to what consumers want. “The person you have behind the counter is more critical than ever. They are no longer ‘serving’ the customer. Today we help them to find something we KNOW they will love.”

Video and DVD rental shops, particularly the good ones, have become places where entertainment has become personal and curated.

Business owners have had to adapt – or see their businesses die. The audience want things they cannot get from mainstream sources.

Landman observed that the successful operators are those who supply something extra. “Those movies people can’t get from mainstream sources. They want classics, foreign movies, kids pics that have meaning and, of course, the in-store experience which many people still crave. There’s a lot to be said for browsing the shelves and picking up a box and reading the back cover.

People still love doing it.

“We have to stay on top of things and have thousands of titles in store, many of which they will battle to find elsewhere. We’re constantly on the lookout for – and finding – those special pictures which we hear people all the time saying things like ‘Oh, Papillon. I’ve been looking for this for years!’ “That’s music to my ears,” Landman said.

His experience mirrors that of video and DVD outlets the world over. Massive chains like Blockbuster which used to be synonymous with video rental in the United States,

have gone out of business – but smaller, independent operations are not just still afloat: in some cases they are thriving!

In the early days of video rental – the mid-seventies – video shops also used to rent out the machines because so few people had the equipment to play either VHS cassettes or Betamax tapes on! At the start of the eighties less than 2 million American households had VCR recorders. By the end of the decade there were nearly 65 million households which owned the necessary hardware!

That was when movie studios, which had been reluctant to embrace the secondary video market, preferring to have their movies screened in cinemas and theatres, realised there was good money to be made … so much so that by 1987, video was making more money for studios than theatre releases.

People loved the convenience of being able to watch a great movie in the comfort of their own home, lounging around on the couch in their pyjamas, able to stop it at the press of the button to answer the phone or the call of nature – and the popcorn was cheaper and fresher too!

It’s interesting to note that Netflix, now considered the big disrupter and a threat to the video and DVD market, had its roots in those heydays. Reed Hastings was a Blockbuster video client who was really irritated when charged a penalty fee for not returning his video on time! That $40 late return fee gave him the idea of starting a mail-order DVD rental service – Netflix. And in an interesting twist, Blockbuster turned down the opportunity of buying Netflix for just $50 million in 2000.

Netflix has gone from strength to strength while Blockbuster went bankrupt.

It might seem that those who try to keep video and DVD shops going as old-fashioned or nostalgic for the eighties and nineties, “analogue people in a digital world” as one writer stated it.

Jason Bailey wrote an in-depth article on this phenomenon for an

American website, Flavorwire, in 2016. (http://flavorwire.com/563171/ the-premature-death-of-the-videostore-and-why-its-worth-saving) There are a few salient points he makes: One is that these shops have become like film libraries with the people staffing it offering in-depth advice and knowledge – and that fosters a sense of community and connection; Netflix, which is the market leader in entertainment titles has focussed on original content at the expense of film culture.

He quoted Video Free Brooklyn’s Aaron Hillis: “So because of that they’re letting these licenses lapse, and now, if you want to watch great films of the canon, how do you see them? How do you watch The Godfather? How do you watch Citizen Kane? I’ll tell you right now: The works of Alfred Hitchcock are not on Netflix.”

So when Netflix streamed Skyfall with Daniel Craig as 007, people wanted to place it in context because

so many of the references were to the old, original James Bond movies – and Netflix didn’t have them. Cue the local video/DVD shop …

As one of the subjects in Bailey’s article said: “Video stores are a happy place to be in. It’s funny to say that, but it’s really true. Versus a grocery store, where you’re doing a chore; when you gotta go there, you don’t want to. You want to get in there and out of there. The video shop is a place where people meander, and they spend a little time, and they shop, and they’re looking at things, and they’re picking up movies, and they take their time. And there’s something to be said for that, in this busy world, somewhere there’s a place to slow down a little bit, in a good mood, and so we think of ourselves as part of an entertainment industry.”

So what does the future hold?

As Landman said, they’ll be places which are independent, where it’s staffed by people who genuinely

love movies – of all ages and genres.

They are the experts who will guide customers to something they might not think about trying. In other words, it’s a curated experience.

The business model will be somewhat lean and mean but fiercely independent, places with soul and personality offering something a website can’t.

There’s a real hankering for nostalgia. It’s why hipsters grow beards, wear buttoned-up collared shirts and type on typewriters rather than tablets – that forward-thinking retro idea. Times will always change.

It’s all about evolution – which is constant, after all. Video shops won’t ever be as big as they once were – not with the convenience of movie downloads just one click away. As one pundit stated: Facebook friends are great but they haven’t replaced real-life friends …

So don’t write off the corner video and DVD shop just yet.

ABOVE:The video shop is a place where people meander, and they spend a little time, and they shop, and they’re looking at things, and they’re picking up movies, and they take their time.

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WINTER withdrawals

Bushveld breakaways with wildlife sightings, mountain hikes, skiing in Lesotho or hitting the beach to catch waves and some rays, winter holidays just seem more relaxing than summer vacations.

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VOLUME 31

THE WHISKY ISSUE LEISURE W I N T E R T R AV E L

COMPULSIVE TRAVELLER AND FORMER GETAWAY EDITOR DAVID BRISTOW POPS ANOTHER LOG ON THE FIRE AND CONTEMPLATES HIS FAVOURITE MID-YEAR ESCAPES …

R You can recline in luxury or camp, do a 4x4 trail, a hiking trail or a horse trail. Or do nothing but watch time and the birds go by.

emember the old SA Tourism assertion that we were a “world in one country”? It was not quite true, but not all that far off: tropical to temperate, forest to fynbos and much in-between (desert, grassland, savanna, Karoo and montane to name some). This in essence is why I love the place so unreasonably. And why, whenever our family contemplates an overseas trip, I always manage to convince them there are places still to be explored in ZAR Africa.

When I’m sitting in the cold, mouldering Cape and thinking of a warm escape, for me it’s the bushveld, always the balmy bushveld, Jock. For their savanna thrills some folks choose the Kalahari (spoiler alert: it gets well below-freezing cold there in winter), or game reserves like Madikwe, or maybe Addo. But I prefer my bush with trees – big ones and lots of ’em. Small surprise then that my two top game destinations are the Kruger Park and the Waterberg.

Interrogate a literate South African about their top-of-mind travel quote and most will divulge the one about a long and winding road somewhere in the ihlathin’ of KZN. All fine and good, but for me it is one from Eugene Marais, my favourite South African (apologies, Madiba): “An old acquaintance, Dolf Erasmus, met me in Nylstroom with a cart and four horses and for the first time in my life I entered the J U L / AU G 2 0 1 7

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LEISURE W I N T E R T R AV E L

Waterberg, the mystery region of my boyhood.”

(The Road To Waterberg) Between the childhood mysteries of Marais and Percy Fitzpatrick, we are so spoiled for choice it’s ridiculous. I mean, there’s stuff out there that wants to kill you! You can recline in luxury (Ant’s Nest or Jock Camp, are fine examples) or camp, do a 4x4 trail, a hiking trail or a horse trail. Or do nothing but watch time and the birds go by (why I like a place with trees) … don’t forget to turn the braai chops.

Camping in the Kruger National Park is actually a compulsory rite of passage for all South Africans: you do not get a pass into heaven unless you have, although you can apply for special dispensation to shack up in a bungalow. The park’s first warden, James StevensonHamilton, designed the first rondavels at Skukuza to be small, dark and uninviting in order to discourage visitors from lazing around in camp and watching time fly by. But then he was Scottish …

There is really no shortage of bushveld dives with trees and you might consider Hluhluwe-Imfolosi.

Or is it Imfolozi, or Mfolozi, or Umfolozi …. Whatever! There are big trees and big elephants as well as lions and wild dogs and, still rhinos, both white and black. But if you are thinking of going, do rush though, because it is only while stocks last.

Another thing to consider here is that they drink beer in KZN and are not well versed in the nuances of the vine. So that is a risk you’ll have to consider.

Like I hinted, the Cape is pretty miserable around this time so you don’t want to go there. Unless you want to meet our VIPs, southern right whales that gather around these shores from about June each year. These whales, second largest after blue, are way up there with lions, elephants and gorillas on my bucket list, so you just might want to give the Cape escape a second thought (every seventh day is a pearler, usually a Monday).

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Then there is the Indian Ocean, and the further north you go the better it gets. Winter anywhere north of Durban is not really winter at all. For me there are two very special places in the iSimangaliso (the miracle) Wetland Park, also South Africa’s first World Heritage Site, acclaimed for its outstanding bio-diversity. Things you can do include scuba diving on coral reefs, visiting the biggest fresh water lake in SA, coastal forest walks, game drives, or watching time and the birds.

One is in the upper price bracket, but if I had deep pockets there is no doubt I would head for Thonga Beach Lodge at Mabibi. This could well be my number one “lekker plek” in the whole of South Africa.

A short way up the beach (this is a 1 000 km beach after all), is Rocktail Bay Camp, about half the price of Thonga Beach and half as nice, but it gives you access to the same wonderful coastal area. If you can’t afford the lodges there is also a park camp site at Mabibi, so no excuses (and don’t neglect the chops!).

Winter there is nice enough, trust me, but summer brings among numerous big marine things nesting: turtles, mainly loggerheads but also the occasional leatherback, a species that can attain the size and shape of a VW beetle with flippers.

They are right up there with the toothy things on my list.

We Sefricans tend to be wimps when it comes to cold. While most of the rest of the world embraces snow we tend to melt at the idea.

I did my outdoor apprenticeship in the mountains so it doesn’t scare me much. Sani Pass gives direct access to the top of the Drakensberg, the zig-zag road like an intravenous shot of adventure heroin, leading to one of my preferred bolt holes in the snow, Sani Top Lodge. If you’ve not been there, in winter, you do not get your Explorer’s Badge.

The other highland highlight is Afri Ski Lodge in Lesotho, not far from Oxbow on a tarred road built

These (southern right) whales, second largest after blue, are way up there with lions, elephants and gorillas on my bucket list, so you just might want to give the Cape escape a second thought.

by the Chinese and, like their own, abides by the lore that a Chinese road is good for one year and bad for one hundred. Still the skiing is generally better than what you’ll find at Tiffindell near Rhodes village (another tick towards the Explorer’s Badge by the way), owing to its extra 3000-odd metres altitude.

And if all that doesn’t get your winter travel juices flowing you’re probably already frozen.

The long golden beaches of northern Zululand are ideal in winter and the diving is superb, but there’s not much that beats a sunset in the African bush.

VOLUME 31

THE WHISKY ISSUE BLOG

OF THE MONTH MYSUNNYSIDEUP

SUNNY’S VIEW

POSITIVITY IS SOMETHING TO BE CELEBRATED. NEWS CAN BE DEPRESSING AND STRESS INDUCING. TIMES ARE TOUGH SO IT’S A GENUINE RELIEF TO HAVE SOMEONE REMIND YOU OF THE GOOD THINGS, THE FUN STUFF, THE SILVER LINING TO THE DARK CLOUD.

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veryone knows her as Sunny – Sunny (or Soninke) by name and sunny by nature … and it’s why her blog is called mysunnysideup.

Growing up in McGregor Soninke Combrinck lived a happy, healthy life. Her childhood best friend is still her good mate and a favoured travelling companion.

“I am a recreational coffee user, who loves to travel and eat good food,” her blog bio states.

The invitation is issued: “ Tag along with me as I explore new local and global corners.”

Combrinck – Sunny – revels in telling stories, and she formalised her craft by completing a bachelor’s degree in “Interactive Media, Media and Writing” from the University of Cape Town. Not content to major in two subjects, she added a third – in Environmental and Geographical Sciences. That her interests in food, travel, geography, the environment coalesce on her blog quickly becomes apparent.

One of her posts is about How

to be a Conscious Traveller, packed with practical tips about carbon footprint reduction and even an incredibly simple tip of using a glass water bottle rather than sending yet another plastic one to landfill.

She’s also not afraid to get off the grid and slow life down when travelling. London is a congested space, full of people living busy lives, whizzing hither and thither – but being taken for a walk by a dog provides time for reflection.

Just a few weeks later and Sunny traded the buzz of millions of Londoners surrounding her for the vast open spaces of the chilly Klein Karoo at the start of winter – and the company of her childhood friend. Acres of vineyards, warm log fires, glasses of red wine, piles of blankets and early morning alarm calls in order to photograph the sunrise are a world away from the northern hemisphere island’s capital city.

As she wrote about visiting McGregor: “This little village has its charm, once you get over the

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shock of being disconnected from civilisation. Upon entry, you will see your cell reception bars drop to zero. Then the dreaded words “No Service” flash across your screen.

Welcome to your digital detox…”

The blog itself is easy to navigate, having just a few areas of interest, broadly grouped into Travel, Lifestyle and Human of the Month. Travel then offers the option of clicking through South Africa, Travel Tips and Outdoor Adventure while Lifestyle offers Dining and Coffee Corners.

Coffee is a real area of interest.

When in need of some therapy and a good caffeine shot, she can be found at the best coffee shop in the world – Truth Coffee in Cape Town. Here’s why: “Baristas are sort of like the modern day bartenders – that is – therapists to the common man.

In films you always see that one guy sitting in the corner, sipping his whisky and confiding in the disgruntled barman.

He wails about his marital problems or work issues while the bartender nods absent-mindedly while wiping down the counter. The baristas at Truth Coffee provide my weekly therapy.”

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BELOW: Sunny by name and nature – Soninke Combrinck.

Picture by Mike Timms

@ m y s u n n y s i d e u p_

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THE WHISKY ISSUE FISHING K A M B E R G T R O U T F E S T I VA L

FISHING IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SOMEWHAT SOLITARY PURSUIT. GARETH GEORGE KNOWS THAT EVERY ANGLER IS A FIERCE COMPETITOR AT HEART AND PONDERS WHY IT IS THAT HE AND OTHERS HUNT WILY TROUT AND OTHER FISH. P H OTO G R A P H S: K A R E N E DWA R DS

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THE WHISKY ISSUE

COMPETITIVE streaks

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THE WHISKY ISSUE FISHING K A M B E R G T R O U T F E S T I VA L

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t’s an event that has been known to break the firm resolve of many teetotalers: the annual TOPS at SPAR Kamberg Trout Festival. Perhaps the sponsorship being so closely aligned with the sport is one factor but the event celebrated its 21st anniversary in 2017.

Honours for the biggest trout of the 1 000 landed at this year’s festival went to George Kirby for the 62cm beauty he took at Armour Dam while Daniel Factor saw his team – The Extreme Fish Fighters – take top spot with his contribution of 51 trout. (Should we call him the Fish Whisperer now?)

As event organizer Ed Erskine aptly stated: “This fundraiser is the life and soul of the Kamberg fishing community, where good cheer always outweighs the fishing… irrespective of what you catch.”

So if anyone has ever wondered what a TOPS fly fishing competition is all about, rest assured that it’s got very little to do with the fish or any other team, the reality is that it’s all about you competing with your fishing buddies to see who will be next year’s anecdote.

The reason being that our chosen area of gladiatorial combat is a sport characterised by camaraderie and more than its fair share of hilarious exploits with mates. But show me a happy fisherman who returns from a trip without so much as a bite and I’ll show you

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someone who is delusional!

Do we have a great time? Sure.

It’s hard not to given the settings in which we find ourselves throwing a line. Adding a refreshing beverage or three to the equation and it softens the tedium between casts.

Were it not for that, we’d probably bicker like bored housewives.

But a contest it is – and a level playing field it is not.

It should strictly be between the angler and the fish. The odds, after all, are stacked considerably in favour of the quarry. That anglers rarely actually see the fish that they’re trying to bag should sum it all up. What other sport do you know in which a participant would have to make an educated guess where the opponent is? I doubt whether Brian Habana would have scored quite so many tries with a blindfold on…

Should an angler glimpse the adversary, a crazed determination to haul it from its natural habitat is apt to take over!

Again the disadvantage anglers face can be likened to the Springboks taking on the United Arab Emirates in an exhibition match. The fish always has the home ground advantage and are intimately aware of everything in the field of play, as well as being quicker, stronger – pound for pound and (more often than not!) smarter than the average angler.

It’s a wonder that without bait

ABOVE: Sven Turner with fellow fishing compatriot at the TOPS at SPAR Kamberg Trout Festival. BELOW LEFT: Float tube, waders, fullyequipped vest, rod and net. What more does one need to do battle with a wily trout?

BELOW: A rainbow trout emulating a tailwalking sailfish just before being landed – and then released – in the TOPS at SPAR Kamberg Trout Festival.

we challenge them at all. Yet with all this stacked against us, it’s a certainty that with every fishing trip we embark on with good friends, the goal posts move. Maybe it’s because the chance of presenting a trophy is so remote or perhaps it’s knowing that you only have to outwit your fishing buddy… A bit like the photographer busy putting on his running shoes as a lion approaches, when his assistant tells him he’ll never outrun a lion – and who answers that it’s not the lion he has to outrun! For whatever reason, the game is on and it’s all about one-upmanship.

No angler wants to be Billy Blank and the tactics to outfish fellow angler are frequently offside, but does depend on how well you know the touring party.

Stiff drinks, cut lines re-spooled and fly boxes glued shut are a few of the tactics fishing mates employ to gain an advantage. At no other event is this mischievous spirit of the budding fly angler more obvious than at a TOPS Fishing Festival like Kamberg.

Although the event loosely has something to do with trout as evidenced by the numbers caught, the real challenge lies in returning from the weekend adventure unscathed and with a sense of propriety intact. It is unequivocally the greatest party that you can have in the world of fly-fishing.

A JOHNNIE WALKER GREEN LABEL 6 LUCKY CHEERS READERS CAN EACH WIN A BOTTLE OF JOHNNIE WALKER GREEN LABEL VALUED AT R650 Answer the following questions to qualify: 1. What are the four signature malts which go into Johnnie Walker Green Label™?

2. Name the date of founder Johnnie Walker’s birth.

(Answers can be found on page 28)

To qualify for the lucky draw, send a postcard or e-mail, with the subject line “Cheers Johnnie Walker Giveaway”. Include your name, ID number, physical address (not a PO Box please!) and your telephone number to cheers@cheersmag.co.za ENTRY DEADLINE: 15th August 2017.

Address: cheers@cheersmag.co.za or Cheers, PO Box 259, Rondebosch 7701.

DOUBLE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING! Go to www.facebook.com/CheersMag and LIKE the Cheers Facebook page.

See T&C’s on pg 04

THE WHISKY ISSUE MOBILE FITNESS APPS

BEAUTIFUL BEACHREADY SUMMER BODIES ARE BUILT IN WINTER… BUT IT’S A STRUGGLE TO REMAIN MOTIVATED AND HEAD TO THE GYM WHEN IT’S CHILLY. DAVID BOWMAN SUGGESTS A FEW HANDY APPS TO MAINTAIN HEALTH AND FITNESS.

SUMMER BODY PROJECT

7 MINUTES WORKOUT Faster Build Limited has the perfect app for women wanting a bit of help. It offers a “personal trainer” quality workout for free, requiring no equipment or even gym membership. The exercises have been specifically tailored to the female body’s needs.

The app boasts 10 high intensity workouts with video tutorials, a convenient timer and a long-term goal planner.

The best part is that it only takes seven minutes to do!

Overall this app is ideal for any woman who lives a busy life or has limited time to exercise.

STRETCH EXERCISES (FREE) The benefits of stretching are well documented and with more people living sedentary lives, spending hours perched in front of a screen at work as well as at home. It means they’re seated in the same position for hours!

This is the app for you if you need a little flexibility in your life! It features over 100 customisable stretching exercises – even in your chair at work – with some 50 predefined workout routines.

Or you can customise your own workout as well as track your progress. On screen instructions and timer make it a cinch!

30 DAY FITNESS CHALLENGES DAILY WORKOUT FREE Another free app which is a bonus in these recessionary times.

Developed by Shane Clifford, it has a large variety of exercises for the entire body. There are eight sets of 30-day challenges, each devoted to a separate section of the body. Workouts for abs, arm toning, squatting, thigh slimming and more.

The app has a very convenient and effective planning schedule which allows you to mark the days you work and (if you absolutely must) the days you’ll rest in order to create a comfortable exercise rhythm.

DAILY YOGA – WORKOUTS, MEDITATION AND FITNESS Come to Life. Come to Yoga, the app states – and its goal is to inspire global lovers of the ancient exercise form.

There are more than 100 yoga and meditation poses – one of the largest going – and programmes to suit all levels of skill.

Because it is based on skill level, it also helps users to stay with yoga everyday.

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Altogether, 11 yoga experts have collaborated to make this good for weight loss, improved sleep and relaxation in an easy and convenient app. It features simple to follow HD videos (updated monthly) as well as a 500+ pose library with detailed instructions, various yoga music compilations.

THE WHISKY ISSUE

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next issue!

CHEERS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

W W W .T O P S AT S P A R . C O . Z A

TOPS at SPAR and Oktoberfest The beers, the traditions and the fun times had by all Mobile meals The popularity of food trucks The greatest white spirit in the world Vodka and its iconic drink companions

Congratulations to previous issue’s winners BERTUS BASSON – HOMEGROWN RECIPE BOOK – Bernice Schreiber

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THE WHISKY ISSUE RESPONSIBILITY C U T WAT E R C O N S U M P T I O N

TANKS very much!

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Just as load shedding jolted people and businesses into action to become more energy efficient, a similar change of mindset will hopefully result in greater water savings nationally.

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xperts have been saying for years that South Africa’s water situation would one day become critical, yet the message really didn’t hit home for Joe and Jane Average until the events of 2016/2017. Over the past 18 to 24 months farmers in Gauteng and the Northwest had to sell off herds of cattle or watch them die while their counterparts in the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal could only sit and watch as thousands of hectares of stunted mealies just withered away – all because of drought.

While KwaZulu-Natal and parts of the Eastern Cape enjoy between 800 and 1 000mm of rainfall every year, Gauteng, Limpopo and the Northwest around 600 to 800mm, the Western Cape and the bulk of the country gets between 200 and 600mm.

It’s obvious that the country needs to save water. Also remarkable how little it takes to cut consumption.

Awareness is the biggest thing. Cape Town, one of the country’s largest cities, has experienced varying levels of water restrictions for more than a year – but in June went to the most extreme yet: level Four in which each city resident is only allowed 100 litres of water a day. KwaZuluNatalians will well remember the dark days of the mid-1980s when

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VOLUME 31

IT’S TAKEN SEVERE DROUGHT IN GAUTENG, NORTHWEST PROVINCE, FREE STATE, KWAZULU-NATAL AND THE WESTERN CAPE TO MAKE SOUTH AFRICANS HEED THE WARNING SIGNS ABOUT BEING A WATER SCARCE COUNTRY. WHAT PRACTICAL MEASURES CAN BE TAKEN TO MAKE THE IMPACT LESS DEVASTATING?

households had to make do with just 400 litres per day!

But every time the rains come and the drought is broken, people tend to forget and happily resume bad habits such as flushing toilets using good, clean drinking water – or watering the garden, washing cars and leaving taps running while brushing their teeth or shaving.

Just as the load shedding crisis of a few years ago jolted people and businesses into action with lots of homes, factories and offices installing either inverters, generators or solar systems to become more energy efficient, a similar change of mindset and resource utilisation will hopefully result in greater water savings nationally.

In Australia, another extremely water scarce country, many states have legislated that new homes MUST have water storage systems.

Plumbed into the house’s services, this stored water is used for toilet flushing and laundry or washing purposes.

Adelaide in South Australia is often likened to Stellenbosch because of its 550mm yearly rainfall and its prominence as a winegrowing region. It’s the driest of all Australian cities and the local council has mandated that every house has to have a storage capacity of at least 1 000 litres of water. In Queensland, the minimum storage requirement is 5 000 litres.

It’s been estimated that the average family uses between 250 000 to 350 000 litres every year – and half of that total is for toilet flushing and watering the garden. One has to question if this is the smartest use of potable or drinkable water…

In an episode of Grand Designs Australia aired in 2013, one engineer took up the challenge and designed his new home sitting on top of two

100 000 litre water tanks. That meant the Dare family were able to capture and store an entire year’s worth of water in two custom made 3m x 3m x 5m steel water tanks.

An added benefit was that the water tanks, mounted on cement slabs and which anchored the entire structure, also made the house more energy or thermally efficient by assisting with the cooling.

A startling amount of water can be harvested from even a light rain shower. For every square metre of roof, one litre of rain is collected with each millimetre of rainfall. So 100 square metres of roof surface and a 10mm rainfall, 1 000 litres could be harvested.

If you make the decision to purchase a tank, the factors you should take into consideration are very simple – durability, quality of manufacture and lining. A good, well-made tank should last for a minimum of 10 years but be capable of lasting for 20. Ensure that there are no external cracks or bubbles which would indicate potential leaks or weak spots, after all, 1000 litres of water weighs one ton! Finally, it’s important that the tank you choose should be lined with a foodgrade polymer to ensure that algae doesn’t bloom on the inside.

Furthermore, you will require a solid level slab for the tank to rest on because water is heavy …

Ensure fitment and connection to your downpipes is done by a professional plumber. You’ll require a filter to be certain no leaves, vegetation or insects enter the tank, as well as either a tap to draw water off or some pumping system in order to redirect the water to top off your pool or be fitted to a hosepipe to wash the car or water the garden.

Retro fitting water tanks mean that your aesthetic options are limited but if you have the luxury of incorporating tanks as part of a new build design, plan wisely. They can either be buried or become part of the structure and can also be hidden or shielded by using the same materials the house is made of. Alternately, they could be made to become a feature of the overall look of the house.

The fact of the matter is that the global climate and weather patterns are changing. More people are making demands on a precious resource and everyone needs to change their water usage habits in order to make the most of what is available.

How to use less water Shower instead of bathing – and shower in a basin to catch the runoff. A bath uses 150 to 400 litres of water whereas a shower can use 20 to 50 litres.

Use the soapy shower water to fill your toilet cistern for flushing purposes.

When showering, wet yourself and then turn the water off to lather up before turning the water on again to rinse off.

Shower every second day if you can.

Install low-flow aerating shower heads and taps. They use less water.

Be aware of how much water you use.

Check your water meter and write down the total it reflects. Do so a month later. Divide by seven – that’s how many litres you’ve used in a week. If you want to work out the usage per head, divide that number by the number of household residents and the days in the month. So, 4 000 litres a month with two residents equates to 2 000 litres per person – or roughly 67 litres per person per day. It’s very achievable.

Washing machines and dishwashers use a lot of water – so wash less frequently but make sure you do a full load so that its more economical and efficient.

Flush your toilet less frequently. We all know the rhyme: ”If it’s yellow, let it mellow; If it’s brown, flush it down.” Three pees to a flush is the rule of thumb.

Fix any leaks. A dripping tap or a running loo literally waste hundreds of litres a day.

Try and collect any rain water by installing bins or barrels to your gutter downpipes.

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LOOPDOP

VIR ’N KOSHUISKIND WAS NAWEKE SAAM MET PELLE OP DIE PLAAS VAN DIE LEKKERSTE PRET OOIT.

’N MOOIE MARY VIR MAANDAG ...

K Lichtenburg Minimarket Address: 33 Gerrit Maritz Street, Lichtenburg Tel: 018 632 5647 Fax: 018-632 1778 Email: lichtenburgminimark @hotmail.com Business Hours: TOPS at SPAR Mon-Fri: 08h00 – 20h00 Sat: 08h00 – 20h00 TOPS Customer Care Tel: 086 031 3141

yk, daai naweke was lekkerder as lekker wanneer die Cronje’s my saam gevat het plaas toe. Saam met my koshuiskamermaat van Gang Drie, Kamer Ses, Ajee Cronje.

As ons saam met oom Apie die pad gevat het Valleiplaas toe, het die wêreld oopgemaak. Vrydagaand het ons net betyds vir die braai daar aangekom. Oom Apie en ouboet Piet het kole gegooi in die halwe 44-gelling drom.

Lamtjoppies, mieliepap en smoor.

Tant Henna het ’n bak opgekookte groenboontjie-en-aartappels uitgebring. Ek het elke keer gedink ek is nou op die lekkerste plek ooit.

Saterdagoggende staan die werkers reg vir die week se negosie op Sannieshof. Op ’n dag brand oom Apie vas en hy reken ek en Ajee is nou reg om daai ou plaas-Hilux te bestuur.

“As julle op die teerpad kom, laat Gerrit ry. Die spietkops ken hom nie. Gerrit, ry mooi en lyk agtien.” Ai, ai, soveel soos ’n grootmens het ek seker nog nie gevoel nie.

Daai reuk sal altyd aan Valleiplaas se Maandae behoort. Dit en die warmte van die koolstoof saam met die stomende moerkoffie. En die smaak van die anys in tant Henna se lang wit beskuite.

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Na middagete het die grootmense loop rus. Dan het ek en Ajee die .22 gevat vir rotjag in die store. Eers het ek gedink die .22 is effe oordadig, ’n mens klap ’n rot mos sommer met ’n windbuks. Tot ek die eerste keer ’n regte plaasrot gesien het ...

Later het ons agter die ou dofblou Massey-Ferguson op die hooibale loop sitlê. Agter ’n los baksteen was die Sedgwick’s.

Ons het elkeen ’n sluk van die Ou Bruines gevat, nie vir dronk word nie, alleen vir kameraadskap. Ook ’n Hunters Toasted opgesteek.

Deur die rookbolle geloer vir die piepende agter-sifdeur.

Sondagoggende was kerksake. Na die erediens het oom Apie-hulle boersake gepraat, tant Henna en die ander vroue huis-, kinder- en roksake terwyl ek en Ajee die mooietjies op ’n afstand onder mekaar bepraat het.

Maar ons mae het geroep na daai kreunende middagete-tafel.

Te gou was dit al weer Sondagaand. Daar is niks erger om dan in ’n koshuis in te klok nie. Ek en Ajee kyk vir tant Henna.

“Nou maar goed dan,” sug-sê sy, staan op en begin melkkos maak. Hier begin die lekkerste lekker.

Ons het vrypas tot Maandagoggend.

Valleiplaas het op ’n Lister geloop vir krag, maar as tant Henna ons vyfuur kom wakker maak, was dit net met ’n paraffienlamp.

Daai reuk sal altyd aan Valleiplaas se Maandae behoort. Dit en die warmte van die koolstoof saam met die stomende moerkoffie. En die smaak van die anys in tant Henna se lang wit beskuite.

As die Ford die pad begin vat met tant Henna se duime veilig ingehaak om die stuurwielspeke het ek agteroor ingeskuif vir ’n laaste bietjie slaap. Die eerste stuk was stadig en wikkelrig op die uitgetrapte plaaspad, maar sodra ons die teerpad vat, druk tant Henna die kasset in. Ek dink die Cronje’s het net een kasset gehad. Jim Reeves’ Greatest Hits. From a Jack to a King, Is it really over, He’ll have to go en ’n paar ander. Maar so kort voor die koshuis was my beste: So Mary marry me, let’s not wait Let’s share all the time we can before it’s too late Love me now for now is all the time there may be If you love me Mary, Mary marry me.

Nou nie dat ek al wou trou nie, maar daar wás mooie Maries in my klas. Maries wat ’n Maandag minder blou gemaak het ...