Tastes change: Craft beer is the new wave
Beers are a part of any celebration, which involves drinking adults. The city folk in Delhi have been exposed to a myriad of beers in the market through sellers and bars, but what has only recently started to develop is a sense of taste. This means a gentle shift from the commercially mass produced average beer to what is known as craft beer. In a conversation with Guardian 20, Mr. Anuj Kushwah, the founder of a revolutionary new project in India and a beer aficionado, spoke about what craft beer(a misunderstood concept) really is and about how he has brought to India his craft beer: Witlinger.
“A craft beer is any beer that is made with very selective ingredients sourced to get certain flavours and aroma.” He adds, “It is made in small batches and not mass produced to ensure quality. In short it is for classes and not for masses.” His craft beer, Witlinger, brings to India this very idea of focusing on flavours and quality by utilising the available expertise of brewing craft beer in the United Kingdom.
This revolution of sorts has been in the making for a while, Kushwah believes that people in the city have started to focus on taste and the fact that there have been multiple microbreweries popping up about the NCR and Gurugram has also rendered the introduction of craft beer more favourable.
Upon enquiry he also spoke about what makes craft beer a far better alternative, “Most craft beers are natural and are composed of high quality ingredients.” This is specifically true since Kushwah’s Witlinger uses prime ingredients like Spanish Orange peel, brewed with fine wheat malt and traditional Ale yeast. He also adds high quality coriander from Indian farms to add hints of spice to the beer. He believes in sticking to the basics and not complicating beers because they are meant for a drinking experience.
Anuj Kushwah, has also taken upon himself to bring about awareness among Indian consumers for which he has started projects like WitParty and #NowRolling. Through these Witlinger, very innovatively sponsors parties where the craft beer is served to consumers who focus on the finer luxuries of drinking and taste.
“India per capita beer consumption is close to 1.6 litres annually, which is very low when compared to world’s average of 55 litres annually. Indian premium beer industry is set to grow at 30% year on year and craft beer will share the biggest chunk of this growth. The demand for premium craft beer is spreading in India, as more and more people are switching to craft beer for its unique taste and healthy ingredients,” shares Kushwah.
This puts India on the map of a completely new culture of drinking. Drinking is not merely about intoxication or jubilation, among the crowds new trends are beginning to develop as their taste continues to evolve due to the exposure in this globalised world. People seek and makers please, it’s simple as that. Since people wish to try new experiences and also seek better tasting beers of a premium quality the market is bound to bring in players like Kushwah and beers like Witlinger. IANS