Brew Crew

Well I've just about done and seen everything there is to do and see in Arusha now but there was still one thing I wanted to tick off my list...the brewery tour. It may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Africa but having lived next to the XXXX Brewery in Brisbane for a few years and never actually visiting it, I decided it was high time I check one out.

The brewery is actually quite close to town and the tour was free so it was a good way to fill an afternoon. The tour itself was a little dull as the guide felt the need to rattle off the recipes for each of their 7 or so brands but there was a  cracking finish to the tour which made it all worth while.

This is me and our tour guide, Mr Magoo! (His real name! I giggled every time I said it)

One of the most interesting parts of the process was the bottling room. Most glass bottles here in Tanzania are recycled. It is not unusual to get a coke in a bottle that looks 20years old. They just get taken back to factory, washed and reused. The same happens here with the beer bottles and it is an amazing process to watch. It looks like something straight out of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'. No Oompa Loompas though.

But, as I said, the best bit was at the end. We all went to the bar for the taste testing part. That basically just means you sit down and try to get through as many of the varieties as possible. I love a challenge. Then at 5pm, it gets really busy all of a sudden. As an employee of the brewery, you get to come down to the bar and have free beers every evening. And if you are a good employee, you get to take home an extra crate a month! Job application anyone?

This is our brew crew. I think I took my love of the safety goggles a little too far - I'm wearing them in every picture!

Till next time x