Anvil Ale Brewpub, Dullstroom

If you read my blog often, especially my Eat&Drink posts, then you’ll know that I am a huge fan of tasters. Tasting menus with wine pairing are big for me, but recently I’ve been getting more into trying out other drinks than wine, including whisky and beer. Our beer tasting experience at Anvil Ale Brewpub in Dullstroom was fun and informative and something I would suggest you do to fit in with the cool crowd of Dullstroom when visiting.

The beer tasting at Anvil Ale Brewpub is actually free, which is basically amazing. Five different beers are served in taster glasses and each is explained. Anvil Ale produces a blonde ale, a pale ale, the white anvil, black anvil and the Belgian Biere d’Saison (you can read more about each beer on the website here). In addition to these, the brewmaster also experiments with new flavours and adds them into the tasting mix for fun.

I absolutely loved the blonde ale with its fruity honey-ish undertone. Sadly the Biere d’Saison was out of stock when we went, but got the chance to taste an experimental pineapple beer which would be perfect for a summer’s day and dare I say with a little ice thrown in.

In true Dullstroom nature, the whole experience is really laid back and if you didn’t like a thing, you can walk out of the brewery afterwards without having to pay a cent after your tasting. We decided to enjoy some more of the blonde ale while we were around and even bought some beers to take home afterwards.

A glass window into the brewery shows how busy it actually is, with staff running back and forth filling bottles and checking the brew tanks. While we didn’t eat anything while we were there, a fairly simple menu promises good, hearty fare to couple with your chosen brew.

An old Jack Russell also trots around, showing visitors who the real owner of Anvil Ale is before collapsing back down by the fireplace for a nap.