With the craft beer craze rapidly spreading and gaining a chunk of the market, it’s nice to know there’s now a book to help guide you through the ins and outs of the industry.

If you enjoy craft beer but don’t know the first thing about brewing, MapStudio has now created a guide for you.

Craft Beer: A Guide to South African Breweries and Brewers will take you through the A to Z of craft beer in South Africa.

The guide delves into the world of craft beer brewing – taking you through the history of beer brewing, the brewing process and different types of beer around the world.

However, the bulk of the guide is an index of top craft breweries in South Africa which includes a description of each brewery, the beers they offer, as well as the contact details and location of each brewery.  There are even maps at the back of the book to help with location.

Along with this comes a list of craft beer tours, markets and festivals. It features places and events all around South Africa, meaning you can probably find something relatively close to you.

What stands out though about the guide is the writing.

The author Jacques van Zyl’s love for beer comes across in his musings on the industry and brewers. It took two months of full-time writing and 500 beers to complete the 160-page guide.

The book notes that it is a snapshot of the craft beer scene, with the industry changing faster than books can be published. However it does well to capture various elements of craft beer, offering an extensive and comprehensive compilation of different breweries.

What is captured in this guide is the passion that goes into craft beer brewing – and how it offers something different to consumers.

“Craft is a revolutionary gesture which goes against the mainstream,” Van Zyl said at the book’s launch, describing his love of the industry.

While the guide is a great introduction for soon-to-be enthusiasts or newcomers to the craft beer scene, it will also prove satisfying to those who have some knowledge on the topic, as the writer’s passion, personal touch and humour run throughout.

Even though the book is primarily about beer, the occasional cider brewer and products are also featured for those with a taste for something sweeter.

The guide covers a range of breweries – from the relatively small ones like Garagista Beer Co.  to craft mammoths like Cape Brewing Company (CBC).

So if you want to a significant amount of information on craft beer packed into one convenient package, Craft Beer: A Guide to South African Breweries and Brewers is definitely something you should invest in.

If you’re interested, you can find it on the MapStudio site or in stores.

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