Whoever Said That The Best Ales Are Brewed Outside India, Needs to Read This!

Its summer time in India, and temperatures are soaring across the country. And its also the time to experiment with drinks that will not just quench the thirst, but also help us “chill”. And what better way to chill on a summer afternoon, than by saving some amazing chilled beer. Common knowledge states that the best quality brews are either of German or Belgian origin. However, in the recent past Indian brews and ales are taking over the space and how.

And then there are the Indian craft and mircro breweries that are concocting up some really innovative brews, using local ingredients, to add a different dimension to the beers and ales. Also chilling with beer has undergone change in the last twelve months, thanks to the pandemic. Tapped brews that were earlier restricted to pubs and restaurants, and now been put into growlers and delivered home.

Here are some really interesting options that all beer lovers should give a shot this summer, and each of them have really interesting ingredients.

Bombay Duck Brewing’s Rice and Shine. Brewed in their microbrewery near Mumbai, this farmhouse ale is made with a local variety of rice called Ratna, and that’s what makes it so special. A flavorful and crisp unfiltered ale, its ideal for a summer afternoon. It is available in select restaurants in Mumbai. And you can get your growler delivered to you by TappedFlight in Mumbai and Pune

Great State Aleworks’ Salted Kokum Gose. Kokum is a famous fruit of Maharashtra, and the sherbet made with this fruit is a staple in almost all Maharashtrian homes. The brewers at Great State, took this fruit a notch further, and fused it with Jeera and Black Salt to create the Salted Kokum Gose. A batch is currently under brewing, and will be ready to be tapped in a couple of weeks. Mumbaikars and Punekars can order their growlers on the website or via TappedFlight

2Down Beer Co – Hibiscus Cream Ale. This interesting ale is brewed with Indrayani rice (sourced from a farm near Lonavala) and malted barley. To this combination is added dried hibiscus petals, which gives the brew a pink hue and a distinctive flavour. For a great combination of fruity and flowery flavors this summer, be sure to look them up. And the fun folks at 2Down have christened this ale, Pretty Please. So, order your Pretty Please growler, and get it home delivered across Mumbai on Tapped Flight or from their website

Goa Brewing Co – Rice Beer. The fun guys at GBC, are known to brew up some interesting concoctions. Just this winter, they had partnered with Sleepy Owl coffee to create the English Breakfast Stout. And the birdie tells us, that what is currently brewing in the tanks, at Saligao, is a brew made from the rice grown in the surrounding fields of the brewery. Just a couple of weeks more for the brew to be available on tap and bottled at select outlets in Goa and Mumbai. Keep your eyes for the announcer posts here. And if you are around Saligao, do ping them and check if you can drop in for a visit.

Kati Patang – Saffron Lager. What if drinking beer teleports you to the valleys of Kashmir, instead of the Bavarian Alps? This light-bodied golden lager, with notes of saffron will surprise you with its distinctive taste. Clean and crisp, this brew is something that you could have all day, and the saffron flavors will linger on for a long time. Available in Delhi, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, find out its whereabouts here.

Kimaya Brewing Company – Aamba Cider. Indian Summers are incomplete with the king of fruits. And when the King of all Mangos, the Haafus (Alphonso) mangos are converted into a cider, what better summer drink can there be? The boys at Kimaya, have done just that. Delivering across Pune and Mumbai, they have a Summer Special Ale as well. Check out their story here.

Effingut – Effin Ananas IPA. As the name suggests, fresh organic pineapples from Konkan finds its place in this one-of-a-kind IPA. This IPA (India Pale Ale) has several tropical fruit flavours including Mango and Guava, however the pineapple is something that stands out. Best suited for summer, this brew is available at all the Effingut outlets in Pune and Mumbai, and also in select delivery locations across these cities.

Susegado – Vanilla Porter. When you’re in Goa, good times need to have a fabulous company. Well in this case it could be the great ales from Susegado. And when the local ingredients from the plantations of the state make their way into the brew, you know you have a deadly combination. Be it the vanilla pods from the plantations of Ponda in the Vanilla Porter, or Kokum the ubiquitous fruit from Konkan in the Kokum Gose, or hints of the Alphonso mango in the Tropical Wit.

Gateway Brewery – Zini Lager. Gateway has been brewing up interesting ales for the last decade, the most iconic being the Original White Zen. And, now wanting to experiment with local ingredients, they have created the Zini Lager, which uses the endangered Zini rice from Palghar, which gives its subtle aroma to the brew. Available across Mumbai, get your growler here.

Igloo BrewWorks – Konkan Rice Lager. Brewed with locally grown and sourced aromatic rice. Delivering across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. Click here for the delivery options.

So, guys, while the summer heat drains you out, these quenchers made using seasonal and local ingredients, promises not just to tantalize your taste buds, but also keep you "chilled out", when you need it most.

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