Behind the Beer: Jack Black at the African Beer Cup 2026
African Beer Cup 2026
Every year, the African Beer Cup brings together some of the best breweries on the continent, celebrating innovation, consistency, craftsmanship, and the pursuit of quality beer.
This year we won:
Silver - CPA (Pale Commonwealth Beer)
Silver - Lite Lager (Standard American Beer)
Silver - Atlantic Weiss (German Wheat Beer)
Bronze - Brewer's Lager (Pale Malty European Lager)
For the Jack Black brewing team, the awards are about far more than medals. They represent years of refining processes, obsessing over ingredients, pushing creativity, and showing up every day committed to brewing better beer.
We had a catch-up with the team to chat about this year’s African Beer Cup, the beers that stood out, what happens behind the scenes in the brewery, and why the pursuit of innovation and quality never stops.
What does the African Beer Cup mean to the brewing team?
Africa Beer Cup is a chance for us to see how our beers compare to the best breweries in Africa, to ensure we're consistently giving our customers the highest quality possible.
- Anthony
Awards are often the result of years of small improvements. What are some of the behind-the-scenes details people don’t see?
Ingredient sourcing and consistency.
Our Brewing team often travels or cultivates relationships to ensure they source the exact hops, malts, and ingredients they want. A small difference in batches can throw off flavour balance. Slight variations in crop years, storage or handling can change aroma and taste.
Precision in the process.
Temperature control is everything. Fermentation, even a few degrees off, can lead to off flavous, which will result in huge losses. Timing plays a big role; the exact duration of mash, boils, and fermentation can dramatically affect the outcome of our final product.
Sanitation/Cleanliness.
As boring as it sounds, contamination is the enemy of quality. Tiny microbes can ruin an entire batch.
Patience and Timing.
Storing products for the correct amount of time is one of our critical steps, as we learn when to bottle, when to blend, and when to adjust flavour profiles.. Rushing is rarely compatible with awards.
Equipment and Calibration.
Behind every great product is well-maintained, precise equipment. Thermometers, pH meters etc are all calibrated religiously. Even a minor equipment drift can alter the quality. Also, the long hours, heavy lifting, a positive mindset, and teamwork play a big role in the overall product.
- Zondrey
Which beer are you personally most proud of this year and why?
I’m most proud of our Lite Lager, because it’s our newest product, and one of the hardest categories to stand out in. When you have big competition, it’s something to be proud of, and it’s a testament to our slogan. Go lite. Go far.
- TJ
How do you balance innovation and experimentation while still maintaining consistency in the core range?
At Jack Black, consistency always comes first because the customer should get the same quality experience every time they open one of our beers. Innovation only works when the foundations are strong. A lot of that balance comes from process discipline, tight quality controls, strong brewing standards, microbiological management, and teamwork across brewing, cellar, packaging, and quality.
My background in both production brewing and microbiology has taught me that experimentation still needs structure and control behind it. When we trial something new, we approach it methodically: small-scale testing, data tracking, sensory evaluation, and learning from each batch before scaling up.
At the same time, the core range gets daily focus because those beers represent the brewery every single day. I think the exciting part of craft brewing is finding ways to innovate while still protecting consistency, drinkability, and the identity of the brand.
- Chris
How has the South African and African craft beer scene evolved over the last few years?
Following a rapid boom, the market has matured and consolidated. Breweries are now more focused on quality, sustainability, and offering a direct-to-consumer experience through taprooms and festivals. Consumers have also become more discerning, pushing brewers to up their game.We've seen a surge in the production of non-alcoholic craft variants and sessionable beers, driven by a more health-conscious younger generation and brewers have risen to the task with even a few low-calorie and gluten-free beers on offer. Local and seasonal ingredients, such as fynbos, rooibos, and local berries, are being used to give brews a uniquely South African identity.
In other African countries, the use of local grains like fonio and sorghum has been used with great success to contribute unique flavours. Brewers have also been bold by experimenting with flavours and producing coffee stouts, fruited sours, and wine/beer hybrids.
- Jako
What role does ‘teamwork’ in the brewing team play inside Jack Black?
The ‘old’ adage of teamwork making the dream work, well, that rings absolutely true for Jack Black and its brewers.
A full team of 9 brewers, which includes a very interactive head brewer, means 9 creative minds, 9 passionate craftsmen, 9 distinctly unique personalities, 9 approaches to brewing techniques, 9 beer histories...and loads of chaotic fun.
On the surface, the above could lead to a disjointed group vying for individual recognition and hoping for a singular limelight moment. It could also lead to absolute chaos, the negative kind.
Yet the maturity and humility displayed to intentionally play to the team's goals, the company's needs, and ultimately the consumer's taste, proves that there's a much bigger picture at play, and the brewers prioritise that big picture above their own individual experience and talents.
A willingness to work together at improving mundane tasks as well as intricate brewing doctrine has gone a long way towards ensuring KPIs are met, beer is sent out on time, and of course, at the best quality.
The effort made daily, to interact during shifts, ask critical solution-oriented questions while on duty, crack a joke when the frustrations mount, and check in with one another or even share a snack, helps define the team dynamic, which is one of camaraderie and true craft.
Seeing the successful results ‘pour' in, pun intended, is but one highlight and reward pointing to a team working well together. The African Beer Cup 2026 refers, and in comparison to Jack Black’s rewards history, one can statistically measure how well we are doing with the current team as it is.
As a parting shot, one cannot see the brewery team's synergy separate from the commendable interaction with other departments, most notably the production and laboratory role players.
It sure helps that Jack Black seemingly recruits and employs some of the most amazing human beings! Across the board.
- Guido
Was there a particular brewing challenge or learning moment this year that pushed the team forward?
Yes, every challenge teaches us something new. This year helped us improve our processes, communication, and consistency as a team.
- Calvin
What do you hope people feel when they drink a Jack Black beer?When they drink any of our beers, I would like them to feel the hard work, passion, and dedication that myself and the brewing team have put into producing this amazing beer, which I'm lucky to be a part of.
It’s that feeling of a long, hard day's work where you put in your effort to achieve the goals you set for yourself, and then having that beautiful reward of that first sip of this thirst-quenching beer.
That feeling you get when you grab it and think to yourself, "I deserve this". That moment of absolute bliss where, yes, hard work and effort got me here, and now I feel rewarded.
- Dan
Some “Fun” Quick Fire Questions
Most underrated beer in the brewery?
Butcher Block
Atlantic Weiss
Beer fridge essential after a long brew day?
Skeleton Coast
CPA
One beer style you want to brew more of?
Hazy IPA
Amber Ale
Hardest style to perfect?
Lager
Beer you’re currently most excited about?
Lite Lager
Closing Statement from our head brewer:
I am extremely proud of team Jack Black. The African Beer Cup is getting more competitive each year, and winning 4 awards (3 of them best of category) is truly a remarkable achievement. The team’s commitment and dedication to brewing excellence are highly commendable.
- Johan