Grabbing Some Beer and "Pap en Sous" from the Famous Brew & Still, in the Free State

in BEER9 days ago

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After driving what felt like a seriously long time, we had the opportunity to sit down and eat something. This happened after the visit to the art museum, a visit that had its own beauty. Now, we decided that our eyes had enough food, our bodies need nourishment as well.

What better way than to go to the "Famous Brew & Still" in the Free State! I have no idea why they are this famous, but they were part of my "beer passport" challenge - a little booklet that allows you to track all of the beer you drank as you travel through South Africa.

It was thus a choice not made by us, but already predetermined by being in this little booklet, and our long road trip that made us hungry and thirsty.

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As you walk into the famous brew pub, you are greeted with traditional South African humour. The phrase on the wall, "Just be lekker brew", plays in the double meaning of "brew" as in beer and "bru" or bro, traditional slang referring to someone's friend.

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But beyond that, the decor was really nicely done. But it was a mixture between home-y and cosy and then rustic and scruffy. For one, the taps were, albeit aesthetic, somewhat rough; not the place you bring your partner for a date.


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But maybe I am wrong about the date thing...

For, there are much more gins on tap than there are beers. In fact, I could not really see that many beers. And the ones that were there, were also on the lighter and easier drinking.

Maybe this was the local hangout for those that drink gins on tap! I see that this is something that is getting all the more popular. And if you have a license to distill, then you are on the way to profit. (There is no aging as in beer brewing and whisky distilling.)

Either way, my partner drank one of their more experimental taps, a litchi radler. And she almost drank another one!

But before we get there, here is some more photographs of the inside, that classic look of a brew pub!


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Now, back to the beer and food, the reason why we came! My partner took the litchi radler, but sadly because I was driving, I only had some of the alcohol free beers, in this case the Heineken. It is at least the one option that kind of tastes like beer. But I had to drive so I could not drink anything for now.


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They also had so many specials running. At least, once every day they have some special you can choose from. Our special was "ribs" and then a choice of a side. As soon as the waiter said "pap en sous" (porridge and sauce) I was sold. I was so hungry and it was a long time since having some.

In South Africa, this is a staple, and in the Free State it is the best! My grandfather, from the Free State, always made the best version of this, and we could not eat enough. Since his passing, I always remember the name he calls this; "mielie pap en meerkatsous" (directly translated to "corn porridge and meerkat sauce"). I am not sure why he called it that, but it is what we remember him for.

Either way, we were full, beer and food, and ready to tackle the rest of the day's travels. It was a good stop to have made!


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For now, happy drinking and keep well!

All of the musings and writings are my own. The photographs are also my own, taken with my Nikon D300.


BEERMAPS: The Philosopher's Brewery Visit List


📍Anvil Brewery
📍Charlie's Brewhouse
📍Clarens Brewery
📍Darling Brewery
📍Den Anker Brew Pub
📍Drakensberg Brewery
📍Highland Brew
📍Hops Hollow Sabie Brewery
📍Honingklip Brewery
📍Karoo Craft Breweries
📍Mad Giant Brewery Taproom
📍Paternoster Brewery
📍Route 96 Brewery
📍Sabie Brewing Co.
📍Saggy Stone Brewing Co.
📍Soul Barrel Brewing Co.
📍St. BeerYard Beer Garden

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