It’s 14:45 on a Friday afternoon and you’re attending the mandatory sales meeting (why is it always on a Friday?!) You look down at your watch, “Not much longer to go now,” you whisper to yourself. It has been a long week of putting out fires and now you’re desperate for that well-earned pint of Brewhogs’ finest.

The meeting finishes and it’s that magical time of the week when you could probably sneak out of the office without anyone noticing, and you’re off to Brewhogs for a cold one and to admire the beauty in the beer garden: stunning, toned legs, alluring eyes, and graceful, yet noisy birds.

We are, of course, talking about our pet ducks and geese in the Brewhogs beer garden. At our little slice of heaven in Kyalami we have three pet Peking ducks and two Embden geese who are all delightfully friendly. The tranquility of the beer garden and the pond is ideal for enjoying some of the highest rated craft beer in Africa.

Our old duck, Mr Blonde, is the last surviving duck from just after Brewhogs first opened. At about 10 years old, he is doing very well and is as healthy as ever. Impressive, considering that Peking ducks live between 5 and 10 years. A steady diet of spent barley grains, potato crisps, and the occasional sip of beer has kept Mr Blonde as fit as a fiddle.

We recently adopted several more Anatidae (meaning “waterfowl”): two Emden geese who we suspect to be both males (named Growler and Stein), and two female Peking ducks named Citra and Saaz. Noticing a pattern? Their names are all beer-related!

Pekin ducks originated in China over 1,000 years ago. They were first bred in Beijing (known formerly as Peking) and were later exported throughout the world. Today they are the most commonly bred ducks in the world. They are best known as the main ingredient in the iconic Chinese dish; however we prefer to keep our ducks well away from the frying pan.

Male ducks, drakes, are identified by the small, curled feather at the base of their tail – known as a drake feather. The males are usually larger and heavier than females, have thicker necks, and have a softer, raspier quack than females. The female ducks, the hens, have that loud, distinctive quack that we think of when we think of a duck’s quack. While drakes are more laid back and less vocal than females, the hens can be quite talkative and will protest loudly if you pick them up. The Pekings are inquisitive, very social, and form strong bonds with their caretakers. Our geese are known as Embden geese. Embden geese originate from the northwest town of Embden, Germany. While geese have a reputation for being very aggressive and territorial, our feathered “watch dogs” are very sociable and only give the gentlest nips at your ankles.

Our little pond beside the Brewhogs beer garden is also home to a collection of wild birds. We often see Egyptian geese, Yellow-Billed Ducks, Kingfishers (spot them if you are lucky), and a beautiful Cape cormorant. The Cape Cormorant is joy to observe. They have glossy-black feathers that have a fabulous blue-green sheen in the right lighting. Long, thin necks with an orange patch at the base of their beaks. Their beaks are long with a slight hook at the end – perfect for catching small fish or tadpoles. The Cape Cormorant will swoop down into the water and float low in the water so that just its neck can be seen above the surface. It looks like a little Loch Ness monster as it paddles around the pond. In a flash, it will disappear below the surface with little splashing. It will then surface several meters from where it disappeared – usually with a tasty treat in its beak. They are remarkable swimmers, as they hunt the depths for an unlucky frog or tadpole. After its aquatic escapades, the Cape Cormorant will stand proudly on the rocks and extend its long wings so that they can dry.

For bird lovers there are plenty of feathered friends at the Brewhogs taproom to keep you entertained. So, don’t forget to pack your binoculars when you visit Brewhogs again – you never know what you might see!

Cheers