OMG - SAB warns of beer shortage ;-)

"South African Breweries (SAB) said it was experiencing shortages as a result of the "unusually high" demand for its brands."... - M&G article

LeCap, Arthur, Rudi, NikNak and and and - what makes you currently drinking that much beer? Or is Martraveller already in the country?

seb

SAB are getting a growing reputation in Europe, taking over premium brands. They may even bid for Scottish & Newcastle - a company with a long history, but not very exciting beers.

maybe they'll bring out a brew called "Edinburgh Castle" !!?

I plead not guilty, Seb. I'm a red wine drinker (I get it as chronic medication on prescription) and really only occasionally drink a beer. Seems like Martraveller will have to bring his own beer when he does eventually come. Unless the shortage is due to his BB who is stocking up in anticipation of his invasion.

seb, Still got my stash (last 3 bottles) of Windy, so to coin a phrase from that icon of interlect (Bart Simpson) 'IT WASN'T ME !'

Peter, no one in the civilised world would miss Newcastle exhibition ! but how about 'New Castle Brown' ?

Rudi, BB cant be stocking up yet, ive not received a drinks bill from him !

Anyway SAB have 6 months to get its act in order so you all drink Castle and leave me to my windies !!

Nah, also not guilty. I drink Windhoek, good local or imported bitter when available, and wine. I saw that news report early this morning, and felt nothing. :-) Unless of course the bottle shortage turns out to affect Namibian breweries as well!

BTW, when I said "bottle shortage" I meant unfilled bottles. That's the main or perhaps even the only reason for the expected shortage. But SAB wasn't going to lose an opportunity to put some spin on it and attribute it first to "unusually high demand".

Forgot to ask, Rudi. May I have the name of your doctor?

I think not, Arthur. It has the disadvantage of reputedly being really bad for one's gout.

just as well i found the belgian bar in stellenbosch on sunday then......

Not my fault either. I drink Windhoek Draught (which will not be in short supply as long as they don't run out of Aluminium for the tins) or Mitchell's which is sold from the tap and over the counter at the V&A and a few other places in Town.

I heard and saw that there's no Amstel in the booze stores at the moment and now the Amstel drinkers have drained off the Heineken supplies as well?

The good news for Amstel (and Windhoek - which is more in my interest) drinkers is that the competition for SAB is growing and Namibia Breweries and Heineken (which includes Amstel) are teaming up in their distribution, hopefully making them even more widely available (I saw this in various news articles but can´t find the recent ones online).

Apparently the first step is to build a Heineken and Amstel Brewery in SA, rather than importing as they are doing now (temporarily in the case of Amstel). So don´t expect immediate results.

But even in the remotest Karoo or Bosveld "dorpie" you might soon find that cold Windhoek you are searching for!

While SAB is trying to conquer the world (I recently heard that they just bought the largest Brewery of Colombia as well) they are leaving the South Africans thirsty (they had it all their own way for to long). Well, Windhoek might fill the gap.

a slightly older link on the increasingly serious competition for SAB

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<hr>But even in the remotest Karoo or Bosveld "dorpie" you might soon find that cold Windhoek you are searching for!<hr></blockquote>

Jippie! :-)