08/08/2025
Trailblazer in Craft Beer Education
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In the vibrant heart of Johannesburg, Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela, the first Black female craft brewery owner in South Africa, is rewriting the rules of the beer industry. 🍻
With boundless enthusiasm, she pours her expertise and heart into Brewsters Academy, an incubator nurturing the next generation of brewers, particularly Black women with science backgrounds. 🍺
Apiwe doesn’t just teach modern brewing, she celebrates Africa’s rich brewing heritage. She has revived umqombothi, a creamy traditional beer made from maize and sorghum, blending heritage with innovation. Her Wild African Soul, a Belgian Saison infused with umqombothi - won the 2025 African Beer Cup. 🏆
Her Tolokazi range bursts with indigenous flavours: marula fruit, rooibos, and hibiscus. One festival-goer marvelled, “Who could have thought of rooibos beer? It’s so smooth. Even if you’re not a beer drinker, you can drink it.”
Apiwe’s influence extends far beyond her fermenters. As an international beer judge, brewing accreditation pioneer, and respected leader in brewing organisations, she is paving new paths for aspiring brewers.
With South Africa’s beer industry supporting over 200,000 jobs and contributing around $5.2 billion to GDP, Apiwe’s work is not only inspirational – it is economically transformative. 📈
In a world where bias still lingers, Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela is brewing a revolution, one that blends tradition, science, leadership, and cultural pride into every glass. 💞
Happy Friday!
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