Pied Piper of Paarl

Cape Cobras 570-4 declared
v Highveld Lions 126-0
close on Day 2

Friday 8 January 2016

Boland Park, Paarl

85 South African Beer Ticks

Twitter @ball_sup

Side trip to South African domestic cricket. I've done my bit to promote cricket in the Townships. And two Microbrewery visits. It's all go.

The Cricket

Not much. Only the first session of Day 2. Saw Duminy through 200 though. Great setting for the ground at Boland Park out at Paarl. Mountain backdrop. But disappointingly frayed at the edges. Labour is cheap. Bit of paint. Spit & polish. Job's a good ‘un.

We drove in through the gate manned by two security guards. A collection of little black lads (& a few lasses) were being kept out. A few bats & balls. A few rucksacks with sarnies & pop. A few in rags & hand me downs. All refused entry.

After play started I went for a wander. Now a few more of them. And the female security guard wielding a stick to keep them out. FFS, a few poor Township kids wanting to watch a bit of cricket & piss around with their mates.

It's not my show.

I shook the hand of the security lady. Basically asked if they could come in with me. Of course she wasn't expecting that.

Anyway. More of their mates have appeared from out the woodwork. I've lined ‘em up. Given them the rules & regs. Shook a few hands. In we go.

Little bastards each & every one of them. Sat in their seats as promised for two minutes tops. Off they trot. Peering into the front of the Away dressing room. Over the moat & sitting on the rope. Chucking stones at each other.

Some telling me they're hungry & thirsty. Trying to ponce crisps & pop off me. But not a proper Blagger among them. When I was their age. Two Sheffield United Cricket memberships. Two in via Gate A. One exits Gate B with both passes. Two in via Gate A. One exits Gate B with both passes. Repeat until the ground is full.

I reckon I doubled the crowd when I Pied Pipered the black kids in. I've done the off at Lunch anyway. What do I care? Most of them applauded & cheered as Duminy reached 200. Good luck to all.

Wild Clover Brewery

We're staying on Wild Clover Farm out in the Cape Winelands. On the farm there is a Microbrewery. The Wild Clover Brewery. With a lovely tasting room bar. Which is obviously at the end game of a major renovation.

I don't know what was there before. But, everything looks pristine. The Brewing kit is behind large floor to ceiling windows. Horseshoe island bar. Nice deck looking out across the fields. Lots of bespoke stuff. Including a great set of lights. Everything superb.

They've chucked a lot at it. But, extraordinary. We've gone in as the only two punters. The young fella is initially welcoming. He's showed us the range. We've chosen. He's poured.

Most of my previous (then) 77 South African beers have been takeaway bottles in the hotels, B&Bs & Guest Houses. There are only so many “bottle & glass against a beige wall” photos my Twitter Account will stand.

So. At last. A chance to vary. Few photos of the kit & pumps. Click click click. And you'll never guess what he's had the Brass Neck to say. He's only an Internet Denier.

“Don't post any photos of the Brewery on the internet”

Whaaaaaat?

Does he think I'm gonna break the Internet or summat? Maybe they've not got a licence & don't want The Magistrates to know they're open. Me, incredulous.

He's had the lot. The Stare. The Sigh. The Shrug. Oh & The Verbals.

They don't want pictures leaking out until the Press have been invited for the Grand Reopening. He explained. Which carried NO weight whatsoever with the Ball Sup Duo. Where do people get Shit like this from? I'm not anticipating an invite.

So laughable it couldn't spoil my afternoon. We've all been in the Pub With No Beer. But he's put an X in the box for No Publicity. The Pub that doesn't want anyone to know about it.

Four on. Plus a secret one. I've gone…

Blind Mole, German Pilsner on keg at 4.8%.

Eagle Weiss on keg at 4.3%. Superb. Got it all going on. Bananas Custard Nutmeg.

Black Dog, Porter on keg at 5.9%. Very well balanced. Dates, sultanas. Some bitter a long way back.

Lager on keg. A new brew they're trying. Pleasant. Too sweet for my taste.

Cape Brewing Co.

The tasting room is right in the action. The brewing kit behind one set of glass. The bottling lines behind another set. But, it is very much a tasting room. Little island bars. Tasting glasses. You can't really sit down & have a pint. But, the Brewery is in one of many buildings on what is one of those artisan developments. Coffee, chocolate, beer. Think Bermondsey on a Farm. So, you can get their beer at the other restaurants on site.

The Cape Brewing lady who helped me choose the bottles to take out was excellent. She even grabbed a bottle (Mandarina Bavaria IPA) straight off the bottling line, as it hadn't really gone on sale yet.

Amber Weiss on keg at 5.4%. Some sweet malt in the smell. Mouthfilling. Hint of banana, but also citrus.

Mandarina Bavaria IPA from a bottle at 6.5%. Hops giving fruit flavours rather than full on hit. Orange mainly.

Krystal Weiss from a bottle at 5%. Quite complex. Sweetness on the lips. Some bitter at the end. Pungent.

Oktoberfest from a bottle at 6.1%. Great beer. Strong bonfire toffee malt upfront. Crisp bitter finish.

263/535