One of the most commonly brewed non-alcoholic drinks being brewed today is root beer, perhaps because of the word beer in the name. Making home made root beer is relatively easy, especially for those that begin the process using root beer extract instead of mixing their own flavors. Charles Hires is often considered the original father of root beer, but is also assumed that he didn’t truly invent the taste, but only popularized it. In addition, root lager was spiced with sassafras, which was banned in 1960 once it was judged to lead to cancer.

Today’s home made root beer is flavored primarily with wintergreen with vanilla, ginger, licorice and sarsaparilla mixed in for good measure. Nonetheless the most straightforward way to make home made root lager is by utilising a root lager extract, preferable the kind sold in a brewing supply outlet instead of what is available in most grocery stores. To make the first batch, you will need a container large enough in which to boil five gallons of water and still have room left over for four pounds of sugar.

If you buy the root beer extract from a supplier, it will usually have a recipe to tell you how much to add to the boiling sugar water, but you are free to sample it and adjust the quantity of extract added to your house made root lager.

Everybody knows that root lager is meant to be carbonated and so as to add the bubbles to the libation you’re going to need to add yeast to the mix. Some recipes call for adding champaign yeast, but those experienced in home made root lager advocate using ale yeast. Champaign yeast lives longer under stress when it is bottled and can often cause the bottles of home made root lager to burst under the pressure.

As the yeast is added to the flavored mixture it begins to react with the sugar, creating the fizz. It will take at least 12 hours to add the proper carbonation and when making home made root beer if it does not seem to have the kick of the fizz, an additional 12 hours of fermentation probably will not hurt it any. Once fermentation is finished, the home made root lager is prepared to be bottled.

The bottles should be sterilized to prevent the growth of bacteria. Once the pressure inside the bottles reaches a certain point, the fermentation of the home made beer will stop and the bottles and be chilled and stored in a cool place till consumed.

The ‘Mother City’, Cape Town is the country’s most liked metropolis – and it is very easy to see why. Its temperate, Mediterranean-style local climate is enjoyable in the extreme and with old Georgian architectural structures, smart restaurants, leafy piazzas and lots of cultural exuberance, the entire urban centre is a feat for the senses.

At the heart of Cape Town and permanent backdrop is Table Mountain, the flat-topped city symbol that is as outstanding in the rain as in the sunshine. Start here with a six minute cable-car journey up the mountain and you’ll right away get your bearings.

The metropolis is flanked on both sides by beaches with the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and the clear Atlantic lapping the long beaches that have made Capetonians a metropolis of beach-lovers. To the south-west and a half day tour away is the Cape of Good Hope; below is Robben Island, former prison home to Nelson Mandela and one more must-see destination.

The South Africa Museum, St George’s Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament are key sights in the old town, together with the well-known Green Market and landmark hotel the Mount Nelson. When the sun goes down the action moves to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, where eating places, night clubs and shops line a harbour busy with yachts and fishing vessels.

Immediately after a couple of days in the metropolis, head north-east over the mountains to the vineyards and Dutch-style homesteads of the South African winelands. At is heart, just 18 miles out of The Mother City, is Stellenbosch additionally renowned for its university and ample colonial-era architecture.

Several wineries here and in local Franschoek are happy to receive visitors for trips and tastings. A rising number have wonderful eating places and hotel accommodation, too, and a few days sampling the Winelands has become a must for people to Cape Town and the Western Cape province.