Carver's Weiss Sunday Lunching

Craft Beer has been around in SA for a few years now and has start to make it's way into the mainstream market. As much as micro brewers hate for this to happen, it's good for business. While the majority of the beer drank in the country is still very much controlled by the major brands, it's good to note that the countries largest brewer, SAB have taken note of the Craft Beer sector and decided to launch a specialty variety to the market, namely Carver's Weiss. 

This past Sunday I was invited to an exclusive launch of the new Carver's Weiss beer, for "an afternoon of Easy" as the email said. The venue, the laid back, open air garden patio of the Market Cafe in Morningside, Durban. The event kicked off with an ice cold bottle Carver's Weiss upon arrival, the venue was decked out by the Carver's Weiss team in the colours and logo's of the beer. The host of the afternoon was none other than SA funny man Dave Livensohn who had the guests in stitches with his witty comments and chirps. 

When looking at the bottle, one of the aspects that grabs your attention first is the label at the back is upside down, reason for this is, they say the best way to enjoy the beer is if you tilt it upside down for a few seconds to allow the sediments to float back up and mix with the rest of the liquid, and hence reading the label would allow sufficient time for this. They had wooden boards for us to tilt the bottles on which were quite cool but took some time to master.

The team flew in a chef to prepare a meals for the guest that best matches the brew and brings out the variants and notes of the beer. It was quite evident from starters to the mains, the many distinct flavours that is present in Carver's Weiss. From citrus, notes to vanilla and caramel, the afternoon of food and beer took ones palate on a journey of taste. 

To complete the afternoon of easy, Carver's team provided entertainment in the form of SA musician extraordinaire, Nhlanhla Majozi who is a real one man band! Playing all his own instruments and treated the crowd to a musical feast of his popular tracks. Also to keep us busy, we had Jenga blocks on each table to see who can survive the longest. 

Carver'sWeiss is smooth drinking beer that is an inbetween-er of a light and heavy brew but one that's an easy drinking one. Perfect for a summer's afternoon. 

Night with the Proteas

Being an indian, its almost a given that I like cricket and seeing that it was the sport I took up in school plus the one I go watch live the most its only fair to assume that when the guys at SAB offered me an invite for an "intimate night with the SA cricket stars" (as they put it) I jumped for it. Even if it was on Diwali, I wasnt going to miss this once in a life time chance.

Held in the Presidential suite at Kingsmead cricket stadium, 2 nights before the series deciding ODI between South Africa and Australia, it was a rather grand afair with limited invites given to select few members of the media as well as a group of supporters who were lucky enough to win a trip to the World Cup held earlier this year in India.

Upon arrival we were greeted by a dozen beautiful castle girls, some of which anticipated my arrival by holding buckets. We were then given gift bag which included a 6 pack of castle and a miniture signature cricket bat. Seperated by means of colour coded tickets, the first half of the guests were told to make their way to the locker room at the ground, there we would meet the stars of the night. Former captain Graeme Smith along with good mates and team mates Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher. Here were given the opportunity to question them on the goings on in the locker room during games. From who hogged the massage table the most to which ground has the best one. Also learning who are the pranksters and what funny or weird habbits certain players have.

After our turn was done, we made our way back to the Presidential suite, where we were served with some light finger foods and as you can imagine, beers aplenty! Once the second groups visit to the locker room was complete, the players then made their way to the stage where more questions and stories were shared with the crowd, after which they posed with fans for pictures as well as signed the bats that were provided. They were how ever whisked away after that due to their strict program and didnt join us for dinner. I hardly think they would have wanted a Durban curry though, even if it was Diwali, the last place they wanted fireworks was in their belly!

All in all it was a very special and eventful night, one I certainly wont forget in a hurry even though their was enough beer on offer to help one erase it.