We sat down for a beer with...

Deon Smit
Co-Conspirators Brewing Company

Beer with the brewer this week with Co-Conspirators Brewing Company, Deon Smit, Head Brewer. Love a good conspiracy? Join us for a 2 min read as we see what’s in the brewer’s fridge, garner his best tip for visiting the brewery, all time fave hop, and why craft beer innovation support’s the ecosystems that make beer – think farmers to retailers – cheers!

BEER WITH THE BREWER

1. How was the brewery named?

Born out of the idea of co-conspiring or collaborating.

2. What beers do you have at home in your fridge now?

A good mix of local independent craft breweries. Mostly IPA’s of all versions, sours and dark, barrel aged beers.

3. Best tip for visiting the brewery?

Come thirsty!

4. Pineapple on pizza, YES or NO?

No.

5. If you can only use one hop for the rest of your life, what is it?

Mosaic

6. If you could collaborate with one other brewery, who would you choose?

Russian River

7. Some occasions call for the ‘perfect’ beer, what are you reaching for:

a beach beer? Easy drinking lager
an airport beer? How long is the flight? Probably an IPA
the end of the day beer? Definitely an IPA
the ‘best beer with dinner’ beer? Depends what you’re eating.
to kick back and watch sport with? A solid Pale or Hazy Pale.

8. What’s the future of craft and can Craft Cartel beer lovers get on board?

If our local industry is supported at all levels (consumer/ government) we will continue to have a thriving, boundary pushing, welcoming and inventive craft beer landscape. Otherwise, we could return to the bleak days of having only 3-4 options of breweries and core beers. Bigger beer will only be pushed and keep pushing if the independent industry still exists and keeps taking their customers. I’m not just talking independent breweries… innovation continues and spreads into other sectors because indie beer keeps pushing it. New hops and hop products are bred and made, barley farming improves and diversifies, new ingredients and techniques are explored. Yeast producers are given more support to innovate and explore.

Beer continues to be able to innovate because we support the ecosystems that make beer i.e. farmers, hop growers, equipment makers and more independent stores and shops. We will loose this and more if indie beer doesn’t survive. The future is bright if it’s filled with keen, innovative brewers and this will always benefit the beer lover and consumer.

Best way to get on board is to make sure you are buying and supporting indie beer, indie bottles hops and indie venues all the time.

Cheers!