EAT + DRINK

Poison City Brewing

I’ve been invited to my fair share of product launches, media events and cocktail parties and there are not many brands or people I’d give up a Saturday afternoon for, without my partner.
But when Andre Schubert throws his weight and passion behind a brand called Poison City Brewing along with his long time mate and surfing buddy Graeme Bird, and invites you to the launch with a promise of an undercover tour of Durban, you’re not just intrigued, you’re downright excited.

And that’s how I ended up on a pimped up purple bus, spray painted with King Kong, on a whistle stop tour of Durban, which included the hallowed shaping bays of legendary surfboard shaper Peter Daniels, dingy inner city side streets spraypainted by talented graffiti artists, the infamous Durban Station venue which immortalised the soundtrack of our 90s youth and smoky live music stalwart, The Winston. All accompanied by a constant flow of cold lager – their first release, The Bird, which both nods at the surname of its co-founder and flips a middle finger at the beer industry, by not taking itself too seriously.

With a crisp, clean taste that even I could manage a few, The Bird is set to be a hot commodity this summer in Durban and you’ll be doing yourself a favour by giving it a try. It’s not overly bubbly – that’s girl speak for almost all the other beers I’ve ever tasted are shite – and it comes in a manageable 330ml bottle, so it’s still cold by the time you finish it.
But it’s the packaging I most like – with its tongue in cheek disclaimer “Alcohol affects your ability to drive… and surf”