We drove down a road that led to nowhere really. It was luckily tarred and not gravel/ground. But it was what we call "plaas paaie" or farming roads. But then, we saw the sign ahead! Premium Craft Beer at the Route 96 Brewery.
As you looked around you, you could see nothing for miles on end. Usually, this would not be a good thing. Many a horror film starts in this exact scenario: A couple drives down a lonely farm road in search of [insert whatever you fancy]...
We were destined not to become another crime statistic, so we were sceptical at first. But then we saw the brewery in the distance at the end of a gravel road. Good things come to those who wait, an excellent beer comes to those who search!
So search we did and find we did!
But first, we had to appreciate the beauty of the setting. There were cows and many wildflowers. There were stunning views and no sign of any busy city life. I think we also did not have that much phone signal, so we were truly off the grid in some sense.
But these types of places can always be a risk or reward... And in this case, the risk paid off! As I said, we were greeted by some lovely views, and some friendly cows.
My girlfriend loves cows. She freaks out when she sees them and always asks me to stop. She wants to pet them but they are always too shy, not being used to humans being so friendly, I guess.
But we stopped and this rather big cow stuck its tongue out just as I snapped the photograph! Almost as if it wanted to tease me.
Besides that, the cows were so beautiful in the field. The slow life comes to my mind. I always think about what it must be like to live on a farm. Those who I know that do live there seem to not always appreciate it in the way that someone who has only lived in the city does. Strange how the grass is always greener on the other side.
But the flowers do make up for this situation. There are always wildflowers on the side of the road, and I know the dangers of stopping, so we just appreciate the wildflowers from the inside of the car.
I wonder if the cows eat these wildflowers.
I have this thing they call a beer passport. It allows you to taste various beers across the country, sometimes they give you a free beer, sometimes they give you a tasting, and sometimes they give you discounts on food or beers.
I have been lucky, ever since getting the passport, I have been getting free beers wherever I go. Obviously, I just don't grab the free beer and run, that is barbaric. I buy some other beers as well, having a pint or four with the free beer to support the local breweries!
And this brewery was no exception. The staff were friendly, and the service was exceptional. We had a good talk with the locals and we ate way too much food. And we drank too much as well. Luckily, we had a designated driver.
The photograph below reminded me of short stories that I still want to write. The window illustrates the world out there, the girl drinking a beer, in the middle of nowhere. So many cliche ideas are filling my head!
The photograph on the top-left is funny, or at least when you have a beer or two in. It reads: "Eye test, oh hell, I am too drunk to read this".
And on the top-right, we also tasted their gins! They have so many different flavours on offer. It is crazy to think this is 15km or so away from the closest town.
This was some of the best chips I had in a long time. Maybe I was just a bit drunk, but the seasoning was beyond this world. They use a specific spice or salt that some places stopped using. It is nostalgic to me...
But in the end, we enjoyed the trip so much. All the while you enjoy your beer, you can see the crew busily brew more batches of beer. We were there on a quiet day, so there were not too many people. But at the scale which they brew, they definitely have good clientele!
Before leaving, we had to visit the bathrooms. And these signs always make me laugh, maybe again it is only the case because I had a beer or two in me. But maybe it also speaks to my inner child, laughing at anything of this nature!
At the end of the road, there were cold beers waiting for us. What a trip. I love the beer passport, as it forces me to travel a bit, even further outside of my comfort zone.
I hope that you enjoyed this virtual brewery tour with me! If you ever get this side of the world, do yourself a favour and explore some local beers.
For now, happy travelling, happy beer drinking, and keep well!
All of the photographs used in this post are my own, taken with my Nikon D300. The writings and musings, albeit inspired by my beer, are also my own.