At the start of the year, we set an ambitious goal: to redefine expectations for light beer. Light beers are undeniably popular, and we’ve heard loud and clear from younger generations that they’re looking to regulate their alcohol intake. At Brewhogs, we respect the diversity of beer preferences—every beer has its place. But one thing stands out to us about mass-produced light lagers: they lack flavor. Our mission? To create a low-calorie, low-alcohol beer that doesn’t compromise on the bold, satisfying taste Brewhogs is known for.

After drawing on our team’s collective decades of brewing experience, we’re proud to introduce the Platinum Light Lager. At just 3.5% ABV, this beer packs a distinct hop character perfectly balanced by a subtle malt sweetness, crowned with a frothy white head that leaves satisfying lace on the glass. But we didn’t stop there. We also revisited one of our flagship beers, the Brewhogs Blonde. While it’s already our biggest seller and a crowd favorite, we can’t resist the urge to innovate. We set out to enhance its body and refine the hop character, and we found the perfect partner in the noble Saaz hop. Known for its gentle bitterness and delightful citrus, floral, and woody aromas, Saaz took the Blonde to new heights.

With these exciting brews ready to shine, we entered them into the African Beer Cup (ABC) in March. The ABC is Africa’s most prestigious beer competition, welcoming entries from breweries of all sizes across the continent. Judged by an elite panel of local and international experts under the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) standards, the competition is fierce. Entrants must carefully select the BJCP style category that best fits their beer. We submitted the Platinum Light Lager as an “American Light Lager” and the Blonde as an “American Standard Lager.”

On awards night, we gathered friends and colleagues at Brewhogs Brewery to watch the livestream. Nerves turned to cheers when the Platinum Light Lager won a Bronze medal! In the midst of our celebration, we nearly missed the announcement that the Blonde had clinched Gold! These wins are a testament to our entire Brewhogs team—brewing great beer is always a collective effort. It’s also worth noting that in competitions like the ABC, medals reflect a beer’s intrinsic qualities and adherence to its style guidelines. No other Light Lager scored higher than Bronze, which means we brewed the best “American Light Lager” and “American Standard Lager” in Africa this year.

The excitement didn’t stop there. In September, Brewhogs Head Brewer Michael Biljon (that’s me!) earned a Brewing Diploma from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) in London. After 14 years of brewing professionally and three years of rigorous study, my reaction to the milestone was fittingly simple: “Great! Let’s have another beer!”

With the momentum from our ABC victories, we entered the South African National Beer Trophy (SANBT). This competition evaluates only South African commercial beers and is judged with the same BJCP rigor. We brewed fresh batches of the Platinum and Blonde, sent them off to Cape Town, and waited. One Thursday afternoon, we received an email that began, “Good afternoon. Some good news, at least one of your beer(s) has won an award! Yay!!” Flights to Cape Town were booked before lunch was over.

The SANBT awards evening, held at the elegant Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel, was a black-tie affair filled with camaraderie, recognition, and—of course—plenty of tasting (don’t worry, we behaved!). The night exceeded all expectations: both the Platinum Light Lager and the Brewhogs Blonde earned Gold medals! These accolades affirm our commitment to brewing exceptional beers and highlight that Brewhogs beers are worth your attention.

We’d love for you to taste what all the buzz is about. Brewhogs beers are on tap at your local Hogshead Pub and our Brewery Taproom in Kyalami. You can also pick up cans at the Brewery or through our online store. Cheers to award-winning beer—and to you, our community, for making it all possible!