FOCUS ON WOMEN IN BREWING

A BEER brew student has launched a campaign to shift the spotlight to women in the industry, more specifically young black women.

Many South African cultures create their own traditional beer for special ceremonies. A common drink in the Xhosa and Zulu culture is called umqombothi. This traditional drink, which is made in advance to be served at important occasions such as weddings, funerals and important community meetings, is mostly prepared by women.

Over the years women have been forgotten about in the beer industry, which has largely been seen as male-dominated, with the assistance of women. Many women have taken a stance against this and have started crafting their own beer.

South Africa’s first black female brewmaster, Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela, left her corporate job and created her own company called Brewsters Craft.

In a recent interview, she said: “Women who brew beer in Africa are still the main brewers; they would be known after their clan names. I wanted something clean, something world-class, something we could take anywhere in the world and showcase what we have as Africans.”

Nxusani-Mawela also created opportunities for other women who showed an interest in brewing by issuing learnerships at her brewery. One student she has mentored is Amogelang Madileng, who describes the beer industry as “magical”.

She said that after completing her learnership she started working at a craft business in Marshalltown in 2020, and was still enjoying it.

“This career is very exciting, although there are many challenges. You have to be dedicated and not allow yourself to be limited by your gender or age. I don’t see myself as competition to the male figures in this industry. Instead I see them as my colleagues because we are working towards a common product,” said Madileng.

Obakeng Malope, a beer brewing student and a former board member of the Documentary Film Association of SA and the SA Screenwriters Federation, has launched the “Beer is Art” campaign, which is a film about changing the narratives about consuming beer when driving, and putting a spotlight on women brewers.

She said that as a student, she appreciated beer as a form of art, and the artists who made it, because they created jobs and tourism in their communities.

“Beer is part of us. We use it to communicate with our ancestors, we use it to celebrate and it brings us together. We live in the world of fake news.

“Documentary film-making has become a tool of whispering truth to power and educating people. As a film-maker, through my campaign I want to tell the story of the hardships upcoming brewers experienced during the lockdown, especially women in the industry,” said Malope.