One For The Road

Bengaluru is one of the first Indian cities to be recognised for its pub culture. Nikhil Agarwal lists five microbreweries in Karnataka’s capital that promise an enjoyable pint.

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I like Bengaluru; the city has pleasant weather most of the time and the restaurants, bars and brew pubs take advantage of this by creating beautiful outdoor areas for us to enjoy a few drinks.

My first taste of Bengaluru’s craft beer was about four or five years ago when I had a free Sunday during a work trip. With nothing else to do, I visited UB City around 5pm. Just as I was about to step in, I spotted The Biere Club (thebiereclub.com), one of the oldest brew pubs in the city, on the opposite side. Intrigued, I walked into an almost empty space on the first floor and sat at the bar counter. Amazed at the styles of beer they had, which I had first been introduced to in Germany, I called for a pint and was mighty impressed on the very first sip.

What I didn’t realise is that The Biere Club is three floors tall. I was shocked to see that the other two floors were teeming with beer guzzlers. That’s when it dawned on me that in Bengaluru, the culture is to arrive at bars early in the evening or during the day on holidays, as most shut before 1am.

Brewpubs is an exploding trend in Bengaluru, most hosting interesting events with quality menus fashioned to pair with the brew of choice. All are run by those passionate about beer and offer great tasting opportunities too.

For those new to beer, bartenders are happy to share information on the lagers and ales; educating guests on the brewing process. A few even conduct tours of their breweries.

Not taking for granted that everyone loves beer, these brew pubs offer spirits and wines as well.

The best part about these watering holes is that they’re light on the pocket. A few hundred rupees for a delicious pint of beer is all one can ask for.