The Grunt lager is brewing bru

Tank Lanning

With two Currie Cup semi finals and a fairly spicy promotion /relegation match happening this weekend, of course we should be speaking rugby on the Grunt today … But we are not … We are talking about the thing that goes best with rugby – BEER!

Front Row Grunt lager being brewed right next to me here at the Tankman Media offices if I have to be specific!

But, perhaps just a few mini observations on the rugby front just to whet the appetite, so to speak …

Both Morne Steyn and Pat Lambie looked fantastic at 10 on the weekend. Fairly incredible for Lambie given his time away from the coalface and having not played flyhalf for a while. But the Currie Cup is 40 leagues below the Boks, so not too much can be read into that. I do look forward to the clash between the two on Saturday though. Much will depend on which of the two packs dominates, but I still think a fair amount CAN be read into that match up when making calls re the Bok EOYT …

The Coenie Oosthuizen situation deserves further inspection, and those advising him on when he should or should not return to the game need to be included in that inspection. After playing just a half of rugby for the Cheetahs upon returning from a pretty serious neck operation, he was called into the Bok squad, and selected in the match 22 against the Aussies, only to be pulled from the squad at the last minute. He then came on for the Boks against the All Blacks and looked out of sorts. The next week he said he was only going to play tighthead from now on as that caused him less pain in his neck. He then started at tighthead against WP on the weekend and lasted only 20 minutes … He is now out for another 3 months with a back injury, which I would suggest is related to that neck injury. I hope he is not being forced into playing too early … But it warrants investigating.

Interesting to see Lions coach Johan Ackermann select Butch James on the bench instead of at inside centre next to Elton Jantjies this weekend because James preferred not to play out of position. Must have been different rules during the Super15, or has Butch just had enough? From captain to the bench … Also, Ackerman has been loyal to Jacobie Adriaanse, selecting him at tighthead ahead of Boks CJ van der Linde and Pat Cilliers (one of which will miss out on the 22 altogether), because he feels the front row of Adriaanse, Callie Visagie and JC Janse van Rensburg  deserve a start in the final. Big call!

Righto … Back to the beer!

As part of the “2012 Blogger Brew Challenge” a few of us blogger/media types have been given a brewing kit and asked to produce a beer that will be tasted by the main okes putting together this year’s Cape Town Festival of Beer which takes place at Hammies rugby club from the 23^rd to the 25^th of November …

So the Copper Tun Home Brewery Kit arrived, and I now have something brewing … In the kit comes a Fermenter, Hydrometer, Brewers spoon, Sterilizer, Cleaner, Mangrove Jacks German Lager Beer,  Enhancer, Carbonation drops, Bottler, bottle tops, bottle top machine and some detailed instructions on how to make beer …

The instructions:

• Add 2L of boiling water to your fermenter.
• Add your 1kg Beer Enhancer pack and stir.
• Add your beer can of malt and stir.
• Top up to 23 Litres.
• Sprinkle beer yeast on surface of brew and stir well.
• Part fill airlock with water.
• Fit lid, airlock and grommet.
• Leave to ferment for 5-7 days.

And that is where I am at … Simple hey? Apparently it’s all about the serilisation, and deciding when it’s the perfect time to bottle, which comes next … Below a few pics of what has gone down so far …

Here’s to the Front Row Grunt taking top honours and being available to taste at the festival … or at least being drinkable and making for a good thirst quencher to go with one of the Bok EOYT Tests!!