There is almost nothing better than an ice-cold brew on a hot summer’s day to quench your thirst. Or so I’m told. You see, until quite recently, I hadn’t so much as even tried a craft beer (I know, shock and horror!) as I’ve never been a fan of the hopsy stuff.

But since hubby and I had just spent a glorious few hours in the picturesque West Coast National Park, flower and game-spotting and lazing beside the calm, azure waters of the Langebaan lagoon, we decided to head to Darling Brew for a pit stop before heading home. I’d heard so much about this popular craft brewery based in the quaint town of Darling, Western Cape that we had just had to pop in for our first visit. We were in the area after all.

Image courtesy of Darling Brew.

And it was here that I tried my first craft beer, the Gypsy Mask. And loved it! Since a return visit in November last year, I’ve become a bit more daring and tried their Beginner’s Beer Tasting where you can choose which beers you’d like to taste.

It was with eager anticipation that I accepted an invitation from Carmen Lerm of West Coast Way and Creative Director and Founder of transparenCI, Sarah Farrell. This passionate Eco-warrior heads up the creative agency where they place a large emphasis on sustainability. I was part of a media group that was invited to an exciting launch at Darling Brew, but we could only reveal the secret surprise at 12 noon the following day. So what exactly was the secret surprise? Darling Brew had officially become Africa’s first Carbon Neutral brewery! This was indeed cause for much celebration.

Image courtesy of Darling Brew.

The charming little town of Darling is only about an hour’s drive from Cape Town. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by co-owner Phillipa Wood and invited to enjoy a couple of cold brews and tasty cheese and charcuterie platters made from locally sourced artisanal products. This was an excellent way to get into the celebratory spirit of the occasion. She also told us the fascinating blood, sweat and tears story of how Darling Brew came to be.

I tried one of their new brews, the Pearl Rose, inspired by the Flamingo Bird and a collaboration between Darling Brew and Riot Beer. This easy drinking and light brew bursts with fresh fruity aromas and flavours and is now my new favourite Darling Brew!

Their first carbon neutral beer in Africa, the Blood Serpent, inspired by the Secretary Bird, was released in 2016 with the intention of later extending it across the range.  It’s impressive to note that their sustainability journey began since they opened in 2010, when they created their line of craft beers to drive awareness on animal conservation in Africa. Kevin Wood, Phillipa’s other half and owner and founder of Darling Brew, has this to say “It’s not about doing what we like with our operations and just offsetting our impact. It’s about our commitment to continuously reducing our carbon footprint as much as possible whilst using the offsetting process as a way of further redressing our impact.”

The brewery is expected to offset a total of 687.96 tons of CO2 over the next year. This will be equivalent to having eliminated the same amount of carbon from the environment as 17 829 tree seedlings having grown for 10 years.

Image courtesy of Darling Brew.

Next up was a tour of the microbrewery to see where all the magic happens. Rene du Toit, Head Brewer with more than 15 years’ experience in production brewing and training, took us through the brewing process from start to end. Despite it’s fairly small size, there is a high international demand for their award-winning craft beer with exports to many countries including the USA.

Caught in action! Image courtesy of Darling Brew.

To mark the special occasion of being officially declared a Carbon Neutral brewery, we witnessed a Water Pear tree planting ceremony which was planted just outside the brewery. Each year, another Water Pear tree will be planted to celebrate their Carbon Neutral status while they continue on their sustainability journey.

I have bottled my own wine before, but bottling my own beer was a first for me! And such fun too. We bottled our own Blood Serpent, including labelling and closing the bottles with a manual top sealer.  Darling Brew gifted each of us with a box filled with more Blood Serpent and beautifully wooden hand-crafted coasters with the DB logo.

Waiting to bottle my own Blood Serpent. Image courtesy of Darling Brew.

Image courtesy of Darling Brew.

Image courtesy of Darling Brew.

So after all that “hard” work, it was time to tuck into more delicious bistro-style food and cold Darling Brews. The Flying Pig Smokehouse creates all the yummy treats and only uses fresh, organic, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. I’ve had the pleasure of dining at The Tasteroom on a number of occasions, and it never disappoints! Simple, utterly delicious slow food is what they are all about. The Sticky Ribs are to die for and are considered somewhat legendary. I never seem to get past the Pulled Pork on Roosterbrood with coleslaw and fries. I have the same dish every time just because it’s that good. Next time I’ll go with the Sticky Ribs … maybe.

I am really impressed by how much Darling Brew supports the local community. The wooden tables and the kids’ jungle gym were made by a local, Edmund Tango, using sustainable wood and practices. They also recycle their grain and provide it to local farmers. In return, Darling Brew gets their meat from the farmers for The Tasteroom.

With the long weekend coming up, now is the perfect time to take a road trip up the West Coast to visit Darling Brew. This popular local gem has something for everyone. They are family-friendly with a lovely outdoor play area for the kids, while the delectable pub grub and wide range of Darling Brew craft beers will more than satisfy your tastebuds. Be sure to make a reservation to avoid disappointment as they are especially busy on weekends. So go on. Be a darling and #DrinkDarlingBrew.

You can find Darling Brew on the West Coast Way Culture and Foodie Routes.

Please note – I was invited to attend the launch by West Coast Way and transparenCI. All views and images are my own unless otherwise indicated.