Do you know your ale from your stout; your organic from your biodynamic; and your single malt from your blend? You won’t be left red-faced at a dinner party ever again once you’ve read through our simple guide to beer, wine and whisk(e)y. Obviously, it is essential to try each style for yourself – for scientific purposes – so we’ve given some suggestions of where to start. Happy tippling!

Wine

Biodynamic

This is a holistic approach that focuses on the relationships between the soil, plants and animals. Self-sustaining biodynamic systems, which have minimal impact on natural surroundings, aim to enhance the environment, not deplete and damage it. Biodynamic wines are considered to express terroir particularly well. In keeping with biodynamic principles, the use of manures and composts is favoured above artificial chemicals. Biodynamic wine farms will use, for example, horses to plough instead of tractors, chickens and hawks for hunting pests instead of pesticides, and cow and sheep manure instead of bought fertiliser. Read our story about Waterkloof Wine Estate’s biodynamic wine efforts. Also try wines from Rozendal Farm and Reyneke Wines.

Natural

Natural wine is wine that has experienced minimal chemical and technological intervention, from the grape growing stages right through to production and bottling. The term is used to distinguish this kind of wine from organic wine, which merely denotes organically grown grapes, which may in fact have been subject to chemical and physical manipulation during winemaking. Winemakers who describe themselves as ‘natural’ have been known to disagree on acceptable levels of intervention. Ideally, organically or biodynamically grown grapes are hand-picked and processed with no added sugars, foreign yeasts, foreign bacteria, additives (for colour, mouth-feel or minerality), minimal or no filtration, and minimal or no added sulphites. There is no established certification ‘natural wine’ body, and the term has no legal status. However, the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI) has pioneered partnership between South Africa’s wine industry and conservation sector. Its mandate is to protect natural habitats, and encourage wine producers to farm sustainably and express the Cape’s abundant diversity in their wines whilst maintaining living, productive landscapes. Here’s a list of BWI members and champions (leaders in environmental best practice).

Organic

Organic wine is made from grapes grown in accordance with principles of organic farming, which typically excludes the use of artificial chemical fertilisers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. In South Africa, the name ‘organic wine’ is only given to wine made from grapes where the vine has been farmed organically for three years or more. It does not, however, look at the whole production process, from farming methods all the way to the cellar. (See natural wine.) At present there are numerous competing organic certification bodies. Try offerings from Waverley Hills, Lazanou Organic Vineyards and Stellar Winery. Also try one of these top 10 organic wines.

Beer

Ale

Ales are made from malted barley with top-fermenting yeast – which rises to the surface during fermentation, creating a thick, rich, head – and are fermented at warm temperatures (between 15°C and 24 °C). They are usually described as hearty, robust, and fruity. Most ales contain hops, which work as a preservative and balance out of the sweetness of malt. The term ‘pale ale’ originally denoted an ale brewed from pale malt. Try The King’s Blockhouse India Pale Ale made by Devil’s Peak Brewing Company, Van Hunks Pumpkin Ale by Boston Breweries, Durban Pale Ale by Shongweni Brewery or Jack Black Pale Ale.

Lager

Lager is made with a bottom-fermenting yeast – which grows less rapidly, with less surface foam, and tends to settle to the bottom of the fermenter – at cold temperatures (less than 10°C). Lagers tend to be mild, smooth and crisp. Pilsner (such as Hansa), Dunkel, Märzen and Bock are all styles of lager. Try Birkenhead Premium Lager, Slow Beer Golden Lager by Darling Brew, or Forester’s Lager by Mitchell’s Brewery.

Stout

Dark, malty and heavy, stout is top-fermented beer made from roasted malt or barley, and sometimes caramel malt. Stout was also known as ‘porter’ in 18th Century England due to its popularity with river porters.) Nourishing ‘milk’ stouts (like Castle Milk Stout) contain lactose, which adds sweetness. Try Chocolate Malt Stout by Birkenhead Breweries, or the Oatmeal Stout, Black Marlin Imperial Stout or Empowered Stout (in winter) by Triggerfish.

Weissbier

This is a top-fermented Bavarian wheat beer made with predominantly malted wheat and some malted barley. Strains of yeast are used specifically to produce hints of flavours like banana and clove in the fermentation process. Weissbier (white bier) was so called because it was paler in colour than Munich brown beer. It is also known as Weizenbier (wheat beer). Try Wheat Beer by Shongweni Brewery, Johnny Gold Weiss by Boston Breweries or Great Weiss brewed by Triggerfish.

Whisk(e)y*

Blended malt whisky

Blended malt whisky is a mixture of single malts (see single malt whisky) from different distilleries. Blended whiskies are typically made from a mixture of malt and grain whiskies (but not with neutral spirits if made in Scotland), flavouring, and colouring like caramel. The blender will use whisky from many distilleries to produce a flavour consistent with the brand, such as that of Bells, Chivas Regal, The Famous Grouse or the various Johnnie Walker labels.

Bourbon

Bourbon is a type of American whiskey made from a grain mixture of at least 51% corn. It must be aged in new, charred-oak barrels, but it has no minimum duration for aging. Bourbon that meets the above requirements, has been aged for at least two years, and does not have added colouring, flavouring, or other spirits, may be called ‘straight bourbon’. ‘Tennessee whiskey’ is straight bourbon whiskey produced in the state of Tennessee (with an additional charcoal-filtering step), such as Jack Daniel’s. Try Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark or Wild Turkey.

Irish whiskey

According to that country’s regulations, Irish whiskey must be distilled from a yeast-fermented mash of cereal grains and aged in Ireland for at least three years in wooden casks. Varieties of Irish whiskey include single pot still, single malt, single grain, and blended Irish whiskey. Try: Jameson Irish Whiskey, Bushmills or Tullamore Dew.

Single malt whisky

Single malt whisky is made at a single distillery in Scotland using a pot-still distillation process, with malted barley as the only grain ingredient, and is matured in Scotland in oak casks for at least three years. Distilleries are always built near a water source, such as a natural spring. Unless the whisky is labelled ‘single-cask’, it will contain whisky from many casks and different years at that distillery, so that the blender can create the taste recognisable as typical of the brand. It is not unusual for single malt whiskies to be aged for 20 years and more. Try Dalwhinnie (light, heathery), Talisker (fruity, sweet) or Laphroaig (peaty, smoky).

*The spelling whisky (plural: whiskies) is generally used in Scotland, Canada, Japan, and Wales. Whiskey (plural: whiskeys) is more common in Ireland and the United States. Whiskeys and whiskies do not mature in the bottle like wine; only in the cask. The age of a whisky reflects how much the cask has interacted with the whisky, changing its chemical makeup and taste.