In the article below, James Walton reveals some early Cape brewing history and emphasises the significance of the Mariendahl Brewery in Newlands. The article was published in the 1976 edition of Restorica, the journal of the Simon van der Stel Foundation (today the Heritage Association of South Africa). In the mid 1990s, the complex was transformed into a visitors centre (click here for an overview of the project). Today, tourists continue to pour into Newlands to take in the remarkable history (click here for some more recent photos). Thank you to the University of Pretoria (copyright holders) for giving us permission to publish.
Situated on the south bank of the Liesbeek River, within a stone's throw of the famous Newlands rugby and cricket fields, is one of South Africa's finest industrial monuments, Mariendahl Brewery. Fronted by sweeping lawns and colourful flower-beds, the well-preserved white-walled buildings stand out against the back-drop of Table Mountain to present what must be one of the most attractive groups of industrial buildings anywhere.
The tall brewery, dating from 1859, is the oldest remaining relic of an industry which had its South African origin just over two hundred years earlier, for, on 16 February 1657, Van Riebeeck recorded that "today in accordance with instructions from our Lords and Masters, a trial was made with brewing beer", and he later reported that the beer "to all appearances succeeded well''. The Cape beer, however, would not keep for more than four or five weeks, and...
