Bira 91 wins big at European Beer Challenge 2024

The World Beer Awards, held in London on August 08, 2024, honored Bira 91 for its innovative brewing and exceptional flavours. The accolades underscore the brand’s steadfast commitment to innovation and quality while competing with the world’s finest breweries. These awards highlight the brand’s excellence as a leading Indian beer brand. They also affirm its growing global presence, driven by a relentless pursuit of creativity and innovation.

Let’s talk about the winners. Bira 91 Boom won the World’s Best Strong Lager from India and secured a GOLD medal. The Gold Wheat Strong, Superfresh White with Citrus, and Superfresh White with Mango were declared country winners. They also earned GOLD in the categories of World’s Best Strong Wheat Beer, World’s Best Belgian Style Witbier, and World’s Best Flavoured Fruit & Vegetable Beer, respectively.

The Bira 91 Light, Superfresh White With Berry, and Malabar Stout won SILVER in the categories of World’s Best Light Lager, World’s Best Sweet Stout, and World’s Best Session IPA. The brand kept up the winning momentum by also bagging BRONZE for Bira 91 RISE. Additionally, the Indian Pale Ale with Pomelo earned BRONZE in its category.

Ankur Jain, Founder & CEO of Bira 91, said, “We are incredibly proud of our achievements at the World Beer Awards 2024. These awards are a reflection of our relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation in brewing. These awards are highly respected within the global beer community and the accolades are a testament to the creativity and dedication of our brewers, whose craftsmanship is at the core of every beer that we produce. For us, it’s not just about winning; it’s about putting Indian beers on the global map.”

Bira 91 remains committed to offering a diverse range of beers that appeal to varied tastes while maintaining its signature Indian twist. The company continues to grow its footprint, both in India and internationally, with its diverse range of beers that cater to every palate.

About Bira 91 Beverages

A refreshingly modern beer brand, imagined in India, Bira 91 aspires to bring flavorful beers to the new world. As one of the fastest-growing brands in the world, Bira 91 has built a diverse portfolio of award-winning beers for every occasion. The brand aims to drive a global shift in beer towards more color and flavor. Bira 91 is now enjoyed in over 1,000 towns and cities across 25 countries. It brews its beers at six manufacturing units in India. In 2023, B9 Beverages expanded into the Beyond Beer category. They launched Hill Station Ciders, a portfolio of alcoholic ciders, and Grizly Seltzers, a line of hard seltzers inspired by cocktails.

Bira 91 operates seven taprooms: three in Delhi NCR, two in Bengaluru, one in Ludhiana, and one in Mohali. It releases a new experimental beer every week, paired with its curry-shop menu. The brand recently acquired The Beer Café, India’s leading Alco-Beverage chain. This acquisition strengthens its presence in pubs and taprooms. Bira 91 aims to build India’s first large-scale direct-to-consumer platform focused on beer and innovation. The brand also offers official merchandise, including glassware, barware, apparel, and gifts, to add playfulness to everyday life.

Established in 2015, Bira 91 is driven by a dynamic team of over 1,600 passionate beer lovers. The brand is backed by leading investors from around the world. These include Japan’s leading beer company, Kirin Holdings, and Japan’s largest bank, MUFG Bank. Other investors include Tiger Pacific Capital from New York, Sofina of Belgium, and Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia India).

Learn more at www.bira91.com  and follow us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn , and Facebook.

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Pale lagers are often considered the most drinkable and are therefore the most consumed worldwide, thanks to regional variations and strong branding. However, lager beers exhibit a wide range of characteristics comparable to ale beers, including colour, hoppiness, maltiness, bitterness levels, body, etc. Among the most traditional parameters of lagers is the fermented flavour, which tends to be less intense over time. This parameter changes with new craft lagers, a direct consequence of the chosen yeast and fermentation process.

What Defines Lager Beer?

If it’s not solely flavour characteristics that define lager beer, what does? The answer lies with the yeast species used to ferment it. While ale beers are fermented with a wide range of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) strains, lager beers are fermented with Saccharomyces pastorianus (S. pastorianus), a bottom-fermenting yeast.

Bottom fermentation is often used to describe lager fermentation. Our ancestors, without understanding the phenomenon, used to collect yeast from the top of the fermenters. During this process, a specific phenotype that rises at the end of the fermentation was selected: top fermentation (ale yeast). In contrast, lager yeast is defined by another phenotype; yeast that settles at the bottom of the fermenter. However, today this distinction does not necessarily hold true due to advancements in brewing techniques and yeast management.

Lager yeast is relatively recent in evolutionary history compared to S. cerevisiae. With traces of fermented grain dating over 10,000 years, S. cerevisiae has been part of the human diet for millennia. As a result, numerous domestication events allowed its phenotypes to evolve. Among others, maltotriose utilization has increased, and phenol production, both being important and differential flavour aspects to lagers.

S. pastorianus is actually a hybrid yeast. For a significant period, only one parent of this hybrid was known: S. cerevisiae. More recently, the puzzle was solved with the discovery of Saccharomyces eubayanus, the second parent according to today’s microbial evolution theory. While the exact details of the hybridization event remain uncertain, extensive research has shed light on the process. Most likely, the new hybrid was born when S. cerevisiae and S. eubayanus bred in a brewery environment. A plausible scenario suggests that the breeding may have taken place during fermentation in the cold caves of Bavaria during the 15th century. Cryotolerance, the ability to maintain physiological and genetic stability at low temperatures, played a significant role in the selection of the lager yeast species. Lager yeast was favoured for its capacity to ferment at low temperatures, unlike ale yeast, which struggles to complete fermentation below 16-18°C. Lager yeast can effectively achieve final attenuation at temperatures lower than 11°C. In the Czech Republic, it is not uncommon to transfer beer into maturation tanks at around 3-4°C (when attenuation has only reached 73-75%). This extended fermentation process may take an additional three months but will not stop until it’s over.

Apart from being cryotolerant, the S. pastorianus yeast strain exhibits characteristics such as medium-high attenuation, good flocculation and sedimentation properties, and being phenolic off-flavour (POF) negative. Compared with ale yeast, lager strains have lower genetic diversity.

Lastly, lager yeast is known, apart from exceptions, to be very neutral in its fermentation flavour formation. S. pastorianus does not produce noticeable amounts of higher alcohols (fusel alcohols) and fruity esters compared with S. cerevisiae. But what is neutral in beer? A brewmaster can make the perfect wort in the brewhouse; however, the wort produced will not be a tasty beverage. Wort is heavy, not refreshing, and full of undesirable aldehydes. Only beer yeast can remove the aldehydes and increase the freshness and drinkability—in a word, make it a good beer. To this end, lager beer is not neutral at all (nor is ale yeast). Lager yeast reveals the hidden potential of the raw material used and unveils all the effort of the brewmaster who has worked so hard to make the perfect beer.

Diversity in Lager Beer Styles

When thinking about the vast diversity of lager beer, one common feature comes to mind: balance. Unlike certain modern versions of craft and ale beers, the soul of most lagers is finding the perfect equilibrium between bitterness, sweetness, drinkability, malt character, and fermentation flavours. Finding the perfect strain for each beer style alongside brewery specificity is of major importance. Pilsner is the most iconic style of what is considered a premium lager. A Pilsner typically offers a crisp and refreshing taste with moderate to high bitterness, balanced hoppy notes, subtle maltiness, and a clean dry finish. Fermentation flavour is neutral, just revealing the combination of raw materials used to make the beer.

Fermentis provides ideal solutions for these styles with yeasts such as SafLager™ S-33 and SafLager™ W-34/70, which can ensure neutral character and avoid off-flavours.

Marzen Beer, Oktoberfest, or Vienna lagers are variations of similar styles. From strong golden colour to copper, they are characterized by their rich maltiness, balanced by a clean finish and moderate hop bitterness. These styles showcase a robust malt profile with flavours of toasted bread, caramel, and toffee, balanced by a moderate hop bitterness and clean, dry finish, making them ideal choices for autumnal festivities and cool weather enjoyment. Of German origin, SafLager™ W-34/70 allows a clean fermentation profile to benefit the malty character of Marzen, Oktoberfest, or Vienna lager beers. For slightly fruitier versions, SafLager™ S-23 remains an ideal option that can certainly add a layer of complexity to some malty-fruitiness that can be present in these styles.

In general, fruitiness is a flavour often enjoyed by consumers, and some brewers are diversifying lagers in this regard. Often called estery lager, it is an alternative to the neutral fermentation flavour of S. pastorianus. Although every brewery yeast produces higher alcohols and esters (even in bottom fermentation), in most cases, these volatiles are close to or below their respective flavour thresholds. One of the most important features is the ratio of higher alcohol to esters. A common target is to reach for values between 3 and 4:1. Fermentis SafLager™ E-30 produces significantly higher amounts of fruity esters, specifically isoamyl acetates, that provide a banana-like character to beer, at least two times more than any other lager yeast in the Fermentis range. This yeast allows for innovative alternatives to classic and modern lager beer styles, bringing forward the fermentation fruitiness and adding extra layers of flavour complexity.

Modern advancements are not limited to fermentative and malty flavour diversity; they also encompass the development of new hop nuances. Apart from the traditional and hopped Pilsners, Italian lagers are dry-hopped versions, using the same noble European hop (Saaz, Hallertau Mittelfrüh, Tettnang, Spalt, etc.). The base of the beer is very similar to Pilsner styles with a balance leaning towards hops, having medium to high bitterness, freshness, and lower malt character. The dry hopping adds to the complexity of the beer, providing extra layers of floral and herbal notes, and the yeast choice can make a difference. The perfect yeast to allow for noble hop expression is SafLager™ S-189. Cold IPA, New Zealand Lager, or India Pale Lagers are variations of the lager version of IPA. Characterized by its high hop dosage and medium to high smooth bitterness, these beer styles are diverse and result from the brewer’s creativity. Any variety of hop can be used for dry and late hopping to confer a wide range of fruity notes such as citrus, tropical, floral, or herbal.

In conclusion, lager beers present a rich spectrum of flavour profiles and styles, each possessing its own distinct character. While malts and hops often take the spotlight, it’s essential not to overlook the crucial role of yeast. The craftsmanship of the Brewmaster in harnessing these elements renders lager beer a timeless classic and a beloved choice for beer enthusiasts worldwide.

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Aliens Tattoo, India’s leading tattoo brand, known for its creative custom tattoos uniquely designed based on the ideas, values, and beliefs of the consumer, and Ironhill Hyderabad, renowned for its craft brewing excellence, came together for an extraordinary partnership. The partnership came alive at an exciting experiential event held at Ironhill Hyderabad, seamlessly,  focused on building a unique sensory experience and blended the two worlds of tattoo artistry and craft beer. This dynamic partnership endeavors to honor the artistry of tattooing alongside the intricate craft of brewing, presenting a remarkable experience that harmonizes these two distinctive forms of expression.

Ironhill Hyderabad introduced several remarkable brews, commencing with the ‘Cosmic Lager’, which infused the concepts and creative ethos of Aliens Tattoo. During this partnership, the two brands co-created the exclusive craft brew, set to be available exclusively at the Ironhill outlet. The aim was to craft a unique blend that seamlessly integrated the essence of both brands and provided a unique sensory experience.

Subsequently, the Tattoo Workshop offered an immersive experience, diving deep into the world of tattoo artistry. Under the expert guidance of celebrated and award-winning tattoo artists from Aliens Tattoo, participants engaged in a selfie session with the IG filter Aliens Tattoos x Ironhill, indulging in personalized design sessions, receiving one-on-one consultations, and delving into the intricate realm of tattoo artistry.

Ameesha Karnani, Brand Partnership Specialist, Aliens Tattoo, said, “We are delighted to have partnered with Ironhill and co-created a new brew, ‘Cosmic Lager’, which brings alive the flavour and creative thought process of Aliens Tattoo. Our aim is to offer consumers a multi-sensory adventure, both within our studio and beyond. Teaming up with Ironhill has allowed us to design a one-of-a-kind experience that combines taste and tattoo. At Aliens Tattoos, our brand identity revolves around delivering unique encounters, fueled by our dedication to artistic innovation. Partnering with respected brands like Ironhill enables us to create memorable moments for everyone involved.”

Prateek Rao, Head of Brand Marketing, Ironhill “Cosmic Lager embodies the spirit of creativity and partnership, reflecting the essence of both Aliens Tattoo and Ironhill. It’s a testament to the power of partnerships in crafting something truly remarkable.”

As the curtains draw on this extraordinary occasion, the enduring alliance between Ironhill Hyderabad and Aliens Tattoo ignites enduring inspiration and leaves an indelible mark on the creative landscape. Beyond a mere event, this partnership elevates into a narrative of brand collaboration, weaving an immersive experience that resonates deeply within the creative community, fostering a legacy of innovation and artistic synergy.

Furthermore, the crafted brew born from this partnership will be available for tasting at the Ironhill outlet in the Hyderabad location, inviting enthusiasts to experience the unique fusion of these two iconic brands.

About Aliens Tattoo

Founded in 2009, Aliens Tattoo is a distinguished tattoo studio with 16+ studios across India. With a strong emphasis on artistry and innovation, the studio has become renowned for its exceptional tattoo designs and commitment to customer satisfaction. Aliens Tattoo had the pleasure of working with notable figures like Virat Kohli, Arjun Kapoor, and Hardik Pandya , continues to set new standards in the realm of tattoo artistry.

Led by visionary artist Sunny Bhanushali, Aliens Tattoo houses a team of skilled and talented tattoo artists who specialise in a wide range of styles, including realism, watercolour, black and grey, geometric, and traditional tattoos. Their attention to detail and ability to translate clients’ ideas into stunning custom designs sets them apart in the industry.

Aliens Tattoo places great importance on maintaining a safe and hygienic environment for their clients. The studio adheres to strict sterilisation practices and utilises high-quality tattoo equipment to ensure the highest standards of safety. Clients can trust in a professional and comfortable tattooing experience.  The exceptional artistry of Aliens Tattoo has gained international recognition, with participation in renowned tattoo conventions and competitions. Their commitment to excellence has earned them multiple accolades, solidifying their position as leaders in the industry. 

About Ironhill

The idea of owning and operating a microbrewery with friends is something that has been discussed while sitting at a café for decades. And as with time and space, a dream of that stature fades for most, however, a team of entrepreneurs decided to turn the tables, the other way.

It all began in the year 2017 when four friends decided to establish a brand that would recreate the spirit of good times and share pleasant memories over a fantastic range of craft beers and lip- smacking bites. Teja Chekuri, Harsha Vadlamudi, Vidhatha Annamaneni, and Subba Raju Penmatsa harnessed Ironhill’s success by combining their collective business acumen with the skills of professional acquaintances and contacts they developed over the years.

After a successful launch in the ‘City of Destiny’ – Visakhapatnam, the company broadened its footprints to Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Nellore, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru, with Bengaluru being the largest microbrewery in the world.

With excellent varieties of beers and delicious cuisine to go with them, Ironhill India aims to re- create the fun and cheerful memories of bygone eras. They rely on the experience of their knowledgeable brewmasters, to bring to the table, some of the most supreme flavors for you to savor. This experience of Ironhill’s master’s results in exciting flavors of beers on tap, all brewed with high-quality imported raw materials as well as locally sourced varieties.

As Ironhill continues to expand its reach, its vision remains clear: to spread the joy of craft beer internationally, fostering connections and creating unforgettable moments along the way. With a mission to lead the market through innovation and dedication, Ironhill Brewery stands as a beacon of excellence in the ever-evolving world of craft beer.

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From the iconic Hefeweizens with their fruity and spicy notes to the crisp and bitter German Pilsners, the nation’s beers are a testament to craftsmanship and precision. Whether savoring a malty Dunkel, a robust Doppelbock, or a tangy Berliner Weisse, each sip reflects a legacy dating back centuries. In this exploration of German-style beers, we delve into the intricacies of some prominent German beer styles:

Lager: A Global Favorite

Lager, alongside ale, reigns as one of the primary beer categories globally. What sets lagers apart is their use of Saccharomyces pastorianus yeast, which ferments at cooler temperatures and yields a cleaner, crisper taste compared to ales. Despite the broad spectrum of lager styles, they share a common thread of freshness and clarity.

Weissbier: Bavaria’s Wheat Ale

Weissbier, a quintessential Bavarian wheat ale, charms with its hazy appearance, frothy foam, and fruity-spicy flavors. Comprising at least 50% malted wheat, it features characteristic aromas of clove, banana, and sometimes bubble gum and smoke. Though traditionally bottle-fermented, modern practices vary.

Helles: Bavaria’s Golden Lager

Originating in Munich in 1894, Helles emerged as Bavaria’s response to Czech pilsners. With a more pronounced malt character and a sturdy body, Helles retains a gentle profile marked by cleanliness, easy drinkability, and a dry finish, making it a refreshing choice.

Doppelbock: The Monk’s Brew

Crafted by Paulaner monks in Munich, Doppelbock represents a robust iteration of traditional bock styles. With a rich malt sweetness balanced by subtle hop bitterness, these medium-bodied beers offer notes of bread and toasty elements, often with hints of caramel.

Märzen: A Taste of Oktoberfest

Märzen, closely associated with Oktoberfest, presents an amber hue with toasty malt aromas, crisp hop bitterness, and a medium body. Traditionally brewed in March and lagered until fall, Märzen embodies a festive spirit and a rich heritage.

Dunkel: The Dark Lager

Translated as “dark,” Dunkel boasts a rich, malty flavor profile with notes of caramel and chocolate. Smooth and easy to drink, it offers a delightful contrast to its lighter counterparts.

Rauchbier: Bavaria’s Smoky Brew

Rauchbier stands out for its smoky flavor, achieved by drying malted barley over an open flame. Associated with the town of Bamberg, this style offers a unique sensory experience cherished by beer enthusiasts.

Kölsch: Cologne’s Refreshing Gem

Originating in Cologne, Kölsch is renowned for its crisp drinkability and balanced malt and fruit flavors. Fermented with ale yeast but finished at cold temperatures like a lager, Kölsch embodies the best of both worlds, offering a light, refreshing character with a clean finish.

Gose: Leipzig’s Sour Delight

Originating from Leipzig, Gose delights with its slightly sour and salty profile, often accentuated with coriander. Fermented with lactobacillus bacteria, Gose presents a tartness complemented by subtle spice notes, making it a unique addition to Germany’s beer tapestry.

Germany’s beer culture stands as a testament to craftsmanship, innovation, and tradition. With an array of styles to suit every palate, German beers continue to captivate enthusiasts worldwide, inviting them on a journey of flavor and heritage with every sip.

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With over 7 years of expertise in the brewing industry, Kajal Manchanda brings unparalleled skill and passion to every concoction she crafts. At Bira 91, she has continuously pushed the boundaries of beer innovation, reflecting her unwavering dedication to the art of brewing.

Kajal Manchanda, expressed her admiration for the brewery’s female patrons, stating, “We hold our women consumers in high regard, and as a tribute to Women’s Day and the essence of womanhood, we are thrilled to unveil a truly exceptional creation — Scarlet Rye. Just as women are multifaceted, the Scarlet Rye lager embodies a fusion of diverse flavors. Bold and invigorating, this new beer is poised to become a favorite among all our patrons.”

Scarlet Rye presents a delightful fusion of spicy rye complexity, malty undertones, and a hint of hop bitterness. Its smooth texture and satisfying finish leave a lingering warmth that beckons for another sip. With an alcohol content of 4.5%, Scarlet Rye is the perfect complement to Women’s Day celebrations and beyond.

This Women’s Day, raise a glass to empowerment and diversity with Bira 91 Taproom’s Scarlet Rye – a testament to the remarkable journey of women everywhere.

Exclusively availale at Bira 91 Taproom – Bengaluru Airport and Koramangala from 8th – 31st March’24

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The New World lager beer, Nova Lager is sessionable, malt driven, clean, crisp, has a moderate ABV, and has an overall well-balanced flavor profile. It is brewed and served at Seven Rivers Brewing Company, one of the greatest microbreweries in Bangalore, positioned at Taj Hotel MG Road.

Speaking about the launch, the Head Brewer of Seven Rivers, Ketan Malhotra said, “The purpose of creating this beer was to find a strain that can significantly speed up the production of lagers and other styles that require longer maturation times.”

While the strain is designed such that it reduces the turnaround time for lagers with very less off-flavor production during fermentation, yet hints of diacetyl can still be observed towards the end. The best way to deal with them would be to ensure a good VDK rest for 3-5 days.”

He further added, “Ales strongly dominate the Indian craft brewing industry as compared to lagers and one of the reasons being the longer turnaround time to get the beer on tap. As Lallemand came up with a strain which not only deals with that problem but also generates very low off flavors during the fermentation, we decided to brew our Nova Lager with this strain. Thus, to examine this yeast’s prowess we kept the Style very simple and straightforward leading us to a sessionable, balanced and crispy Lager.”

When we asked Ketan, “Are you happy with the end product? Did the lager meet your expectations?” He said, We’ve observed a significant decrease in turnaround time while the product observes a very clean palate and a minimal hint of diacetyl on the nose. There’s no observable h2s production which makes the Yeast Style very appealing. We’re quite satisfied with the end product as it checks out almost all the boxes and will look forward to experimenting more with this Yeast strain ahead.”

About LalBrew NovaLager

LalBrew NovaLager is the result of Renaissance Yeast’s research and development efforts in collaboration with Lallemand Brewing (Vancouver, BC, Canada). It was chosen utilising conventional and non-GMO breeding techniques to produce a unique Saccharomyces cerevisiae x Saccharomyces eubayanus hybrid strain that distinguishes itself from other standard Saccharomyces pastorianus strains by defining a novel Group III (Renaissance) lager lineage.

According to the company, this strain has a low VDK/diacetyl production rate and makes use of patented technology developed at the University of California, Davis (USA), to ensure that no hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is formed, hence shortening the maturation period needed to produce lager beer.

The LalBrew Nova Lager hybrid is a true bottom-fermenting Saccharomyces pastorianus strain from a new lineage that has been chosen to produce clean lager beers with distinctive flavor profiles and excellent fermentation performance. Fast fermentations, rapid attenuation, and high flocculation are just a few of the great brewing characteristics of this strong lager yeast strain. The distinctive flavor profile has very few esters and is consistent throughout a wide temperature range.

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Lone Wolf is proving to be the beer of choice in the country’s capital, with all the major food festivals vying to sign them up as their beverage partner, and the upcoming, aptly named Food For Thought Festival is just reinforcing the sentiment, especially amongst the youth. Lone Wolf Beer is the exclusive beer partner for the Tipple Fest, meant to showcase the world of beverages at the fest, which is going to be held on the 17th -18th December, 2022 in Delhi.

The Tipple Fest is easily one of the most exciting elements of the Food for Thought Festival, and as the name suggests, is dedicated to beverages entirely, replete with mixology sessions, beverage appreciation classes, and more, apart from showcasing entire ranges of spirits, especially those that are making a splash in the market. Additionally, there are plenty of prizes to be won, for the Most Popular Drink, The Highest Selling Booth, and so on. What is touted to be the biggest surprise there, is the Lone Wolf Lager pints that have been launched, just in time for the event, given their demand at the previously participated in HT Unwind and Grub Fests.

About Food For Thought Fest

The sixth edition of the Food For Thought Festival being held at GMR Square at Aero city, in New Delhi, is themed ‘Rejuvenation and Revival Through Wellness in the Post Pandemic Era’, and is the only event in South Asia to be covered by the internationally acclaimed Associated Press two years in a row. Conceptualized as a special, one-of-a-kind initiative that focuses on the common heritage and history of the region, the festival also has the participation of countries like Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

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Rupee Beer is a bright golden lager created by two Indian-American brothers, Vanit & Sumit Sharma from Maine. Each can boasts that the brew is “specially crafted for Indian and spicy cuisine” with rice, maize, malt, and three kinds of hops, as well as lower carbonation, for a more enjoyable dining experience. Both brothers had witnessed some challenges in sourcing imported Indian beers, especially in the state of Maine during the pandemic. They looked at that field, saw the potential and decided to bridge the gap by introducing the global beer for curry. Sumit and Van Sharma always found it frustrating that Indian beer giants never distributed to states like Maine in the early 90’s. Both of them grew up in the Indian restaurant trade which their family has been in for over 45 years, but it wasn’t until COVID that they both ended up living in Maine.

Owing to the challenges from the pandemic, Sumit and Vanit eventually came up with Rupee Beer, which is the workhorse of beer & Indian food pairing because it works well with so many different dishes. Designed & crafted by a world-renowned master beer brewer & an award winning Indian chef, Rupee remains at the forefront of creating complex international Indian beverages designed as the go-to pairing for Indian, spicy, & robust world cuisine.

With limited Indian beer options available on the market for the last decade, Rupee is disrupting & innovating within the Indian restaurant segment. Rupee is slowly brewed to a traditional Indian recipe remaining all natural for an unforgettably smooth taste & finish.

Containing amounts of carbonation lower to industry standards, drinkers of Rupee feel less fizzy while enjoying their favorite Indian or spicy meal. Every single batch of Rupee is brewed & fermented with top quality rice, maize, malted barley, yeast, & three types of hops allowing for our signature crisp & herbal tasting notes. Our maturation process gives our lager a distinct full bodied flavor while remaining unforgettably smooth when served ice cold.

Contracted in Dorchester, Massachusetts, Rupee Beer is viewed as one of the fastest growing ethnic beer brands. They are on a mission to bring Indian beer to a wider global audience & champion diversity in craft brewing. Our loyal drinkers rave about Rupee’s easily drinkable taste & compatibility with exotic flavors. Find Rupee at local Indian or South Asian restaurants & select Costco, Whole Foods & Total Wine locations. Contact our distribution & sales team to bring Rupee to your local region.

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Lone wolf beers are brewed in Punjab, and have a yearlong shelf life. With two variants currently out in the Indian market, including the Lone Wolf Mild Lager, they plan to add a couple of aromatic and rich beers to their portfolio every year. With the hops and yeasts imported from Germany, low additives and enzymes, the beer goes down easy, and leaves one fresh to go out on the prowl the next morning, to break and make their own crescent trajectories.

They aim at creating a counter culture, one that unfollows the trodden path. The go-to beer for all dreamers, adventurers, the mavericks and the alphas, for those who don’t conform to strict, conventional boundaries; associating with this beer is to embrace all that a wolf symbolizes – good communication, loyalty, understanding, and intelligence.

Lone Wolf is available in Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh, while Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will follow soon after.

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What makes Heineken® Silver different is the ice-cold lagering process. By brewing Heineken® Silver at -1°C, more cold haze is allowed to form and be filtered out. This removes proteins and rough-tasting tannins, leaving behind a delightfully refreshing taste that’s accessible and easy to drink. To know more about Heineken’s all new product and its target consumers, we interviewed Rajeev Sathyesh who’s the Asia-Pacific Director for Heineken® Brand. Rajeev is responsible for the growth and development of the Heineken® brand and business in the Asia-Pacific region (ASEAN, North East Asia, Greater China, India, Australia and New Zealand). Rajeev’s vision is to champion the growth of Heineken®, the most international and visible brand, as they enter an incredible era of innovation and expansion in the beer industry and brew the joy of true togetherness to inspire a better world. Here’s what he had to say.

How does Heineken Silver see itself fitting into India’s dynamic and constantly evolving commercial beer segment?

The beauty about a country like India is the population, especially the younger generation. We see a huge evolution in terms of taste preferences in every alco-bev category including beer. Heineken Silver has been designed particularly to cater to young consumers in India. It is a premium proposition that meets their taste needs. It’s extremely smooth, easy to drink and goes along with their ever evolving dynamic lifestyle.

As a brand, Heineken is iconic. It stands for open mindedness and bringing people together from different backgrounds. It resonates with the DNA of young Indian consumers and when you couple that with a liquid that meets their taste needs, it’s a natural fit. So we see this as a premium beer for Indian Gen-Z and millenials.

Heineken Silver is a low ABV, session lager. How do you see this variant competing with India’s Strong Lager market, considering this category remains the hot favorite among beer lovers?

It is true factually that the bulk of the category today exists in Strong beer. But like I mentioned earlier, the beauty about India is its population and the diverse taste that exists. There is a segment for every single consumer. More recently, the 5% and under 5% beer segment has been growing and exploding in a big way. At the same time, there are consumers who want 7-8% beer. We see Heineken Silver basically catering to the 5% or under 5% ABV segment but more importantly a taste profile and experience with a brand that meets their needs.

How critical is the Indian Beer Market for Heineken in the Asia-Pacific region?

It is very critical. India has a growing population. The economy is stable and GDP per capita is growing. Beer as a category is very small for the total percentage among the alcobev industry in India and the per capita consumption of beer in India is 2L per person per year. When I compare and contrast it to some of the other countries in Asia-Pacific, which are 20 to 30 times higher. As long as we do the right thing, which is to offer consumers the right propositions, the category will continue to grow. Therefore it is an extremely critical market for us. With iconic brands like Kingfisher and Heineken, there’s a lot of potential.

How does Heineken’s latest product complement the evolving lifestyles of new age consumers?

Like I mentioned earlier, people make a choice on the brand that they wanna be a part of and be associated with. Heineken is a brand which stands for everything that’s relevant to the Indian Gen-Z consumers. Therefore, there’s a natural affinity towards the brand, they get to know what the brand stands for. The number one task for us is to re-introduce the Heineken Brand of what we stand for. Then you couple that with our association that we have with global sports, in the territory of music, digital and metaverse, anything and everything that they are passionate about. After all, it seems like a natural fit for the young Indian consumers.

With Heineken Silver, does the company encourage consumers to drink responsibly as well? Are there any campaigns surrounding the product?

What we do is in every country around the world, there’s a substantial portion of our total investment that we pour into a campaign called ‘Enjoy Heineken® Responsibly’. If you were to look at what we’ve done this year already, we’ve partnered with Formula1 on a global scale and encourage people to say “when you drive don’t drink, when you drink don’t drive”. We use Formula1 races and teams to be able to communicate this message. We take that very seriously as a company. Moderation is an important part of our strategy and we believe people should enjoy the propositions but enjoy them in a very responsible way. We do the same in India as well.

Considering the Asia-Pacific market region, are there any other products in the pipeline for Heineken this year?

Nothing that I can share at this point and time. We keep looking for opportunities in India and other parts of the world.

Under United Breweries, Kingfisher already has a diverse portfolio of variants. Do you plan to achieve that with Heineken as well?

Yes, absolutely. If you look at our portfolios across the globe, we believe in creating larger portfolios and it stems from a simple logic that anyone who wants to enjoy beer, looks for a different proposition. One brand cannot do it all. Kingfisher is an iconic brand. It’s synonymous with a category in India and we’ve got a portfolio with UB. We will continue to look at opportunities within India because of the evolving taste preferences of consumers and where there are unmet needs and at the right points of time, we will bring the relevant propositions.

Was there a prior R&D done to remove some of the harsh flavor compounds such as tannins before brewing Heineken Silver?

Yes. We are a company that is obsessed with the quality of the liquids. We will not put anything out there that doesn’t meet our quality standards. There’s a lot of work that went into designing this proposition and making sure that the taste of this product is the same everywhere in the world. Irrespective of where it is brewed, Heineken Silver tastes the same, likewise, Heineken Original tastes the same.

Is Heineken Silver a limited release variant or is it part of the core line-up?

It is part of the core line-up and it is here to stay. This is a proposition that we believe that meets the needs and delights the young consumers in India, which we know is the case, because we’ve tested it in the Indian market.

How many countries is the Silver available right now and is it pouring on draft?

We have already launched in 26 countries so far and India is the 27th country. It’s a relatively young proposition which started in 2019 with Vietnam being the first country and China in 2020. Now we’ve taken it to Europe, Americas and other countries in Asia. Heineken Silver exists in draft in other countries but not yet in India.

Heineken® Silver is available in both on and off-trade retail channels in Bengaluru. Silver’s 330-ml pint is priced at Rs. 120, the 500-ml can at Rs. 160 and the 650-ml bottle at Rs. 200 across off-trade retail outlets in Bengaluru. The beer comes in a sleek silver can and the iconic green bottle. Heineken® Silver will also be launched in other markets in the next few months.

The post Heineken Silver Caters To The New Generation Of Indian Consumers With A Premium, Smooth Tasting Beer: Rajeev Sathyesh first appeared on Brewer World-Everything about beer is here.

The post Heineken Silver Caters To The New Generation Of Indian Consumers With A Premium, Smooth Tasting Beer: Rajeev Sathyesh appeared first on Brewer World-Everything about beer is here.