We work hard. We deliver.A STORY
BEHIND KDBC
A Ritchie born Beer Brewery
In 2016 KDBC purchased “Die Wilgers” an existing bar located next to the river and In 2017 we established the KDBC Pub & Grub and officially changed the name.
We’re not only about the beer: we’re about the experience. We’re about connecting with people from all around the world.
We’re about great drinks, amazing food, and sharing all of that with your friends and family.
How is Craft Beer made?
Water – water is the most important ingredient as that determines the taste of the beer. Certain types of beer require a certain water quality. At KDBC we use purified water using a Reverse Osmosis Plant
Malt – is germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as malting. The grains are made to germinate by soaking in water and are then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air. Malting grains then developed enzymes to modify the starches into various sugars.
Hops – are flowers from a plant and are used for aroma and bitterness in the beer. Some hops are used for bitterness while others are just for the aroma. It gives the beer taste
Yeast – takes the sugars and produces alcohol and CO2
What we learned so farWE STARTED SMALL
At the beginning of 2013 KDBC started on small scale experimenting with all beer styles. It took more than two years to brew the perfect beer.
We grew to something moreWE OFFER A
RELAXED ATMOSPHERE
We’ve now grown as an established company focusing on delicious meals, imported Gins, and an array of unique drinks.
At KDBC we produced 4 ales, 1 wheat beer and 1 lager
Our Story
I was sitting in a plane on my way to Joburg. I was on my way again to continue my work as an expat, how exciting and how romantic. Yeah right…after several years that novelty is just another job away from home and my family.
I was seriously looking for a way to stop this expat life and work towards a goal of one day getting back home and enjoying the good life…retiring at the age of 50 would be awesome (and was still one of my goals)…
And here we sat in the plane again…they have those magazine in the plane, really boring and never read it as my thoughts were all engulfed on leaving home yet again. Halfway through the flight for some strange reason I decided to read this magazine…
It was like in the first couple of pages of the magazine I saw an article on craft beer. I started to read it and my dream was born.
My thoughts were drawn back to the days were we use to steal dad’s home brew in the garage while at school. It tasted awful but boy was it fun not to be caught. My memories continued taking me back to those famous Sunday afternoons when it was bottling time, how I hated that!!
Back on the mine site I told each and every one of my colleagues that I am going to build a craft brewery. They all laughed and they all wanted to have a job one day in the brewery. I continued hearing you crazy and it would disappear soon!
For a solid 6 weeks I spent hours upon hours researching the topic until I thought I had an idea. I soon realized the craft brewing industry is a closed society and I was really struggling to get a brewing consultant to help.
I spoke to craft brewers in the industry and a specific brewer just told me it will never work I have no experience and wasting my time. I wrote him a mail and thanked him as he motivated me more. I would like to thank him today, he just motivated me!
I bought a home brewing kit which was totally inadequate but wanted to brew all the time. My best half had all her days just to convince to slow down get all the kit and then start.
I was struggling to get a brewing consultant…
I joined a Facebook brewing group and couldn’t get enough of all the posts. I was basically coming to a dead end as just brewing would not make my dream come true. I had to get a business plan!! Hazel my great motivator stepped in and the project moved forward.
One day I received a message from a brewer on Facebook. I couldn’t believe my luck; he was willing to help, obviously at a price, to help to move my dream forward. I had now someone who knows his story and will be able to advise.
In the meantime at home I had to get someone who can continue moving my dream forward, I could not do brewing and working as an expat. At the right time along came my son Sean, he immediately said “I would give it a go”. We now had a Hazel the motivator, Sean the brewer and Bob the consultant, the dream team has arrived!
We then purchased a small craft brewery for Sean to start practicing his skills. He sometimes produced beer and sometimes just produced…sometimes it was bombs, the next time it was flat but slowly he carved his way into the craft brewing business.
And obviously the local people just enjoyed the experimentation!! It was alcohol for free, it was not necessary beer but there was alcohol and it was for free!!
While Sean was busy brewing, Bob and I started looking at the business aspects. How will we ever get this off the ground?
We went to several craft breweries across South Africa and with each of them had their unique style and operations. Sean continued brewing and with the assistance of Bob resolved some of his brewing issues and the locals continued to enjoy the so called craft experience!
In 2015 Sean and I established Kimberley Diamond Brewing Company (KDBC) it was now time to move on from home brewing to craft brewing.
And then the Chinese arrived….
After several months we decided to purchase a brewery from China. Would I do it again…probably not!! We were negotiating with the Chinese and my Chinese was as good as their English!!
Then it all arrived after 7 weeks in a big container and what a mess. There was stuff all over with manuals in Chinese with no pictures!
The dream team then constructed the brewery with a lot choice words we eventually got the system together, needless to say with a couple of spare parts!!
Another month later the dream team was fluent in Chinese and it was all ready to go!! Well, that is what we all thought!!!
The first couple of brews were mostly on the floor… and the locals were disappointed!
But yet again the dream team rose to the occasion and produced the first beer…Ritchie Red Label, a pale ale. The locals all enjoyed this. The next to follow was 40 Boxes, a classical Weiss and it was even a bigger success. The brewery was now well on its way to produce the 6 styles were originally wanted!!
A special thanks to Hazel, the one who pushed when we were all struggling and the one who provided relentless support. Sean the brewer, he has already produced some awesome beers and looking forward to where he will be taking the brewery in the future.
This dream took more than 2 years to reality and it’s not easy but with the correct team, some luck and a lot of passion everything is possible!