Anyone who loves beer has probably dreamed of going to Germany to sample the golden nectar in its purest form. Maybe you can’t afford the plane ticket to Munchen, but there’s a little piece of Germany right on your doorstep that might just suffice!
Brauhaus Am Damm is a family restaurant and brewery situated just 14km south of Rustenburg, about an hours’ drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Three German-speaking South African families came together to create the unique Brauhaus Am Damm experience; the Stallmans, the Pape Family and the Otterman family.
Inspired by Otto Martin, who installed SALM brewing equipment and opened what was known as the Farmers Brewery, they decided to realise their own brewing dreams by purchasing the brewery and relocating it to the picturesque banks of the Olifantsnek Dam.
Here, the team aim to create a relaxed atmosphere where unique beers and excellent food can be enjoyed in a tranquil and picturesque setting.
The SALM micro-brewery is the only such brewery in the southern hemisphere, where all beers are strictly brewed according to the Bavarian “Reinheitsgebot” of 1516.
This states that only water, barley malt, hops and yeast will be used to produce their beers. The finest ingredients are imported from Germany and are used in the brewing process in the copper brew house.
Brauhaus traditional lager beers are available on tap directly from their cellar and are not filtered, nor pasteurized.
“The age old German tradition that we use to brew our beer is not often practised in South Africa or around the globe. We love having the opportunity to work with this living organic product, our beer in these beautiful surroundings,” said Brauhaus’s Tanya McCarthy. “The setting surrounded by the magnificent Magaliesburg Mountains and the Oliefantsnek dam, its atmosphere, with a hint of German and a love of beer and its brewing process… These are some of the unique qualities of Brauhaus Am Damm.”
The brewery recently won the prize for the most popular beer at the Clarens Craft Beer Festival.
“I think it comes down to top quality ingredients, knowledge, dedication, attention to detail, a clean environment and most of all passion and love for beer and the process it goes through,” McCarthy said.
Currently the Farmers Draught Beer and their delicious home-made bread, which incorporates the spent grain used in our brewing process, are the highlights of the experience for most!
Guests can prebook a tour, which includes a tasting of four beers and a full size 500ml beer at the end of the tour.
At the end of your tour, you can cosy up in the restaurant to indulge in their extensive menu, cleverly created to compliment their bespoke brews.
“We wanted to give our guests a feeling of breaking away from the hustle bustle of the cities that wasn’t too far away. Our team work hard and are dedicated to making Brauhaus Am Damm a memorable journey for each and every guest.”
