KENYA’S MURATATU BEER VOTED THE BEST BELGIAN TRIPEL IN AFRICA

Kenya’s Muratatu Belgian Beer was voted the Best Belgian Beer in Africa, Sand Trap #2 IPA on the continent. Huge win for the Kenyan craft beer scene.

Muratatu and Sand Trap, beers brewed by 254 Brewing Co in Kenya both take home big awards at the African Beer Cup. The annual competition recognises the best beers brewed on the African continent, and this year’s event attracted 242 entries from 20 countries. It is the most respected beer competition on the continent with 52 international judges flown in for a week of blind tasting of all the applicants.

254 Brewing Co, is a relatively young brewery, having only been established in 2020. However, the company has quickly made a name for itself in the Kenya beer scene, thanks to its commitment to quality and innovation. 

“Winning the African Beer Cup is a significant achievement for 254 Brewing Co. and the Kenyan beer industry as a whole. It demonstrates that African breweries can compete with the best in the world and that there is a growing appetite for high-quality, locally-produced beer on the continent.” said Eoin Flinn, CEO & Founder of 254 Brewing Co.

The Muratatu Belgian Tripel is a prime example of this commitment. Every week at the brewery in Kikuyu, 254 puts out a brand new beer, everything from Lagers to Kolsch ales, fruit beers, different IPAs and so on. When they put this (then unnamed) Belgian Tripel on tap, local revellers emptied the kegs in a single weekend.

The feedback was so positive that they developed it into a brand. Consumers claimed it reminded them of Muratina, so being a tripel (3 times stronger mara tatu) they called it Muratatu. The company states its hope for traditional Kenyan beers is that they can be celebrated as the original craft beverages and would love to see local brewers be freed up to develop them further.

This win is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the 254 Brewing Co team. It is also a reflection of the wider trend towards craft brewing in Africa.