Nottingham Road Brewing Company

Nottingham Road Brewing Company — Notties to the Midlands faithful — is the oldest independently owned craft brewery in South Africa, brewing in the shady grounds of the Rawdons Hotel estate on the R103, in the heart of the Midlands Meander.

The brewery draws the purest spring water from an artesian well on the property and pairs it with quality hops and malted barley to produce its long-running range of naturally brewed ales and lagers — names like Whistling Weasel and Tiddly Toad have been Midlands staples for decades.

It's open every day from 7:30am on weekdays and 8am on weekends, and slots perfectly into a Meander day of farm stalls, cheese and country hotels. A 4.3-star rating across 200-plus reviews confirms its status as a KZN heritage stop. Call +27 33 266 6728 to arrange tastings.