From their modest cellar in a historic winery outside of Franschhoek, Soul Barrel has quietly built a global reputation for brewing beer that’s innovative and deeply rooted in South African tradition.
Their latest champion, Wild African Soul, is a collaboration with Johannesburg-based Tolokazi Beer, which blends a traditional sorghum umqombothi with a farmhouse ale, aged for two years in wine barrels. The result? A complex, soulful beer that beat out 259 entries from 14 countries to claim Africa’s top prize.
“We’re a small team with a big mission: to brew beer that expresses the soul of South Africa,” said Soul Barrel founder and brewmaster Nick Smith.
“Winning Best Beer in Africa three times shows the world just how exciting African beer can be. Winning with a beer based on Umqombothi sends a message that South Africa has a fascinating beer culture, and at Soul Barrel we aim to tell its story.”
Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela, founder and brewmaster at Tolokazi Beer said: “On behalf of Tolokazi Beer, I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition for Wild African Soul, our collaboration brew which was crafted at Soul Barrel Brewing. This award is a true reflection of our dedication to crafting distinctly African beers—celebrating our heritage and embracing the richness of indigenous knowledge.”
In addition to winning Gold and Best Beer in Africa, Soul Barrel also took home Gold for its Ale of Origin, last year’s Best Beer in Africa winner, and Silver for Live Culture, the 2022 Best Beer in Africa, among other medals.
“We created a new category for Speciality African Beers in 2024,” said African Beer Cup co-founder and competition Director, Lucy Corne. “These are beers that use traditional African brewing ingredients such as sorghum, millet and fonio rather than malted barley. We want the African Beer Cup to be a competition that celebrates our wonderful continent. It was great to see a beer from this unique category taking the top spot in the competition this year.”
Here are all the 2025 African Beer Cup winners:
2025 Best Beer in Africa: Soul Barrel Brewing x Tolokazi Beer – Wild African Soul (South Africa)
Winner of the BASA African Celebration Award: Okavango Craft Brewery – Okavango Craft Brewery (Botswana)
Gold: Mellivora Meadery – Golden Rhino Acacia Mead (South Africa)
Silver: Mellivora Meadery – Mantidea – Bushveld Amormel (South Africa)
Bronze: Heineken Beverages - Sedibeng Brewery – Heineken 0.0 (South Africa)
Gold: Heritage Brewery – Sobolo Ale (Ghana)
Silver: Heritage Brewery – Mango Tropical Ale (Ghana)
Bronze: Jack Black's Brewing Company – Super Crush Cherry Ale (South Africa)
Silver: Brewhogs – Platinum Light Lager (South Africa)
Bronze: Heineken Beverages - Sedibeng Brewery – Sol (South Africa)
Silver: Rebel Brewery – Rebel Dark Lager (Zambia)
Bronze: Heineken Beverages - Sedibeng Brewery – Amstel (South Africa)
Gold: Afro Caribbean Brewing Company – Velvet Moth (South Africa)
Silver: Rebel Brewery – Rebel Dark Lager (Zambia)
Bronze: Woodstock Brewery – Happy Pills (South Africa)
Silver: AB-InBev – Castle Double Malt (South Africa)
Bronze: Heineken Beverages - Sedibeng Brewery – Windhoek Lager (Namibia)
Gold: Shackleton Brewing Company – Shackleton Kölsch (South Africa)
Silver: Roof of Africa Craft Brewery – Roof Draught (Namibia)
Bronze: Swiss African Premium Beverage – ROX (Cameroon)
Silver: de Beer Brew x Afro Caribbean Brewing Co. – de Beer Brew Red Lager (South Africa)
Silver: Roof of Africa Craft Brewery – Roof Dark Lager (Namibia)
Bronze: Whale Coast Brewing Co – WCBC Lager (South Africa)
Silver: WCBC Dark Lager – WCBC Dark Lager (South Africa)
Bronze: Clockwork Brewhouse – Schwarzbier Dark Lager (South Africa)
Gold: Newlands Spring Brewing Company – Mountain Weiss (South Africa)
Silver: Barrington's Brewery – Dulcy's Weiss (South Africa)
Bronze: Jack Black's Brewing Company – Atlantic Weiss (South Africa)
Gold: Newlands Spring Brewing Company – Jacob's Pale Ale (South Africa)
Silver: Jack Black's Brewing Company – Butcher Block Pale Ale (South Africa)
Bronze: Barrington's Brewery – The Newdigate (South Africa)
Silver: Jack Black's Brewing Company – Cape Pale Ale (South Africa)
Bronze: Boet Beer Brewery – English IPA (South Africa)
Gold: Afro Caribbean Brewing Company – Pirate Porter (South Africa)
Silver: Darling Brew – Break Free Ale (South Africa)
Bronze: AB-InBev – Laurentina Preta (Mozambique)
Silver: Outeniqua Brew Co – Liquid Amber Ale (South Africa)
Bronze: Darling Brew – Gypsy Mask (South Africa)
Silver: Hopsmith – Kenyan Coffee Milk Stout (Kenya)
Bronze: AB-InBev – Castle Milk Stout (South Africa)
Bronze: 1000 Hills Brew Co – The FES (South Africa)
Bronze: ABInBev – Safari Lager (Tanzania)
Gold: Woodstock Brewery – Moose Hammer (South Africa)
Silver: Starke Brews – Nectaron Hazy Pale Ale (South Africa)
Bronze: That Brewing Co – That APA (South Africa)
Silver: Starke Brews – Autumn Amber (South Africa)
Bronze: Whale Coast Brewing Co – WCBC Amber Ale (South Africa)
Silver: Bature Brewery – Black Gold (Nigeria)
Bronze: Triggerfish Brewing – Monsterfish (South Africa)
Silver: Saggy Stone Brewing Co. – Bear Jam (South Africa)
Bronze: 254 Brewing Company – Golden Rump Session IPA (Kenya)
American IPA
Silver: 254 Brewing Company – Beer (South Africa)
Bronze: Afro Caribbean Brewing Company – Slow Rise (South Africa)
Gold: Richmond Hill Brewing Company – Fever Dream (South Africa)
Silver: Darling Brew – Godfather (South Africa)
Bronze: Richmond Hill Brewing Company – Coastal Cult (South Africa)
Gold: Afro Caribbean Brewing Company – Better Judgement (South Africa)
Silver: Afro Caribbean Brewing Company – Uncharted Territory (South Africa)
Bronze: Jack Black's Brewing Company – Fresh Hop IPA (South Africa)
Silver: Charlie's Garage – Mustang Sally (South Africa)
Bronze: OC Brewery – Screamer DIPA (South Africa)
Gold: Soul Barrel Brewing – Ale of Origin (South Africa)
Silver: Hazeldean Brewing Co. – Kriek - Lambic Style (South Africa)
Bronze: Hazeldean Brewing Co. x Draymans Brewery – Faro Fusion (South Africa)
Silver: Clockwork Brewhouse – Jabuticaba Sour (South Africa)
Gold: Crafty Dee's Brewing Company – Wheat Beer (Tanzania)
Bronze: Newlands Spring Brewing Company – Passionate Blond (South Africa)
Strong Belgian Ale
Gold: Dark Arts Beer Project and The Mystic Brewery – Forest Potion (South Africa)
Silver: Specialty Beers (Ghana) Ltd – Tale Lemongrass (Ghana)
Bronze: Whale Coast Brewing Co – WCBC Saison (South Africa)
Gold: Triggerfish Brewing – Crazy Diamond 2021 (South Africa)
Silver: Afro Caribbean Brewing Company – The Garth Father (South Africa)
Bronze: Triggerfish Brewing – Crazy Diamond 2019 (South Africa)
Silver: Richmond Hill Brewing Company – Twin Fin - Kellerbier (South Africa)
Bronze: Jack Black's Brewing Company – Keller Pils (South Africa)
Silver: Soul Barrel Brewing – Live Culture (South Africa)
Bronze: Soul Barrel Brewing – East India Pale (South Africa)
Gold: Richmond Hill Brewing Company x Yeastern Cape Brewing Club – Forbidden (South Africa)
Silver: Richmond Hill Brewing Company x Hazeldean Brewing Company – Two Moods (South Africa)
Bronze: Candy Cane x Afro Caribbean Brewing – Candy Cane Cherry Milkshake IPA (South Africa)
Silver: Afro Caribbean Brewing Company x Woodstock Brewery – Dejavu (South Africa)
Bronze: Side Hustle Brewery – Taro Root Beer (South Africa)
Silver: Specialty Beers (Ghana) Ltd – Tale Cocoa Stout (Ghana)
Bronze: Heritage Brewery – Homeland Stout (Ghana)
Silver: Woodstock Brewery – Sugarman (South Africa)
Bronze: Hazeldean Brewing Co. – Tsarina (South Africa)
Silver: Specialty Beers (Ghana) Ltd – Tale Hibiscus (Ghana)
Bronze: That Brewing Co – That Big Hitter IPL (South Africa)
Gold: Soul Barrel Brewing x Tolokazi Beer – Wild African Soul (South Africa)
Silver: Okavango Craft Brewery – Okavango Craft Brewery (Botswana)
Bronze: Kweza Craft Brewery – Inzovu IPA (Rwanda)
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