Devils Peak Brewing Company

Devil's Peak Brewing Company
Type of site
 Privately owned
Founded 2012
Headquarters Cape Town, South Africa
Industry Brewery
Slogan(s) Beer as it should be.
Truth to Material.
Website devilspeakbrewing.co.za

Devil's Peak Brewing Company is an award-winning[1] South African craft brewery located at the base of the famous Devils Peak mountain in Cape Town.

Initially started in a small premises in Somerset West with a maximum capacity of 6,000 litres a month, demand saw the brewery quickly outgrow its original site and in 2013 it relocated to its current facility in Salt River, Cape Town.

The new facility allowed the brewery to expand the range of beers brewed and to start experimenting with specialist and limited-edition beers.[2]

The current brewery site is also the location for the well reviewed Taproom restaurant and bar,[3] where the full range of Devils Peak beers can be sampled alongside a contemporary food menu.

Range

Founders Series

The Kings Blockhouse IPA

The Kings Blockhouse IPA, named after a famous military blockhouse on Devils Peak, is the flagship IPA from Devils Peak Brewing Company. It is a hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American India pale ale.[4]

It is "rated as the best beer in South Africa" according to rankings on ratebeer.com.[5] It also won best beer on show at the 2011, 2012 and 2014 Cape Town Festival of Beer and the 2014 Johannesburg Festival of Beer, and was the winner of the 2014 SAB Craft Brewer Championship.[1][4]

Style guide for American IPA's according to craftbeer.com

"Characterized by floral, fruity, citrus-like, piney or resinous American-variety hop character, this style is all about hop flavor, aroma and bitterness. This has been the most-entered category at the Great American Beer Festival for more than a decade, and is the top-selling craft beer style in supermarkets and liquor stores across the U.S."[6]

Vital statistics:
Style: American IPA
Original gravity: 1.057
Final gravity: 1.012
International Bitterness Units: 56
Alcohol by volume: 6%

First Light Golden Ale

First Light Golden Ale is an easy drinking session ale. Significantly less bitter than the flagship Blockhouse IPA, the brewery regards this ale as a good introduction to craft beer.[7]

It was named because the eastern facing slopes of Devils Peak are amongst the first to see the early morning sunlight in Cape Town.[7]

Style guide for Golden Ales according to craftbeer.com
"One of the most approachable styles, a golden or blonde ale is an easy-drinking beer that is visually appealing and has no particularly dominating malt or hop characteristics. Rounded and smooth, it is an American classic known for its simplicity. Sometimes referred to as 'golden ale.' These beers can have honey, spices and fruit added, and may be fermented with lager or ale yeast."[8]

Vital statistics:
Style: Golden ale
Original gravity: 1.044
Final gravity: 1.010
International Bitterness Units: 20
Alcohol by volume: 4.5%

Woodhead Amber Ale

The Woodhead Amber Ale is a take on the red ales of the United States' Pacific Northwest, and has a slightly hoppier finish compared with other South African examples of this style.[9]

Its name derives from The Woodhead Dam, one of the five dams built on Table Mountain at the turn of the 20th century to supply water to Cape Town. The Woodhead Dam was designated as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2008.[9]

Style guide for Amber Ales according to craftbeer.com

"American-style amber ales have medium-high to high maltiness with medium to low caramel character. They are characterized by American-variety hops, which produce medium hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. American ambers are usually darker in color, have more caramel flavor and less hop aromatics, and may have more body. This style was first made popular by brewers from California and the Pacific Northwest."[10]

Vital statistics:
Style: American Amber Ale
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.012
International Bitterness Units: 36
Alcohol By Volume: 5%

Silvertree Saisson

The Silvertree Saison is a moderately bitter farmhouse ale brewed in the traditional style. It is often used as the base for many of the barrel aged speciality beers produced at the brewery.[11]

Silvertree was named after the endangered Silvertrees (Leucadendron argenteum), which are endemic to a small area of the Cape Peninsula, in and around the city of Cape Town, South Africa. The Silver Tree is a protected tree in South Africa and still grows wild on the slopes of Devil's Peak.[11]

Style guide for Belgian Saissons according to craftbeer.com

"Beers in this category are pale to deep light brown in color. Often bottle-conditioned, with some yeast character and high carbonation. Belgian-style saison may have Brettanomyces or lactic character, and fruity, horsey, goaty and/or leather-like. aromas and flavors. Specialty ingredients, including spices, may contribute a unique and signature character. Commonly called 'farmhouse ales' and originating as summertime beers in Belgium."[12]

Vital Statistics:
Style: Saisson
Original Gravity: 1.043
Final Gravity: 1.005
International Bitterness Units: 30
Alcohol By Volume: 5%

Explorer Series


English Ale

With a slightly lower alcohol level, the Devils Peak English Ale is a well balanced, easy drinking take on the 'Special' bitters found in England. It's designed to be a sessionable beer with lower levels of bitterness.[13]

Style guide for English Extra Special Bitters according to craftbeer.com
"This style is known for its balance and the interplay between malt and hop bitterness. English pale ales display earthy, herbal English-variety hop character. Medium to high hop bitterness, flavor and aroma should be evident. The yeast strains used in these beers lend a fruitiness to their aromatics and flavor."[14]

Vital Statistics Style: English Ale
Original Gravity: 1.043
Final Gravity: 1.010
International Bitterness Units: 28
Alcohol By Volume: 4.5%

American Pale Ale

Based on the American West Coast Pale Ale, this brew uses American hops to give it a strong hop presence while a lower alcohol level ensures it's a good session pale ale.[15]

Style guide for American Pale Ales according to craftbeer.com
"An American interpretation of a classic English style. Characterized by floral, fruity, citrus-like, piney, resinous, or sulphur-like American-variety hop character, producing medium to medium-high hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. American-style pale ales have medium body and low to medium maltiness that may include low caramel malt character.[16]

Vital Statistics:
Style: American Pale Ale
Original Gravity: 1.039
Final Gravity: 1.010
International Bitterness Units: 23
Alcohol By Volume: 3.5%

Black IPA

Black IPA's are still a fairly new style of beer, generally regarded as showcasing slight malt with light to medium roasty notes and a similar level of hoppy as standard American IPA's. They are often also referred to as India Dark Ales, India Black Ales, Cascadian Dark Ales, Dark IPA's, or India Brown Ales.[17]

Style guide for Black IPA's according to craftbeer.com
"Characterized by the perception of caramel malt and dark roasted malt flavor and aroma. Hop bitterness is perceived to be medium-high to high. Hop flavor and aroma are medium-high. Fruity, floral and herbal character from hops of all origins may contribute to the overall experience. This beer is often called a black IPA or Cascadian dark ale.[18]

Vital Statistics:
Style: Black IPA
Original Gravity: 1.056
Final Gravity: 1.013
International Bitterness Units: 50
Alcohol By Volume: 6%

Imperial IPA

Based on an American Imperial India Pale Ale, this is an exceptionally hop forward beer with a strong flavour and higher alcohol.[19]

Craftbeer.com describes Imperial IPA's as "High hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. Hop character is fresh and evident from utilization of any variety of hops. Alcohol content is medium-high to high and notably evident with a medium-high to full body. The intention of this style is to exhibit the fresh and evident character of hops."[20]

Style guide for Imperial IPA's according to craftbeer.com
"High hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. Hop character is fresh and evident from utilization of any variety of hops. Alcohol content is medium-high to high and notably evident with a medium-high to full body. The intention of this style is to exhibit the fresh and evident character of hops."[21]

Vital Statistics:
Style: Imperial IPA
Original Gravity: 1.067
Final Gravity: 1.013
International Bitterness Units: 93
Alcohol By Volume: 7.5%

Speciality Series

Vannie Hout

Vannie Hout is a brett-infused, barrel-aged, farmhouse ale. It is kept for six months in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wine barrels barrels, imparting the unique character of the wood and some of the flavor of previous contents.[22][23]

Style Guide for Barrel Aged Beer according to craftbeer.com
"A wood- or barrel-aged beer is any lager, ale or hybrid beer, either a traditional style or a unique experimental beer, that has been aged for a period of time in a wooden barrel or in contact with wood. This beer is aged with the intention of imparting the unique character of the wood and/or the flavor of what has previously been in the barrel. Today's craft brewers are using wood (mostly oak) to influence flavor, and aromatics. Beer may be aged in wooden barrels (new or previously used to age wine or spirits), or chips, spirals and cubes may be added to the conditioning tanks that normally house beer. A variety of types of wood are used including oak, apple, alder, hickory and more. The interior of most barrels is charred or toasted to further enhance the flavor of the wood."[24]

Vin de Saisson

Vin de Saisson is a beer and wine hybrid, which uses grape must (juice) during the brewing process. The regular Vin de Saisson Devils Peak incorporates 20% Chenin blanc into the brewing process, imparting a super fresh aroma and crisp grape derived acidity.[25]

See also

References

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