Whether it’s a fun game night or a spontaneous party, beer often takes centre stage. The crisp pop of the bottle and the rising froth invite camaraderie, relaxation, and laughter among friends.
One sip of the chilled drink can cool you down, leaving subtle notes of hops, malt, or fruit to linger pleasantly. Lager, with its crisp, clean taste, is especially popular, while Pilsners, which hail from the Czech Republic, offer a slightly bitter finish with a strong hop flavour and aroma.
For hot Indian summers, wheat beers, known for their fruity and spicy notes, are a refreshing choice. Porter and Stout, with their dark colours and roasted malt flavours, present distinct profiles. Stouts often hint at coffee, chocolate, and caramel, while Porters are smooth with a subtle sweetness. From Pale Ales and Belgian-style Ales to an array of craft beers, there’s a beer to match every preference.
According to Vedic literature, the history of beer (sura) in India dates back to 1500 BC. It was made from basic ingredients like fermented barley and rice-based beverages infused with local fruits and spices. Interestingly, these ancient recipes continue to be used in some regions. Today, most beers are brewed with malted barley, hops, yeast, and water. Modern beer first arrived in India with the British in the 1700s.
During the colonial period, British beers endured a six-month journey to India, often arriving spoiled. Many beers were dumped into the sea upon arrival. The voyage’s temperature variations, from the North Atlantic’s coolness to the equator’s heat, wreaked havoc on the beer’s quality. To combat this, breweries began adding more hops to prevent spoilage, and by 1760, this became a standard practice.
George Hodgson of London’s Bow Brewery later solved the spoilage issue by creating a lighter style of beer known as Pale Ale with high alcohol and hop levels. These beers became popular in India, although the market was initially lukewarm. The Indian Pale Ale (IPA) found greater success in England, evolving into British and American IPA varieties.
These styles changed again during World War I. To conserve grains, British beers were brewed at a lower strength, changing IPA’s character. Slowly, the drink’s appeal faded. Later, in the 1990s, the drink found new life on the American West Coast where craft brewers revised the olden style by using more hops. Today, IPAs are a global standard, proudly bearing the name of the country where they were never originally brewed.
Did you know?
The earliest evidence of brewing beer dates back to about 3500-2900 B.C.
World’s only beer swimming pool is the Schloss Starkenberger brewery, Austria