On Sunday, beer lovers gathered at the Tapped Festival in Mahalaxmi racecourse in Mumbai. If there’s one thing that the crowd looks forward to at the event, it’s the new launches of craft beers as well as breweries.
Here’s a roundup of refreshing brews that will provide momentary relief from the sweltering heat.
Oi Brewing Co
The Pune-based brewery debuted in Mumbai at the Tapped Festival with a host of interesting brews such as coconut-husk smoked ale, guava IPA and organic lager. Their ticket to win is that they claim to use organic and indigenous ingredients. The brews, rich in flavour, are crafted by the inimitable Brew Master, Oliver Schauf, the co-founder of Doolally. The coconut-husk smoked ale, with a lingering aftertaste of the drupe, was much sought after. The guava IPA is made richer with the beautiful aromas of the fruit.
To order: @oibrewingcompany, Instagram
Gobby X Igloo
One of the ways to pilot a new product is to do collaborations. Mumbai-based Gobby is yet to launch, so they partnered with the Igloo craft beers to create a brew named Jazzieee. It’s a wheat beer infused with jasmine flowers. As the beer slowly warms up in your hand, it starts to release the calming scent of the flower, completing the cycle of aroma to taste. Gobby will officially launch in a few weeks.
For updates: @drinkgobby, Instagram
Great State Aleworks
I began the evening with the hoppy lager named Even Flow from Great State Aleworks which set the tone for what was to follow. A dark lager is often ignored in Mumbai’s sweltering heat, but this one is meant for those who are curious about beers and love them too.
To order: @greatstate.aleworks, Instagram
Kimaya
After the palate awakening Even Flow, I tried the mango wheat from Kimaya Brewing Co. An ale infused with west coast’s superstar summer fruit Alphonso, it tasted a bit like khatta aam with mild scents of its hero ingredient. Later, I was told that it wasn’t supposed to be sour, but perhaps the mangoes that were used were khatta. Nevertheless, it left an impression.
To order: Call on 8975757849
2 Down Beer Co
Almost every brewery at the Tapped festival had a fruity brew for they are most in demand during summer. Earlier this year, 2 Down Beer Co created a gose-style beer which is known for its sour flavour, and added chaat masala to take it up a few notches. At the festival, they had people queuing up for the pineapple-infused gose. The new release is a palate-pleasing pilsner named Daddy Cool which is an excellent pick for summer.
To order: www.2downbeer.com
Also read | Add flavour to summer with lemongrass recipes
