SAB has sponsored and supported microbreweries built at several South African Universities.  This year it initiated a world-first: an inter-varsity brewing competition.  Joined by FoodBev Seta and the Institute for Brewing and Distilling, the competition was hosted at the Pietermaritzburg Campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.  Seven teams from five universities were entered:

• University of Stellenbosch
• North-West University
• WITS
• University of Pretoria
• University of KwaZulu Natal
  • Howard College Campus
  • Westville Campus
  • Pietermaritzburg Campus

Prizes were given for the best beers in three categories (lager, ale and speciality) and the best lable/packaging as well as an overall best beer award.  Tuks won all three beer categories and also walked away with the best beer prize with their American Pale Ale.  North-West University won the lable/packaging award. 

The University of Pretoria's booty comprised R2 000 per member, R10 000 for additions and repairs to the brewery and R125 000 in research grants.  The team was led by Prof. Mike Heydenrych from Department of Chemical Engineering; joined by Carl Sandrock and Prof. Chris Roth.  Petri Labuschagne and Tobi Louw, postgraduate Control Engineering students filled in the quintet.

The first inter-varsity brewing competition was a great success, and is now planned to be an annual event with the winners hosting the following event.