Beverages
SA Entrepreneurs Launch Tasty Beer That Cuts Down on Waste
Toast Ale combines the best of sustainability and taste!
The craft beer market has exploded globally and shows no signs of slowing down, and since South Africans are notable beer-lovers, our market is a significant beneficiary of this widened range. It seems like every day there’s a quirky new craft beer being launched, and usually an eccentric taste is the only claim to fame they have, but that’s not the case when it comes to Toast Ale’s craft beer.
The amazing thing about Toast Ale is that they use surplus bread (from the likes of Knead and Sandwich Baron) as one third of their raw ingredients in the brewing process, utilising the bread’s existing yeast that causes sugars to break down faster – resulting in a beer with a lower calorie count, and putting excess food to good use in the process.
The company says their beers top out at 150 calories, as opposed to the roughly 220 calories in your average beer. The beer has a citrusy and caramel taste with an undertone of biscuit, according to the producers, but we’ve given it a try, and can vouch for that claim.
The kicker, though, is that the bread they use is waste product that would’ve gone completely unused. Toast Ale also collaborates with the non-profit organization Soil for Life to help underprivileged South Africans acquire jobs by funding year-long training programs, in addition to their progressive approach to their production methods.
This innovative approach to brewing isn’t completely unheard of, as a few UK-based companies have used it, and it’s great to see a resource-saving method like this gain a foothold in South Africa’s market, too.
If you’re interested in trying the Toast Ale beer out they’re available at The Biggest Little Beer in Belville, GetWine in Claremont, or you can order them at Café Extrablatt in Green Point, Buzbey Grill in Sea Point as well as at all Knead bakeries across the country for R26-R32 per beer.
If you’d like to find out more about them head over to the Toast Ale website and do your part to support proudly South African companies!
