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| Head in a glass |
| Anand Sankar / New Delhi Oct 17, 2009, 00:54 IST |
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If you are a beer drinker, it’s time to cheer on the good times.
For a country that has been a dormant beer consumer, the last couple of years has been an explosion of sorts in India’s beer market. It has been quite hard to keep track of who is launching what and the fight is on tooth-and-nail across every segment of beer drinkers. The accessibility of new brands and fresh ideas in beer, coupled with beer retail becoming cool in many of India’s boom-fuelled towns, has seen consumption rise.
Leaving the the usual suspects aside, both domestic and multi-national, store shelves have found space for some niche beers that have something in them for a discerning buyer. To add to that, a number of restaurants and pubs have taken the lead in giving their customers a unique beer experience. So the next time you buy or order your pint, here are some names worth keeping in mind.
By the old monks
Trappist beer is as exclusive as it gets and deserves its unique identity. It is brewed by Trappist monks. Of the world's 171 Trappist monasteries, seven that produce beer are allowed to label their beer as Trappist. The simplest Trappist beer to try is Chimay. The beer is named after a town in Belgium, where the monastery is located. There are three Chimays available — Red, Blue and White. The Red has a dark brown colour and has a sweet, fruity aroma with a peppery tinge. The Blue is a little more sophisticated. It is a copper-brown beer with a creamy head and is slightly bitter. But roll your tongue and it still has its fruity and peppery character. The White is a crisp beer which has a light orange colour. It contains more hops and is the dryest of the three Chimays. Trappist beers have the most feel-good factor as the beer is sold only for the financial support of the monastery and good causes.
The best of Belgium
Belgium is the world’s Beer Central. Though it is home to several exotic and niche beers, even its popular brands take the cake for finesse. Leffe is a dry, fruity, lightly spiced beer. It has a delicate, light, malty aroma and a subtle, sweet finish. It goes great with a variety of cheeses. The Stella Artois tradition is over 600 years old but the charm of the Stella Artois yeast and the Saaz hops remains the same. This beer is best served in a chalice glass. The shape of the glass enhances head retention and flavour, and holding it by the stem ensures the beer stays cold longer. Hoegaarden is a beer that gets mixed responses but it is to be savoured for its unique blend of ingredients. It is the original Belgian wheat beer and has a complex brewing process. Its cloudy-white appearance is a result of a brewing process whereby it is first top fermented and then is re-fermented within the bottle. The beer has a sweet-sour and spicy taste with a zest of orange peel and coriander.
Indian mischief
Little Devils is India’s first craft beer and is acquiring quite a following. A craft beer, by the way, contains only natural ingredients, no added sugar, colours, additives or chemicals. The brand has launched four variants. A combination of four imported German malts creates the Strong Lager. The fruity Pale Ale and the Premium Lager are brewed with Australian malts and hops. The Belgian Wheat Beer is a standout, as combined with its fruity flavour is a hint of spice with no bitterness. Finally, you have the Golden Ale, which is a dry but smooth beer, with again a complex mix of fuit notes that include oranges, pears and green apples.
For your table
Restaurateur Bill Marchetti has a fine beer list at his Spaghetti Kitchen restaurants The list includes over 20 imported beers in its menu to choose from and offers Stella Artois and Hoegaarden off the tap. His picks off the list are the Saison Du Pont, a refreshingly light Belgian farmhouse beer. Then there is the Moinette Biologique, an organic beer. But he says you must try the Kriek, a wild ale made from cherries. The cherries are naturally fermented and after five months topped with sour cherries to give it a “khatta” taste. Marchetti says this beer will be perfect with Christmas turkey. And he is planning a special menu for Christmas with some new beers, so make sure you have a table reserved at Spaghetti Kitchen.
Brewed fresh
You must make an evening out of Howzzat!, one India's first brewpubs. It is called that because it brews its own beer in a micro-brewery right before your eyes. Just ignore the pub’s cricket theme and soak in the flavours of the beers. The aroma of the hops is ever present from the giant stainless steel vats, which are the centrepiece of the pub. The beers might seem a little flat, but it is so because they have no fizz pumped into them. They leave a rich natural taste on you palate. A firm favourite here is the flavoursome dark beer. In it you can taste the sweet hint of caramel, the roasted barley and the slight bitterness from the hops. With every mug being a super size 500 ml, a drink here more than satisfies.
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