Superbalist 100: Khanyi Pupuma

Off the back of a Quantity Surveying degree at UCT, Khanyi enrolled himself in a craft beer workshop after a visit to Beerhouse on Long Street because he “really liked the flavour of craft beer”. One class was all it took for him to realise that his future career lay in beer making as opposed to property development, so he went and bought his first home-brewing kit. “The best part of working in beer is that you're allowed to drink on the job.”

Not long after this, he approached Stone Circle Brewery, a relatively new establishment, which allowed him to start producing beer on a larger scale. “It's a really exciting time to be in the microbrewing space right now because the SA beer consumer has been craving quality beer for years. So being part of this movement is quite exciting.” Since the brewery went commercial last year, he’s been supplying his beer, Jwarha Lager, to restaurants and liquor stores all over Cape Town.

Known for its rich, earthy taste and flawless dark complexion, Jwarha Lager takes its Xhosa title from Khanyi’s clan name, and it’s already found its fair share of fans. With around 3 000 bottles of beer being produced each month, it’s clear that Khanyi has a natural talent for brewing. But he’s not satisfied quite yet: big plans to expand to the rest of the country are on the horizon. “We're in the process of expanding our brewing capacity to take our product countrywide, and possibly worldwide.”