Franschhoek – Located about 75 kilometres from Cape Town, Franschhoek’s reputation is built on wine, and rightly so.
But three kilometres outside the village, on the same site as the @Franschhoek Hotel (yup, that @ is part of the hotel’s name), a working brewery has been quietly building a following of its own.
Hey Joe Brewing Co. produces Belgian-inspired craft beer using a 1961 copper brewhouse imported from Belgium, one of only three “De Halve Maan” brewhouses globally, and it is open to the public for tastings, meals and events.
A brewery you can actually see at work
Walk into the taproom, and you’re standing right next to the action.
Copper kettles and fermentation tanks sit in full view, so the beer in your glass and the beer being brewed are practically in the same room.
Open daily from 11am to 10pm, the core range line-up runs from the Session IPA, double dry-hopped and bursting with mango, citrus and guava, to the Blonde (easy drinking, properly Belgian) and the Lager (crisp, clean, a little nutty).
The two winter seasonal beers include a Pale Ale (bready, caramel, a touch of honey and stone fruit); and Belgian Stout, a smooth, rich, full-bodied beer filled with oatmeal, dark chocolate, coffee and caramel flavour.
During the summer months, Wit, a light Belgian wheat beer, is lifted with coriander and orange peel; while Belgian Cherry is a refreshing and tantalising fruit beer matured with cherries, striking a delicate balance between sweetness and tartness, making it the perfect summer drink.
Seven very different beers, one very small valley.
A day out the whole family will actually enjoy
This is not a “kids welcome but good luck” kind of venue.
There’s a proper play area with jungle gyms, so the children have somewhere to burn off energy while the grown-ups take their time over lunch… and test drive the tasting board.
The restaurant itself does double duty; it’s where @Franschhoek Hotel guests start their morning with breakfast, and where families and friends settle in for steaks, burgers or lighter, seasonal dishes that keep things easy and relaxed.
It also caters private events in its own right, on top of the venue’s wider function offering. Bring the in-laws, bring the dog, bring the whole Saturday.
When the brewhouse becomes the venue
Raw brick, copper, stainless steel and stained glass make for a backdrop most function venues can only fake with lighting.
Hey Joe does it because that’s simply what the building looks like, day to day.
Indoor and outdoor spaces between them hold anywhere from 30 to 120 guests, which has made the venue a favourite for weddings, corporate functions, product launches, year-end parties and the occasional film shoot.
Etienne Louw, Hey Joe Brewing Co.’s Brewmaster, shared: “People come to Franschhoek expecting wine, and they should; this valley does it brilliantly.
“But we’ve spent years building something different just down the road.
“Every beer we make is properly artisanal, brewed right here in a copper brewhouse you can stand next to and watch.
“Whether you’re a local popping in for the afternoon or staying next door at our hotel, it’s a proper day out, good beer, good food and somewhere the kids can run around while the adults take in the view.”
And if a single afternoon isn’t enough, @Franschhoek Hotel is right next door, with vineyard and mountain views for anyone keen to make a weekend of it in style.
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