With the ban on alcohol forcing South Africans to get creative, some savvy South Africans noticed that a Spar outlet had budged them towards a simple solution that many have been trying at home during the prohibition-style period – pineapple beer you can brew at home.

Having arranged a variety of essential ingredients in an eye-catching display, with yeast, sugar and pineapples placed in a spiralling tower at the entrance to one of their stores, the major retailer gave a nod and a wink to South Africa’s thirsty.

Alcoholic loopholes abound

With liquor stores gated shut and the transportation of alcohol increasingly prohibited, South Africans have been having a tough time getting their hands on the stuff.

However, there is nothing stopping you from brewing your own beer at home.

Pineapple beer brewing is actually an incredibly rewarding process – the fruit contains a minimal number of kilojoules and is utterly packed with vitamins, making it a fairly guilt-free beverage to get a little but on with.

The tropical fruit also contains enzymes, which assist in breaking down proteins. In this way, pineapples contribute to digestion. Pineapples also relieve arthritis, boost your immune system and build stronger bones.

Of course, in order to ensure that the brew ferments, you’ll need to add a ton of sugar, so perhaps don’t go around telling everyone that you’ve discovered the solution to the beer gut.

Method

The recipe is dead dimple, but it might take a bit of patience as you wait for the concoction to ferment.

The simple ingredients, as neatly (and conspicuously) advertised by Spar, are pineapples, sugar and yeast, as well as water. The yeast is actually not essential, although adding it will speed up the fermentation process.

In order to get the process going, simply follow these instructions:

Peel all three pineapples and cut them up. Do not throw away the peels. Cut the peels into small pieces and combine with the pineapple pieces. Place the pineapple pieces and peel into a 9ℓ bucket.

Add the sugar.

Fill the bucket to the top with water.

Add the yeast.

Use a muslin cloth to cover the top.

Let it stand for about two days until you can see froth.

It’s recommended that you don’t let the concoction sit for longer than two days, and you can speed up the fermentation by adding more sugar to the batch.

And voila, you have a Bheki Cele-proof solution to your dry month.