Kweza Brewery

A Warm Welcome at Kweza — Even in Challenging Times

Kweza is the first brewery on our Beer Mission owned and led by a woman. We met founder Jessi in the Kweza taproom at Zaria Court in Kigali, where hospitality comes naturally and optimism runs deep.

The name Kweza comes from Kinyarwanda, meaning “harvest” and “purity”—a fitting reflection of the brewery’s focus on local ingredients and honest, uncomplicated brewing.

Jessi apologised almost immediately that we could “only” taste four beers. The reason was far from trivial. In August 2025, Kweza suffered a major setback when its landlord illegally seized the brewery’s assets. It took three months for a court ruling to declare the action unlawful and restore access to the equipment.

At the time of our visit, the equipment had been returned, but the brewery was still awaiting a licence to brew at its new location. All available beers had therefore been brewed before August 2025. Two were on tap, with the remaining two available in cans.

Despite the disruption—and the financial and emotional strain it placed on the business—Jessi remained remarkably positive and forward-looking. We spent a thoroughly enjoyable evening at the taproom, struck not only by the beers, but by her resilience and generosity as a host.

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Sorghum at the Heart of Every Beer

All Kweza beers are brewed with sorghum, a deliberate choice that reflects the brewery’s commitment to local ingredients and a distinctly Rwandan identity. From the outset, the goal was never to replicate European beer styles or rely on imported raw materials, but to build something rooted in place.

To support this vision, Kweza carries out its own malting using locally grown grains, sourcing all ingredients with sustainability in mind. This philosophy is strongly influenced by Jessi’s background as a landscape architect. Trained to think in terms of ecosystems, plants, and context, she is constantly exploring how Rwanda’s natural environment can translate into new flavours and aromas in the glass. Indigenous plants and local ingredients regularly find their way into experimental brews.

Brewing with sorghum is technically more demanding than brewing with barley, but over time Kweza has refined its process to a high level. That expertise has attracted international attention. During a conference in Kigali, representatives from Carlsberg Denmark visited the taproom and were astonished by the quality achievable with sorghum—a meeting that marked the beginning of a collaboration between the two breweries.

In an era of climate change, sorghum’s resilience makes it a compelling alternative to barley, which is increasingly vulnerable to rising temperatures. By mastering sorghum-based brewing, Kweza positions itself at the forefront of both sustainability and innovation.

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Women Empowerment in Every Glass

In Rwanda—as in many cultures—beer brewing was historically women’s work, deeply woven into social and community life. Industrialisation shifted that balance, pushing leadership roles almost entirely into male hands.

Kweza was founded with the explicit intention of challenging this imbalance. From the beginning, the brewery has focused on empowering African women—not only through employment, but also by creating opportunities as investors, decision-makers, and leaders.

By placing women at the centre of the business, Kweza reconnects modern craft brewing with its cultural roots while actively reshaping the future of the industry. Each beer tells a story not just of flavour, but of access, confidence, and representation.

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Tasting at the Bar

During our visit, we tasted:

• Hazy Daze (Saison): Sweet orange notes with a gentle hint of banana.
• Sambi (Golden Ale): Smooth and restrained, with minimal hopping that allows the pure character of sorghum to shine.
• Passionate Breeze: Bright, fruit-forward, with a subtle passion fruit note.
• Inzovu (IPA): Citrus and tropical fruit aromas, surprisingly easy-drinking and balanced.

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Four Questions About Beer and Life

What’s the history of the brewery?

In 2016, Rwandan entrepreneur Fina Uwineza, then based in Canada, and Steve Beauchesne, CEO of Beau’s Brewery, launched a Kickstarter campaign to establish a brewery in Rwanda. When Fina later stepped away, the project lost momentum and was temporarily shelved.

Jessi arrived in Rwanda in 2017 to work on the development of a campus in the Bugesera district. Brewing remained a personal passion, but her beers—particularly an IPA—quickly developed a local following.

In 2018, efforts to revive the brewery intensified. After struggling to find someone willing to combine brewing with the realities of running a business, Jessi faced a defining choice in 2019: step in fully or let the project go. She chose to lead.

A major breakthrough came when the Four Points by Sheraton hotel selected Kweza as its local craft beer on tap. The exposure proved transformative. Demand grew, the taproom opened in 2023, and Kweza steadily built its reputation in Kigali’s growing craft beer scene.

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Which beer best represents your house style?

The two flagships are Sambi (Golden Ale) and Inzovu (IPA), both also the top sellers. Sambi is often seen as the purest expression of Kweza’s philosophy—showcasing what sorghum can achieve without added flavourings or distractions.

Interestingly, Sambi initially outsold the IPA. Customers seemed to use it as a benchmark before moving on to the more expressive Inzovu, which has since become the long-standing bestseller.

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Your best brewing disaster story?

Inzovu began life as what became known as a “near miss.” Midway through a brew day, torrential rain caused muddy floodwater to rush through the brewery. With equipment raised off the floor, the beer was saved, but cleanup was substantial.

The assistant brewer—who had already gone home sick—jokingly called it a “near miss” for her involvement. The name stuck for the batch, which eventually evolved into Inzovu (“elephant”)—now Kweza’s award-winning IPA.

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Advice for someone dreaming of opening a brewery?

Rwanda is highly regulated, so strong local partners and mentors are essential. A co-founder can make a significant difference in sharing responsibility. But Jessi’s core advice is simple: do it. There is a growing market for craft beer in Rwanda—and room for those willing to commit fully and see the journey through.