I attend a lot of alcohol events in Johannesburg, and they all have some sort of history of where and when they started – most of them are still family owned. You can sense the pride when the story is told that the great, great, great grandfather started this whiskey or cognac for whatever reason that they did. You realize that these people were human beings, they were just like me and you – there was nothing amazingly special about them besides the fact that they pursued their dreams.
When Lehlohonolo Majakes posted at some point that he is starting a brewery, I got excited, someone I know has a beer? Damn! That’s huge for me. I love beer and it’s the one thing that I consume when I have had a bad day or a good day. I personally believe that as Africans we live in the most exciting times where everyone is either starting something or they are pursuing their dreams. The fruits of what’s happening now will be told years from now by our grandchildren, that “my grandfather started Marvin in 2015.” This is the same story that will be told with regards to Sharpeville lager, it will be one of those stories where it has the history of Sharpeville narrated within its products.
This is what they say when they break down what Sharpeville means to them …
Sharpeville Breweries is founded on unwavering passion for great beers. (All of us ) We at Sharpeville are of the philosophy that beer, very much like food, is a delicacy that you enjoy because of its sweetness, its bitterness, its character, its aroma, its colour and many other characteristics that a particular beer style can yield from each individuals palate. Beer to us represents an intensely artistic, sophisticated, patient and scientific process. We love beer. We make beer. We are about beer. Beer is our passion. We also believe in responsible drinking, not so much because of the social ills that come with irresponsible drinking, but ours is rather informed by our passion for beer.
To us, beer is a way of life, a culture. Why Sharpeville? Well, we are born and raised here. My Father, my Mother, my brothers and my sisters. Friends, Parents of friends, Schools, Footballers, Tennis Coaches to mention a few. The friends that we have made and lost along the way. This Township is important to us and represents our foundations. This township has such a remarkable and unparalleled history. This Township has a name that has a global reach. This offers Sharpeville Breweries unique position in South Africa among South Africa Townships. Sharpeville is not any other township and its citizenry should not let it be just any township. We have taken too long to come back, we have kept the people waiting for too long, it is time that we acted. “We are coming for the township, we are coming for its’s people, its culture, its social life”
Its good tasting beer, I like the packaging and it will get better with time, I love the fact that they say that we are coming for everything, because we believe in that so much. This is a good thing, this a good time to start as well and maybe in the near future there will be a Marvin beer. Sharpeville Lager is worth my money, besides the fact that it tastes good, its building something that is bigger than myself. How can I not support that, how can I not believe in that when I constantly post that we are coming for everything?