Unisa students scoop third place at national beer brew challenge

Students from the Department of Chemical Engineering in Unisa’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) were recently recognised for their award-winning African Wild Ale beer at the Intervarsity Brewing and Tasting Challenge 2023.

Unisa CSET beer brew team

The challenge offers a compelling challenge to university students from South African tertiary institutions, encouraging them to immerse themselves in the craft beer brewing culture through a fun and engaging competition, while promoting responsible drinking. Student teams are tasked with brewing six distinct beers and creating original labels for their creations. The event is hosted annually at the Central University of Technology, in Bloemfontein.

This year, the event took place on 20 and 21 October, with sessions that included a tour to beer brew manufactures, local craft beer tasting, and a lecture given by industry established brewers, who educated aspiring student brewers on opportunities in the brewing industry.

CSET team giving presentations on the craft brews before the tasting

In preparation for the challenge, CSET’s Chemical Engineering Work Integrated Learning (WIL) students started preparing their brews weeks in advance to ensure that they produce the right brews well intime for the challenge. Brewing wasn’t the only thing they focused on; there were other elements that helped achieve their goals, such as technical assistance, and various techniques to improve the students' understanding of the brewing process and most importantly presentation skills.

Different beer brews prepared by Unisa CSET Department of Chemical Engineering students

It was through all this hard work and preparation that the young team of brewers from Unisa scooped third place in the “African Wild Ale beer” category. The exclusive African beer features strictly African-grown ingredients such as roasted "amadumbe" and African potatoes. This unique African beer underscores the students' readiness for a brewing career and their capacity to contribute to the continuous development of high-quality homebrew beer products.

Reflecting on their participation in the intervarsity beer brew and their win, the team leader, Kabelo Ledwaba, had this to say: “The overall experience of the event was fulfilling, and the Department of Chemical Engineering was excited to participate. Offering such exposure was indeed a rewarding endeavour, as it empowered and equipped students with the tools and expertise they need to excel in their chosen field, ultimately benefiting both the students and the industry as a whole. It's a great testament to the value of education and practical experience in shaping future professionals and fostering growth in various sectors, including the brewing industry. Moreover, the field of chemical engineering is integral in the  beer making industry, influencing the entire brewing process from raw material selection to quality control, sustainability, and innovation. It ensures that beer production is efficient, consistent, and of high quality”.

* By Dr Nozipho Gumbi, Communications and Marketing Specialist (acting), and Lesego Maloka, Administrative Assistant, College of Science, Engineering and Technology