Proost69's White Ale and Mild Lager make you long for a hot summer's day

It may be peak winter in Delhi, but I’m almost always up for a beer. The temperatures don’t faze me and the allure of a quality beer is too hard to turn down. That is precisely why the new Proost69 White Ale (proost is “cheers” in Dutch) got me excited the moment I poured it into a tall glass: nice medium head, lovely cloudy texture, pleasant citric aroma wafting through the air. The colour was perhaps more golden than I had expected, but first impressions were nonetheless pleasing, the kind I generally look for while trying out any new Belgian-style wheat beer.

The taste delivered, too. I'm not a big fan of orange overpowering the palate and the Proost69 White Ale packs such fruity goodness in just the right quantities. The subtlety of the zesty orange is complemented by the mildest hint of coriander. And if your olfactory senses have survived the wrath of the cold, crisp air outside, then there is a surprise at the end: a delightful burst of vanilla that is elusive to the point that you are likely to miss it if you guzzle your drink too quickly. 

“The secret of the White Ale lies in the fermentation,” founder Tarun Bhargava later tells me. “We ferment it for a good 30 days. And we make sure to produce it in small quantities. That is how craft beer should be.” The White Ale, Bhargava claims, is a work of perfection that went through multiple stages of testing and tasting. A master brewer in Belgium prepared various original recipes, some of which were eliminated by fellow brewers around Europe. The better ones were then brought to India for consumer sampling. The most favoured one was further fine-tuned before manufacturing began. “When you’re drinking a beer, you must be able to taste every single element that has gone into making it,” says Bhargava. 

The task of producing wheat beer is notoriously taxing. Unlike a lager, the biological processes are many and finding the right yeast strain can sometimes take years. Yeast produces the byproducts that influence the aroma and fruitiness of the beer. And without the fragrance and complexities, wheat beers simply won’t exist.

Bhargava’s Grano69 Beverages, the company behind the Proost69, also launched a lager variant late last year. Unlike most Indian lagers, which are watery and devoid of flavour, the Proost69 Mild Lager left me impressed. Its rich maltiness ensures a distinct bitter blast around the tongue, one that feels more enjoyable with each sip. “Indian lagers are easy to gulp down because you don’t taste anything. In Germany, meanwhile, the traditional way is to boil the malts twice, at different temperatures. That is why the bitterness comes through,” explains Bhargava. 

Even as a glut of brands has introduced Indians to wheat beer in the last few years, good lagers remain scarce. The few decent ones available have few takers, mainly owing to their high price or lack of easy availability. That, Bhargava feels, will change only when Indian consumers educate themselves about beer. “Selling beer also involves raising awareness. As consumers, we are willing to experiment more now, and with knowledge, people will truly start appreciating superior beers.” 

Bhargava has no intention of stopping. Coming up later this year is a version of the German wheat beer (weissbier), a hugely exciting proposition that hopes to introduce the Indian palate to the distinct notes of banana and mango. Bavarian weissbiers has always been known for their somewhat outlandish choice of ingredients: in addition to banana and mango, makers also experiment with chocolate, bubble gum and clove. Also in the works is a Spanish strong beer. Given the prospects, I can’t wait for peak winter to pass and for peak summer to arrive. 

In Delhi, the Proost69 is available in 330ml (White Ale) and 500ml 

(Mild Lager) variants for Rs 170 and Rs 150, respectively