Hansa lives again in Strand restaurant

Many Swakopmunders to this day, are upset with Namibia Breweries Ltd for taking over the famous Hansa Brewery and then shutting it down. The iconic Tafel Lager came with this deal and has remained the mainstay of local beer connoisseurs. It is a trade mark that distinguishes real beer drinkers from those who gulp the romance of Windhoek Lager.
As a partial remedy, the Ohlthaver & List Group has decided to open a new, small, boutique brewery on the premises of their new Strand Hotel in Swakopmund. Opening just in time to serve the wave of holidaymakers, the Swakopmund Brewing Company has found a comfortable spot in the Brewer & Butcher Restaurant, the hotel’s dedicated eatery. This first-of-its-kind restaurant hosts a bar, terrace, beer garden and Namibia’s first ever micro-brewery which brews three different beers right on site.
Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) said its N$7 million investment in the Swakopmund Brewing Company is small change compared to the large Hansa Brewery they shut down many years ago, but at least it is a start to bring the art of malt back to the holiday town.
Breweries Managing Director Wessie van der Westhuizen said the Breweries has a proud heritage not only of providing quality beers but also for giving back to the community. In Swakopmund this has not only seen NBL’s support to tourism which is a major driver of the local economy, through our sponsorship of the Museum, the Museum’s Café and the Martin Luther tourist site, but also various other initiatives like Project Shine and the Schools Recycling Competition. Our investment into the Swakopmund Brewing Company reaffirms NBL’s commitment to giving back to the town and community of Swakopmund, while complementing the uniqueness of the Strand Hotel.”
The Brewer & Butcher, one of the restaurants in the Strand Hotel was officially opened by President Hage Geingob early in November. It is also home to the first-ever restaurant based micro-brewer.
Brewmaster Stefan Koepp said “Different recipes such as Helles, a Bavarian style beer; Red Summer Ale – new to Namibia; and Märzen, a stronger beer with a dark amber colour can be enjoyed here at the Strand Hotel Swakopmund. For our customers who prefer non-alcoholic beverages, we offer Lemonade brew – an alcohol-free product also known as Fassbrause available in various flavours. Furthermore, the Brewer & Butcher which has a rich blend of Namibian and German culture specializes in beef and game, making it an excellent steakhouse for the meat lover.
Managing Director of O&L Leisure, the Strand Hotel’s operator, Terence Makari, said “The Swakopmund Strand Hotel is representative of a place where the richness of Namibian culture meets international standards to provide a warm home away from home. It is destined to become a Namibian icon worthy of its unique location on the historic Swakopmund Mole.”