SUIP!

It’s not strictly beer-related, but it should go hand-in-hand: support your local market. Respect for local produce, artisanship and small-batch craft is the foundation of craft beer. Without it, we wouldn’t have amazing things to eat or drink.

Starlings Café, a favourite spot of mine on Belvedere Road in Rondebosch East, has a tiny but useful market in their back garden every Wednesday. I went and bought some inexpensive and delicious angelfish from Ocean Jewels, a SASSI-approved dealer, and browsed through preserves, organic meat, eggs and butter, and a handful of other delicious-looking things (as well as interacting with a lemonade saleswoman who seemed very suspicious of my claims to being a beer writer. Thanks for the sip of lemonade, if you ever read this, suspicious lady.)

It’s not as expensive as you think. It only requires a little effort, but the rewards of browsing at markets, large or small, are endless: they’re inspiring, fun and, hell, you’ll probably even get a good meal out of it.