In a market long dominated by volume-led strong beers, Conan Beer is attempting something refreshingly different. Founded by an entrepreneur with deep experience across exports, lifestyle, and hospitality, Conan Beer was born out of a simple but powerful insight: strength in beer should not come at the cost of flavour, aroma, or craft.
In this conversation, Mr. Arvind Bajaj, founder, Conan Beer, shares what led him to enter brewing, how European beer traditions shaped Conan’s identity, and why he believes strong beer in India deserves a more premium, inclusive future. Built using German malts and American hops, Conan Beer positions itself as a bold yet smooth 8% ABV offering that speaks to both seasoned drinkers and new-age consumers seeking experience over excess.
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You’ve built a successful career across exports, lifestyle, and hospitality. What made you take the leap into brewing, and why now?
Entrepreneurship is about looking for opportunities in an ever-changing market scenario & evolving customer behavior. I always felt that in India strong beer is often equated with only the alcohol content, not the experience of flavors, aromas and craftsmanship. I thought this was a gap that needed to be addressed and hence the beginning of this venture.
You’ve often spoken about Europe’s influence, especially Germany and Belgium, on your brewing philosophy. What specific experiences shaped Conan’s identity?
When I used to travel earlier in my career to Belgium and Germany it stuck me how passionate the brewers were in trying to perfect their craft. I had little knowledge of brewing process then but what inspired me more was just to see them getting into minute details. Be it their water sourcing or rolling their malt to precision. It was exciting to see how the craft was being passed from one generation to the next.
India’s strong beer segment has long been driven by volume over craftsmanship. How is Conan planning to change that narrative?
Conan is built on the idea of strength with smoothness. Conan is made like a craft beer with German malts and American hops. Keeping the commercialization in mind we want a balanced mix, giving the beer making process its due time and allowing the malts and hops make the magic.
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The tagline “Unleash the Warrior Within” is bold and symbolic. How does this ethos translate into Conan’s product and brand personality?
Conan as the name suggests, is a symbol of raw strength, rugged masculinity and unyielding toughness. A strong beer that customer can associate with high alcohol strength. It portraits power, aggression and fearlessness. An ideal position for high 8% ABV beer. As the tag line suggests “UNLEASH THE WARRIOR WITHIN”
Conan is entering a market already crowded with strong players. What gaps did you identify that made you confident there’s still room for a new contender?
Ans. Strong beers in India are industrial products and with commercial aspects in mind. The ingredients sourced are cheap and brewing process is accelerated. We want to address this gap by giving our customer the true flavors and aromas and not just an industrialized beer.
You’ve mentioned the need to make strong beers more inclusive, especially for women and casual drinkers. How did this insight influence the brewing process and flavour design?
We are using finest American hops. We have slowed down the brewing process, allowing the beer to breathe through the process. It has gentle malt sweetness and with naturally produced eastery notes. That makes it smooth despite high alcohol, making it favorable with women and casual drinkers.
Conan Strong uses a blend of German malt and American hops, an unusual combination for Indian strong beers. What kind of R&D went into achieving the right balance?
Our brewing team experimented with multiple combinations, balancing the robust body of higrade German malt with the vibrant aroma and bitterness provided by selected American hop varieties. This involved pilot batches, sensory evaluations, and benchmarking against popular market beers to ensure we achieved smoothness and drinkability without compromising on strength or character.
Beyond the product, how are you positioning Conan as a lifestyle brand rather than just another beer label?
With Conan we just do not wish to offer a product but more of an experience. It is more about community and shared moments with an inclusive social fabric around travel, music and arts.
Conan plans to expand to Uttar Pradesh and beyond. What’s your roadmap for pan-India growth, and how do you plan to sustain consistency across markets?
At present Conan is present in state of Delhi. We are planning to enter into U.P by end of December. Before going pan India we want to build a loyal customer base and a fan following in the regions we are present in.
You’ve also co-founded EZOK and Draavin Canteen, brands known for quality and innovation. Do you see any shared DNA between these ventures and Conan?
The basic D.N.A. remains same across all ventures. It is about “Quality first” and “commerce later”. This is the philosophy I truly believe in. The idea across ventures is the same and that is to offer top notch quality and experience to the consumer and give him an experience that he comes back to you with his friends and followers and becomes your mouthpiece.
With India’s craft and premium beer culture slowly gaining ground, do you think strong beers can also earn the ‘premium’ tag in the years ahead?
With changing lifestyles and evolving taste in fashion, culture, tourism and travel we are bound to see an incremental growth both in premium and strong beer consumption. The Indian market is steadily moving towards finer, more experimental brews. Conan is well placed to lead that movement.
Finally, if Conan were a person, how would you describe its personality in three words?
Fearless, tough and powerful.
Conan Beer represents a shift in how strong beers can be imagined in India, not as rushed, industrial products, but as thoughtfully brewed, flavour-forward experiences. With its philosophy of “quality first, commerce later,” the brand is challenging long-held assumptions around strength, drinkability, and inclusivity.
As Conan Beer expands beyond Delhi into new markets like Uttar Pradesh, its focus remains clear: build loyal communities before chasing scale. By blending craftsmanship with a strong lifestyle identity rooted in music, travel, and shared moments, Conan Beer is positioning itself not just as another entrant in a crowded segment, but as a brand aiming to lead the next chapter of India’s strong beer evolution.
