Bangalore’s choice: The brewpub. A dozen and counting

Over a dozen of them and all of them rocking. Yes, the brewpub is the watering hole of choice in the city that loves its beer.

Pub to brewpub

Eighteen and counting. That’s the number of brewpubs in Bangalore. The watering hole of the ’80s – dark, smoke-filled, serving KF draught and playing retro music – which gave Bangalore its Pub City sobriquet, has grown up and become the microbrewery-pub.  This is where the with-it set unwinds and where visitors head for a must-do Bangalore experience.

Differently designed

The brewpubs are vast spaces – licensing laws specify a minimum of 10,000 sq feet – with cutting edge design and brewing their beers at the back of the house, as it were. Windmills Craftworks in Whitefield, for instance, is a micro-brewery that is also a jazz theatre and restaurant. The Biere Club, Bangalore’ first brewpub, is inspired by the English pub and when its owner, Arvind and Meenakshi Raju, decided to expand, they created a unique space in Whitefield.

Biere Street is a European-style square, complete with cobbled paths, street furniture and antique lamp posts. Meanwhile, Toit in Indiranagar, one of the first microbreweries on the scene, prefers a local atmosphere. There are quirky touches like an auto rickshaw set indoors and their loyalty programme is called the Kudix club.

It’s all in the mug

Beer-loving Bangalore has needed no coaxing to sample the stuff from boutique-style craft breweries that frequently used imported equipment, ingredients and even expertise. Most of them have some standard brews: an Indian pale ale, a red lager and wheat beer. But the brewmasters can also get creative and showcase their signature styles. The Biere Club’s seasonal mango beer is always a hit as are Toit’s festive brews; 3 Monkeys serves a special a hop-heavy, Canadian-style beer.

Pub Grub

As the beer gets fresh, the food has been given a makeover, too. So, don’t ask for chicken tikka or peanut masala anymore. Punjabi by Nature at Koramangala lives up to its name, serving kasturi kebabas with the beer sampler, the Biere Club serves Mediterranean and the Toit pizza has a huge following. Brewpubs take their food seriously enough to make beer-and-food pairing recommendations on their menus.

That’s Entertainment

The prospect of fresh beers alone is enough to keep Bangalore’s brewpubs buzzing through the week and spill over on the weekends. Still, for those who want some entertaining diversions along with their Stout, there’s quite a line-up. Windmills focuses particularly on live jazz performances, while Biere Club’s comedy nights see a packed house. Avant garde music acts and booze-n-brains quizzes are more Toit’s style and U4ia, the brewpub on New BEL Road, includes a discotheque playing techno and house on weekends. Biere Club also offers brewery tours and tastings, interactions with the brewmaster and beer-and-food pairing sessions.

Some of our fave brews

Toit Dark Knight – very dark, full-bodied, roasty, malty
Biere Club Ale – complex and flavourful
Windmills Craftworks Indian Pale Ale – robust, American style, all about the hops
U4ia Wheat – Bavarian style with malty, sweet palate
3 Monkeys Signature – Canadian style, hoppy and aromatic
Arbor Brewing Company Belgian Tripel –spicy and fruity, with soft malt character