**My visit to the Brewery and this post is sponsored by Darling Brew and West Coast Way.**
Local craft beer is something that is loved and celebrated in my household. I do consider myself somewhat of a beer drinker and I take pride in my very basic knowledge and ability to tell a Weiss apart from a Lager. I received an invite from West Coast Way and Eco-heroine and creative director of Transparenci, Sarah Farell, for a very exciting secret launch at Darling Brew. Requesting all media to only reveal the secret piece of news on the day at 12:00 pm. The news you may ask? Darling Brew had officially become Africa’s very first Carbon neutral brewery!
An hour’s drive from Cape Town, Darling Brew is situated in the charming town of Darling, in the Western Cape and is a local gem that many flock to for the fantastic wide range of craft beers and delicious pub grub. On their path to sustainability, the microbrewery released their first carbon neutral beer in 2016, called the Blood Serpent. Darling Brew became a trailblazer in the industry for bringing about change this game in how craft beer is produced. After a good road-trip to Darling, Co-owner of the microbrewery; Phillipa Wood welcomed us on site with a few cold ones and some delicious bites to eat from local artisans to celebrate this momentous occasion. The brewery is expected to offset a total of 687.96 tons of CO2 over the next year. This will be an equivalent to having eliminated the same amount of carbon from the environment as 17 829 tree seedlings having grown for 10 years.
After quenching our thirst with more beer and lining our tummies full of charcuterie, we were taken on a tour by the brew master of the brewery. Don’t be fooled by it’s small size, Darling Brewery ships to the U.S and all over with high demand for their award winning craft beer. After the insightful tour around the bustling factory, we got to bottle our very own Blood Serpent! From labeling to closing the bottles with a manual bottle top sealer. And yes, we even got to take our own bottled beers with us home.
To mark the occasion, a Water Pear Tree was planted on the premises outside the brewery. Everyone had a hand in picking up the shovel and contributing soil towards the young tree’s new home. Every year a tree will be planted to continue the path of sustainability and to celebrate the microbrewery’s carbon neutral status.
Supper was a simple but delicious affair. The menu offers wide variety for any slippery customer. The ribs are a famous attraction at the restaurant, with many visiting just for their carnivorous fix. The cheese and charcuterie platters are perfect for snacking and pairing with your favourite beer. All ingredients are proudly and locally sourced. Did you know? Darling Brew recycles their grain, providing it to local farmers. In turn getting their meat from these farmers for the restaurant on site. Supporting and celebrating local is what Darling Brew is all about!
Darling Brew is family friendly with a little play area for the kiddies, there is definitely something there for everyone to enjoy! If fantastic craft beer and tasty pub grub is what you’re after, then take a drive out to Darling and experience it for yourself!
This recipe is inspired by one I spotted in the latest Summer issue of Donna Hay’s Magazine. Instead of the doing the Frosé version, I am not much of Rosé drinker, but instead added some of Malfy’s delicious Gin. Malfy Gin, of Italian origin off the Malfy coast to be exact, has refreshing zesty citrus notes with hints of juniper. I chose this particular gin, to see how the lemony notes in the gin would pair with the watermelon and rose-water. To describe the finished product, I’d like to think of it as an alcoholic watermelon, rose-water flavoured frozen lemonade. I know, a mouthful in description, but it’s damn delicious and best of all so easy to make at home! I omitted sugar too, because the watermelon adds the much needed sweetness that this slush requires to be, well a slushy. 
The Corkless Mind 