So, our initial foray into the Rugby World Cup 2015 was an unmitigated disaster. And to add insult to injury, we allowed a country with absolutely no beer culture be the author of that humiliation. Eish!

But I say all is not lost!

Are we going to let that bump in the road destroy all our cultural pride? Are we going to stop buying blitz and start using our green and gold jerseys to light our fires? And are we going to stop drinking beer and start drinking rice based alcohol from now on?

“What are we going to do?” cries my slightly inebriated rugby-loving friend, eyes wide with fear as he look around the lounge at the room full of equally stunned friends. I take in his tear stained visage and his long suffering rugby jersey that has already lost the fight with his ever expanding belly, and inspiration hits me like a bolt from the blue.

“Food!” I think to myself, “Food and Beer will bring back cheer! But what to make? What can restore my friend’s faith in our heritage and our national team and our national game?”

My friends gather around me, like shipwrecked souls around a life buoy, these flotsam and jetsam that find themselves washed up on the beach of international rugby despair hope blossoming in their dull eyes. “The Boks can sense when we have lost ‘gees’, when our spirits are not unified and inspired in our support of their game. We will support them, nay inspire them, when we invoke our national pride and heritage… we will braai and drink beer while we do it!”

My friends erupt in wild cheering, some weeping openly now, and I sense that an immense weight has been lifted from their shoulders.

I immediately rally the devoted long-suffering wives and girlfriends and start rattling off instructions like Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo. Nina gets started on the Beast of the Deep mussel pot with Devils Peak beer bread and Anita starts whipping up a Beef and kidney stout pot with roosterkoek while I perfect the Chicken Caesar salad on the braai.  

Soon, while getting stuck into the September Craft Beer mixed case to minisie the sting of the lost game, the fragrance of our delicious feast starts turning heads, and hearts, back to the basics: Good food, great friends, epic beer. To bring the house down, I introduce the Epic chocolate and banana braaibroodjies as the closer.

There’s always a good reason to get together with friends – South Africa’s great weather (come on summer), our amazing braai culture, or just because it’s a Tuesday night and there’s nothing on telly. Here are a few things that will bring us together:

• For some great conversation starters, why not listen to September Mixed case tasting: Heritage Month and maybe have your own beer tasting at home.
• For those Spring days when the climate still think it’s winter, why not try A winter wonderful butter chicken with naan bread – your friends will thank you for being brave and trying something new.

Now, your friends and loved ones are warm and well fed. The initial blow of the Boks’ defeat has been softened by the delightful food and witty banter, and all is well with the world.

With Christmas coming (unashamed pre-Christmas punt coming – be warned!), I’d hate for you to scratch your head, fretting about what to get the man who has it all. So, I’ve put together a little list of “ ideas” that will help you out.

No time to pop to the shop and get your fresh craft beer? No problem – We’ll bring our beer to you.

So, with that I say “Cheers!” to our food heritage. No-one can take that away from us!

Rob, Beer Geek

One of the top beers to celebrate the ‘Braai and Bokke Spirit’ is with Darling Brew Beers. Pair each of the Darling Brew craft beers with a heritage celebration meal. Order from www.leagueofbeers.com/Darling-Brew