CHENNAI: Adulthood in Chennai isn’t complete without getting together with friends and planning a road trip to Pondy in the interest of bringing back a cheap alcohol bounty. If you were the kind with more time in hand and some experience outside the city, you’d be headed in the other direction — to Bengaluru to revel in one of the many microbreweries and locally crafted beers it has to offer. In 2021, at the start of a new decade — when a pandemic continues to dictate terms and alcohol prices even in the haven that is Pondy has not been the same — nothing has changed. For Chennai, unlike other metros, still misses out on the wide range of businesses and the cosmopolitan culture that microbreweries have to offer.
No room for variety
Bengaluru was the first city Mridula Ramadugu lived in independently, after growing up in Chennai. While there isn’t much she would trade her city for, the one thing that had her reconsidering her sentiments was the dismal lack of options when it came to what one could drink. “When you come back, the one thing you evidently notice is whichever restobar you pick, you get the same KF (Kingfisher) beer,” points out the entrepreneur, photographer and traveller.
This lack of variety is what irks TT Sriram, the frontman of the indie band Skrat, too. “You get one beer in Chennai, which is KF Select. It is normal lager and you can call it extra strong or ultra strong but it is only one option. It is made by Kalyani Breweries. I will never complain because once this KF Select is taken away from me, I will know the value of it,” he jokes, somewhat reflecting the common sentiment among beer-drinking Chennai folk when they accept what is offered.
While over the years, Chennai has managed to bring in a few Japanese and German brands to augment its wheat beer choices, you end up having to shell out more money even for beers that are cheaper in other cities. Mridula points to Bira which is pretty much an urban legend in these parts as an example. Having experienced the microbrewery culture in Bengaluru, Hyderabad (“It’s almost like a Bangalore when it comes to its IT culture and breweries”) and Mumbai (“Ordering Bira in Bombay is like going anywhere here and ordering lemon soda!”), coming back to Chennai which has everything but backyard breweries is quite a letdown, she narrates.
Many a hurdle
While Chennai’s conservative tag may have held it back from reaping the benefits of this industry, Raghavender of Angi Clothing points out that Kannadigas who are considered to be far more conservative have managed to overcome that hiccup and allow for a robust microbrewery ecosystem in Bengaluru. “We don’t allow for Chennai’s nightlife to develop, holding on to the notion that drinking will destroy the family and the city itself. And with our politicians spearheading prohibition demands, we’ve turned this into this evil substance. Besides, getting a licence doesn’t come easily for alcohol. Isn’t that why we had Hard Rock Cafe open as a juice bar?” he notes, alluding to rumours of large scale bribes being demanded of the business.
The introduction of breweries will remove the taboo around beer, one that is present around most other alcohol, points out Sriram. “You’ll realise that the alcohol content in beer only comes from cheap beer and extra strong ones. When you have good stuff, you don’t get drunk. You just enjoy the drink. That is like appreciating the whole aspect of it. Yes, it has alcohol but it has to be considered as a brewmaster’s item. And it’s the easiest way to give premium, exclusive drinks, instead of it being with an expensive bottle of whiskey or vodka,” he suggests.
A place for it all
And the city isn’t without potential. At least according to Raghu Raman, restaurateur, consultant and owner of Cycle Gap. If not for the pandemic, Chennai may as well have had a microbrewery already, he says. “We were making some arrangements at Dank, Black Orchid and other places to make way for breweries. But, we’ve been facing a hard time because of the Covid pandemic. Before Covid, the entire industry was scaling up very well. It might be Covid or any other situation, the first thing to shut down will be the liquor industry. And it’ll be the last to open. Now, everyone is in survival mode. In this juncture, opening up for new ventures might work,” he offers, adding that breweries require more investment than a restobar and might not be a viable choice for many in the business right now.
Besides, there are policy-level restrictions that need to be addressed too, he says. While, after much debate and criticism, TASMAC shops have been allowed to function, the fate of pubs and restobars has not been the same. We need to begin by making it the same for both parties, he suggests. “Acquiring a licence for a new venture too comes with many hurdles. If they can cut down on this and offer ease of business (like in other cities), it will be better,” he notes.
Busting the commonly held belief that microbreweries would affect the business of party-specific distilleries established in the state, Raghu points out that breweries would fall under retail business while the former will continue to rule the roost in the wholesale domain. Even within the retail umbrella, microbreweries will be region-specific and allow for more healthy competition, he adds.
Plenty to offer
Raghav, emulating the sentiments of Kissflow’s Suresh Sambandam, points out that microbreweries would invite much more corporate investment to the city, allowing for more development. This is one of the recurring suggestions in his Dream Tamilnadu mission of transforming the state into a trillion-dollar economy without compromising on the environment or people’s livelihood, he explains.
What more, microbreweries — on their own — can give way to immediate employment opportunities, says K Swathi, brand manager of Ironhill India. The microbrewery giant was recently set up in Marathahalli, Bengaluru. “Considering the kind of massive outlets we open, we employ hundreds of people in various positions — ground level staff to management. So, there will be a lot of demand from our end. We will definitely be able to increase job opportunities,” she says.
It’ll be a great attraction for tourists and travellers, points out Mridula. Something the city misses out on sorely right now, with visitors resorting to escapes in Mahabalipuram and Puducherry to make up for it.
Despite its many perks, the city has remained shuttered to the potential of microbreweries. With International Beer Day (August 6) just behind us, this seems as good a time as any to present this argument all over again. What’s to come of it? Here’s hoping.