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Kovsie Brew triumphs at the 2025 Intervarsity Brewing Competition

06 November 2025 | Story Azil Coertzen | Photo Supplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) showcased its innovation-driven student talent as the Kovsie Brew team secured multiple awards at the 2025 Intervarsitybrew™: Brewing and Tasting Challenge – South Africa’s premier student brewing competition.

Co-hosted by the Central University of Technology (CUT) and the Beer Association of South Africa (BASA), the prestigious annual event brings together student brewers from universities across the country to demonstrate creativity, technical skill, and a passion for craft beer.

A year of dedication, experimentation, and on-campus brewing innovation

The three-day competition, held in Bloemfontein from 23 to 25 October 2025, featured participants from 17 universities and a chef school, highlighting its growing national reputation. Each team was challenged to brew six different beers and design an original label, while taking part in presentations, sensory training, blind tastings conducted by qualified judges, and technical sessions led by industry experts. The Intervarsitybrew™ also promotes responsible drinking while celebrating scientific knowledge, creativity, and collaboration.

Representing the UFS, the Kovsie Brew team, consisting of eight student brewers – Casey van Baalen, Jana Bischoff, Ruan Jacobs, Tyla Baker, Joni Muller, Martin Visser, Hendre Heymans, and team captain Azil Coertzen – was guided by mentors Dr Vaughn Swart, Dr Christopher Rothmann, and Prof Errol Cason. The team worked throughout the year to refine their craft and push boundaries in student brewing.

In 2025, the Kovsie team brewed an impressive 14 beers, experimenting with different styles and flavour profiles. They hosted tasting sessions with mentors and peers, attended the Clarens Beer Festival for industry feedback, assisted with the brewing of 500 litres of pale ale at the UFS Paradys Experimental Farm, and actively participated in Free State Fermenters meetings – where some members earned awards based on Beer Judge Certification Programme (BJCP) standards.

Award-winning brews with standout creativity and technical excellence

For this year’s Intervarsitybrew™, the team presented six competition beers:

Hazy IPA (IPA category) – A hop-forward, tropical brew that won first place in its category.
British Ordinary Bitter (Summer category) – A refreshing, malt-driven ale showcasing classic English brewing.
Coffee Imperial Stout (Aged category) – A dark, flavourful stout praised for its smooth finish.
Margarista Gose (Wild category) – A citrus-inspired, tart beer earning second place in the African Wild Ale category.
Jalapeño Sour (Sour category) – A daring blend of heat and acidity, taking third place in the Sour/Fruit Beer category.
Czech Lager (Lager category) – A clean, crisp lager representing traditional European brewing.

Their standout performance earned them three major accolades:

Best IPA – Hazy IPA (sponsored by Fermentis and Anton Paar)
Second place: African Wild Ale – Margarista Gose (sponsored by SAB and Heineken Beverages)
Third place: Sour/Fruit Beer – Jalapeño Sour (sponsored by Shimadzu)

Reflecting on the team’s success, mentor Dr Vaughn Swart expressed his pride: “After the disappointment of a total loss last year, their determination and creativity truly shone through. Watching them transform into success has been deeply inspiring. Their growth, not just as brewers but as passionate, resilient individuals, reminds me why mentorship and shared passion matter so much. This year’s wins are a testament to the team’s perseverance and to the spirit of Kovsie excellence.”

The Kovsie Brew Team extended its gratitude to its supporters – the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, the Centre for Mineral Biogeochemistry (CMBG), and LiquidCulture Yeast – as well as the Intervarsitybrew™ organisers for continuing to foster a vibrant brewing culture at the UFS.

The UFS proudly celebrates the Kovsie Brew team’s achievements, which reflect the institution’s commitment to nurturing innovation, collaboration, and scientific excellence – brewed to perfection, the Kovsie way.

News Archive

There’s more to media freedom than the Secrecy Bill

2012-05-04

4 May 2012

“Media freedom is a universal human right. It cannot be abolished, but it should be managed.” The freedom of the media is protected by numerous formal documents, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the South African Constitution, and is commemorated annually with the celebration of World Press Freedom Day.

“As long as those in power have something to hide, media freedom will be under threat. This is a war that takes place on many fronts,” says Ms Willemien Marais, a journalism lecturer at the Department of Communication Science at the University of the Free State (UFS).

“On the one hand we have to take a stand against institutional threats such as the proposed Protection of State Information Bill. This is diametrically opposed to everything that media freedom and freedom of expression encapsulates.

“But on the other hand we also need to educate and transform our society. It is not only up to journalists to defend media freedom. Newspaper reports on the public hearings on this Bill earlier this year proved that ignorance concerning media freedom is a big threat. The lack of resistance against the Secrecy Bill from the general population clearly illustrates that people aren’t aware of what they are about to lose.”

Ms Marais says the rise of social media and the accompanying awareness of individual freedom of expression have paved the way for more people to exercise this right. “The role of social media in the Arab Spring has been highlighted numerous times. The power of social media is undeniable – but alas, so is the lack of access to especially social media. We can only increase media literacy if we increase people’s access to the media – new and traditional.”

A high level of media literacy is also vital following last month’s recommendation by the Press Freedom Commission of a system of independent co-regulation for South Africa’s print media. This system proposes replacing government regulation with a panel consisting of representatives from the print industry as well as members of the general public. “It is abundantly clear that this system can only work if those members of the general public are media literate and understand the role of media freedom in protecting democracy.”

“The media is not a sentient being – it consists of and is run by people, and human beings are fallible. Protecting media freedom does not only mean fighting institutional threats. It also means increasing media literacy by educating people. And it means owning up to your mistakes, and correcting it.”

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