WeeklySA_AdminATTRACTIONS: As scores descend on Franschhoek for this weekend’s Bastille Festival, visitors looking to extend their stay can discover an unexpected attraction just minutes from the village — a Belgian-inspired craft brewery housed in one of only three historic copper brewhouses of its kind in the world…
By Len Maseko
As Franschhoek comes alive this weekend with the sights, sounds and flavours of its annual Bastille Festival, visitors will find there is far more to experience in the valley than its internationally acclaimed wines.
While the picturesque Cape Winelands village celebrates its French heritage during the 34th Franschhoek Bastille Festival tomorrow and Sunday (July 11 and 12), another distinctly Belgian-inspired attraction is drawing beer enthusiasts and families just three kilometres outside the town centre.
Hey Joe Brewing Co., situated on La Brasserie Farm alongside @Franschhoek Hotel on the R45, will be offering festival-goers to discover a different side of Franschhoek — one centred around artisanal craft beer brewed in a rare 1961 copper brewhouse imported from Belgium.
The historic brewhouse is one of only three original “De Halve Maan” brewing systems still operating anywhere in the world, making it as much a destination for brewing enthusiasts as it is for casual visitors looking to explore beyond the wine route.
With the Bastille Festival expected to attract thousands of visitors over the weekend, the brewery offers an ideal stop before or after spending time in the festival marquee.
Open daily from 11am until 10pm, Hey Joe’s taproom places visitors alongside the brewing process itself, with gleaming copper kettles and fermentation tanks visible from the tasting area.
Its permanent range caters for a variety of tastes, from the tropical, double dry-hopped Session IPA to a traditional Belgian Blonde and a crisp Lager. Seasonal offerings include a rich Belgian Stout with notes of dark chocolate, coffee and caramel, as well as a Pale Ale featuring subtle honey, caramel and stone fruit flavours.
During summer, the brewery also produces a refreshing Belgian Wit flavoured with coriander and orange peel alongside its popular Belgian Cherry fruit beer.
The venue is designed to appeal to more than craft beer enthusiasts.
Families visiting the festival can enjoy a relaxed meal while children make use of dedicated play areas and jungle gyms. The restaurant serves everything from hearty burgers and steaks to lighter seasonal dishes, making it a convenient lunch or dinner destination during a busy festival weekend.
The brewery has also become a sought-after venue for weddings, corporate functions, private celebrations and product launches. Its combination of exposed brickwork, polished copper brewing equipment, stainless steel tanks and stained-glass features creates an atmosphere that blends industrial character with Cape Winelands charm.
Hey Joe Brewmaster Etienne Louw believes the brewery complements Franschhoek’s famous wine culture rather than competing with it.
“People come to Franschhoek expecting wine, and they should — this valley does it brilliantly,” he said.
“But we’ve spent years building something different just down the road. Every beer we make is properly artisanal, brewed right here in a copper brewhouse you can stand next to and watch.
“Whether you’re a local popping in for the afternoon or staying next door at our hotel, it’s a proper day out — good beer, good food and somewhere the kids can run around while the adults take in the view.”
For visitors wishing to extend their stay beyond the festival, @Franschhoek Hotel, located adjacent to the brewery, offers boutique accommodation overlooking vineyards and surrounding mountains, complete with wellness facilities, conferencing spaces and an indoor aerobics pool.
Meanwhile, the Bastille Festival remains one of South Africa’s premier winter wine events, celebrating Franschhoek’s French Huguenot heritage through exceptional wines, gourmet cuisine and live entertainment.
Festival-goers can sample wines from many of the valley’s leading estates inside the iconic Bastille marquee, browse artisanal food stalls and enjoy music and entertainment throughout the weekend. The popular best-dressed competition also returns, with visitors encouraged to embrace the French spirit by wearing blue, white and red, while gumboots remain advisable given the valley’s winter weather.
The Bastille Festival opens daily from 11am, with tickets priced at R450 per person through Webtickets.
EVENTS
Wine Town Stellie toasts 55 years
Stellenbosch will celebrate 55 years of the Stellenbosch Wine Routes when Wine Town Stellenbosch returns from 25 July to 2 August, culminating in the flagship Stellenbosch Wine Festival on July 31 and 1 August.
The nine-day programme showcases the best of South Africa’s premier wine region through curated tastings, winemaker lunches, food pairings, vineyard experiences, workshops and exclusive cellar events hosted across Stellenbosch.
This year’s celebration introduces several special anniversary experiences, including the inaugural Wine Town Run/Walk at Dornier Wine Estate and the “Celebrate With Us” campaign, where selected restaurants will welcome diners with a complimentary glass of Stellenbosch wine.
Highlights include Bertus Basson’s venison-inspired Wilder as die Wildtuin, DeMorgenzon’s Chenin Blanc tastings, Muratie’s Retro Rouge Winter Wine Fest, Simonsig’s Vintage Day, Clos Malverne’s Sip and Paint Experience, Delheim’s Cheese Fondue Sundays, Morgenster’s Quiz Night and a winemaker brunch with Blaauwklippen’s Narina Cloete.
The festival’s centrepiece remains the Stellenbosch Wine Festival at the historic Town Hall, where more than 60 wine producers will pour over 200 wines.
Festival tickets include 20 tasting tokens, gourmet food prepared by chefs Bertus Basson and Adele Grewar, live entertainment and complimentary water stations.
Guild’s pre-auction tastings
The 2026 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction will usher in a new era when it takes place at Strauss & Co’s Brickfield Canvas in Woodstock, Cape Town, on October 2 and 3, offering wine collectors an enhanced experience in one of the city’s most vibrant creative spaces.
Renowned for showcasing rare, small-batch wines crafted exclusively for the annual Auction, the event will once again combine live bidding with online participation via Strauss & Co, making South Africa’s premier fine wine auction accessible to buyers around the world.
Leading up to the Auction, the Guild will present two exclusive Masterclass Tastings at The Westin, Cape Town (August 20) and Strauss & Co, Houghton, Johannesburg (August 26). Hosted by the winemakers themselves, these intimate sessions provide the only opportunity to taste the complete collection of 2026 Auction wines before bidding opens.
A new walk-around final pre-auction tasting on the morning of October 2 will replace the traditional seated format, allowing guests to sample wines while engaging directly with the winemakers.
The Guild also confirmed that tickets for its popular Pretoria Country Club tasting and dinner have already sold out.
Tickets for the remaining pre-Auction events and Auction attendance are available through Quicket from R800.
Cape’s Finest Reds Showcase
Wine lovers, collectors and industry professionals will once again have the opportunity to sample some of South Africa’s finest flagship red wines when Caroline’s 2026 Red Wine Review takes place at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town July 30.
Now in its 38th year, the prestigious tasting event, hosted by renowned wine retailer Caroline Rillema of Caroline’s Fine Wine Cellar, has become one of the highlights of the South African wine calendar.
The annual showcase will feature 90 of the country’s most acclaimed red wines, with each invited producer presenting just one flagship wine.
The tasting line-up spans South Africa’s leading Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz/Syrah, Merlot, Pinotage, Cinsault and Grenache wines, alongside a selection of niche varietals and acclaimed Bordeaux-style, Rhône-style and Cape blends.
The event will be staged in the Members’ Lounge on the fourth floor of the DHL Stadium.
The tasting runs from 17:00 to 21:00.
Tickets cost R550 per person, while secure undercover parking is available for R70 per vehicle. – Compiled by Len Maseko: lenmaseko@weeklysamirror.news
