BENGALURU: The city is getting a feel of the Indian spirit in its many forms. A few pioneers are bringing indigenous spirits into the mainstream, giving people a taste of heritage liquor in pure, distilled form.
While almost every region in the country has its local brew, like palm toddy in Kerala, cashew feni in Goa or rice brews in the North East, licensing laws don’t allow their sales outside the state they’re manufactured in without arduous paperwork. Desmond Nazareth, a Goa-based craft distiller, however, has taken on the mahua spirit – traditionally made by the tribals of Central India using mahua flowers – and is putting it on bar tops across the country. The colourless spirit is obtained from the flowers of mahua trees found in large numbers in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.
Desmond Nazareth wants to make mahua the national drink of India.
Nazareth says he discovered mahua by chance a few years ago while hunting for agave in Daman. It took him over five years to get permissions to brew it in Goa. Most of the mahua he produces is made from flowers from Odisha. It is distilled in Andhra Pradesh and bottled in Goa. Till recently, the mahua spirit, sold under the brand Desmondji Mahua, was available only in Goa. It has now entered Karnantaka. In fact, Windmill Craftworks in Whitefield is hosting a Mahua festival till the end of the week with eight mahua cocktails on offer.
“I want to make mahua the national drink of India. It’s not a country liquor, but a refined drink with a unique flavour profile. Mahua is the only spirit that is distilled from a natural sweet flower,” Nazareth says. The cocktails include a mahua take on the Cosmopolitan, which has the sweetness of mahua and orange juice, sourness of lemon juice, and the tartiness of grapefruit juice. Another cocktail is the mahua and tonic – a twist on the popular Gin and Tonic.
Mumbai-based Native Brews is also awaiting permissions to bottle and sell mahua in Maharashtra.
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This World Beer Day Learn How To Tell Your Lager From An Ale Like A Pro
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Beer can be called the drink for all seasons, and reasons. Whether you're chilling at a sports bar with friends or out for a brunch, the many varieties of beer make it possible to pair the drink with any food.
From lagers to India Pale Ale (IPAs), beer lists continue to grow on menus.
Beer can be broadly classified as an ale or a lager; then depending on their flavours and styles they can be India Pale Ales (IPA), pilsners, porters, stouts, and wheat and Belgian beers, among others.
While the major difference between various beers is the yeast and the temperature they are fermented at, here's a list to help you show-off your beer knowledge the next time you head out.
Beer can be called the drink for all seasons, and reasons. Whether you're chilling at a sports bar with friends or out for a brunch, the many varieties of beer make it possible to pair the drink with..
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The beer for beginners, lagers are brewed at low temperatures, using the bottom-fermenting strains of yeast. This yeast has a lower tolerance to alcohol, making many lagers light and crisp (though that doesn’t hold true for all of them and don’t be surprised to spot a dark, rich lager).
Talking about the growing trend of lager consumption in India, Mahesh Kanchan, Vice President- Marketing, Carlsberg India, said, “Lagers are synonymous with a refined and distinctly satisfying taste.
"Known for their deep, full-flavoured malty notes, lagers have seen great appreciation from the Indian consumer base."
The beer for beginners, lagers are brewed at low temperatures, using the bottom-fermenting strains of yeast. This yeast has a lower tolerance to alcohol, making many lagers light and crisp (though th..
Read More
Brewed with top fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures, ales are usually full-bodied with a hoppy finish. Top-fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has greater tolerance to alcohol, and hence produces stronger (higher alcohol content) beers.
Ales tend to be darker, have a cloudier appearance, and a stronger, more robust flavour.
Brewed with top fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures, ales are usually full-bodied with a hoppy finish. Top-fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has greater tolerance to alcohol, and hence ..
Read More
Perfect for a hot summer day, pilsners are light and refreshing. This beer originated in the town of Plzen in the Czech Republic. Pale lagers were flavoured with a stronger hop called the Saaz hop, resulting in the hoppy Pilsner. Most of them tend to have around 5-6% ABV.
Perfect for a hot summer day, pilsners are light and refreshing. This beer originated in the town of Plzen in the Czech Republic. Pale lagers were flavoured with a stronger hop called the Saaz hop, r..
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Wheat beer, as the name suggests, is made up of at least 50 per cent wheat. The wheat content is much higher than in other beers that primarily contain barley or rye.
While most wheat beers are pale and cloudy, they are also light and refreshing.
Some varieties are Hefeweizen (a Bavarian beer with banana, bubblegum, and clove notes), Dunkelweizen (a darker hefeweizen with a more roasted malt), Weizenbock (a stronger hefeweizen with more fruit and malt flavours), Witbier (a Belgian style wheat beer), Berliner Weisse (a northern Bavarian light and sour beer), and American Wheat (the American version of a German wheat beer).
Wheat beer, as the name suggests, is made up of at least 50 per cent wheat. The wheat content is much higher than in other beers that primarily contain barley or rye.
While most wheat beers are pale..
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You can love India Pale Ales (IPAs), or hate them, but this is one category you definitely can't ignore. IPAs come in a range of styles; some may be bitter and have high alcohol content, while the others will taste citrus or fruity. Some of the common IPA styles include British IPA, West Coast IPA, Oat IPA, Belgian IPA, and Sour IPA.
You can love India Pale Ales (IPAs), or hate them, but this is one category you definitely can't ignore. IPAs come in a range of styles; some may be bitter and have high alcohol content, while the ..
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