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06 November 2025 | Story Azil Coertzen | Photo Supplied
Intervarsity Brew
The winning Kovsie Brew team behind their award-winning Hazy IPA at the 2025 Intervarsitybrew™ competition. From the left: Monique Greyling (Anton Paar), Andrew de Groot (Fermentis), Dr Vaughn Swart (mentor), Hendre Heymans, Martin Visser, Joni Muller, Tyla Baker, and team captain Azil Coertzen.

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

Zubeida Jaffer short film to feature on SABC3
2014-10-08

 

Zubeida Jaffer
Photos: Adrian Steirn, 21 Icons South Africa

The nation-building initiative known as 21 ICONS South Africa, was recently thrilled to announce that Zubeida Jaffer will feature in their second season due to her professional excellence as a journalist and author.

Jaffer is a well-known South African reporter and author and has been a writer-in-residence at the UFS for three years now. The 21 ICONS project was inspired by Nelson Mandela and has created a movement for positive change. By sharing the stories of iconic South African men and women, the intention is to inspire new generations to follow in their footsteps.

One icon is featured per week in a visual celebration of engaging and entertaining portraits and short films, along with an essay biography across multiple media platforms such as print, broadcast, outdoor and social media. Jaffer’s short film will be broadcasted on 2 November 2014 at 20:27 on SABC3 and her collectable portrait will be published in City Press on the same day.

Jaffer’s short film discusses her truth as a journalist and activist who was a key figure in the struggle movement in the Western Cape during apartheid. In an intimate conversation with Adrian Steirn (creator, photographer and director of 21 ICONS, Jaffer talks about her journey as a journalist who always seeks to uncover the truth and give people who don’t have a voice an outlet to express their views, opinions and thoughts.

Other iconic South Africans that have featured on 21 ICONS, were among others, Francois Pienaar (former Springbok rugby captain who won the 1995 Rugby World Cup), Pieter-Dirk Uys (satirist who used comedy and caricature to oppose the apartheid government) and Frene Ginwala (the first female speaker in the National Assembly of South Africa).

With the country celebrating 20 years of democracy, the message that everyone can do something to make a difference – which is portrayed in these powerful and inspiring stories that make up the second season of 21 ICONS – has been well-received by South Africans.

Be sure to get your City Press early and tune in on the evening of 2 November 2014 to see Jaffer’s feature on 21 ICONS.

Jaffer is also the publisher of the Journalist website (http://www.thejournalist.org.za/) launched earlier in 2014, of which the UFS is the founding member. The Journalist is “an independent, non-profit organisation working with the academic community and a range of credible online entities to make their knowledge more accessible to the wider public.”


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