WHY IS CRAFT BEER EXPENSIVE? IS IT WORTH THE MONEY?

Craft beer, for a lot of people, is definitely a pricier option when compared to commercial brands. 2020 has been a struggle for the craft beer community, and continues to be incessant struggle, pushing everyone to be more vigilant with their spending patterns. Having said that, I believe that craft beer is worth every penny. If you love a cold one, whether it’s meeting up with buddies, an after work tipple, a brunch indulgence or even just a night cap - local craft beer, passionately brewed, offering innovative styles and flavor, is the best thing out there! Lets give some perspective to why these locally crafted beers tend to be pricy and hopefully you find your moneys worth after reading this.

“Good beer ain’t cheap and cheap beer ain’t good” – well someone said that about work, but, who wants to talk about work here, right!

Built on the idea of “quality over quantity”, craft beer brewers take different styles, spending countless hours experimenting and perfecting a recipe, so that we can experience the taste of a good beer.

So why is craft beer expensive?

Craft beer, generally, with exceptions of course, is brewed in smaller production batches, with brewers obsessed with brewing techniques, using first-rate ingredients and attention to the final flavor the beer, that we beer lovers will divulge into.

Something distinctive in the recipe

Craft beer, almost every time, tends to surprise you with their brews. Brewers, innovatively come up with variety of flavors, from, oatmeal breakfast stout to Mango inspired IPA’s.

Recently, Goa Brewing Co., a microbrewery based in Goa, gave us a sneak peek, on Instagram, into what’s brewing with them. They are making a beer using Udko rice, which is a local Goan rice, coming from the fields surrounding their brewery. You will not find such artistry and a support for local products with commercial mass produced beer, will you?

Now, tell me, doesn’t such passion, ingenuity and hard work deserve the extra buck!

Quality Ingredients

With an aim to produce good quality beer, compromising on the ingredients is not an option. With a good set-up, a microbrewery or brewpubs can buy grains in bulk, but the quality has to be maintained. Many breweries in India, import their grains to keep their beers to a standard which is accepted, first and foremost, for themselves.

Simba, a Delhi based craft beer, after laborious research, uses fresh water from the nearby river, in Durg, Chattisgarh, where their brewery is located. Simba, popularly, is growing and can be found in the major cities in India. Simba, also uses orange peels, imported from Europe for their wit beer, and roasted barley and oats for their stout.

Hops, a key ingredient used by most of the craft brewers, which along with having antibacterial effects, acts as stabilizing agent in beer manufacturing, imparts bitterness and the wonderful flavors that we have become use too, when we refer craft beers of course. The hop – called humulus lupulus, is a perennial plant native to North America & Europe is very difficult to grow. As hops are sensitive to the terrain they grow in, biggest challenge for India is the temperature, as it requires colder climate to thrive. United States, is the leading producer, followed by Germany, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Britain and Australia. Hops cultivation has sprouted in India, but majority of the craft beer industry import hops for their breweries.

Craft beer is an experience

Going from, a Saison, with low bitterness zesty aroma with a peppery finish to a wheat ale, with classic notes of banana and cloves, followed by a caramel malted pale ale, and finishing with a stout combining coffee and chocolate perfectly, is what craft beer is all about.

Craft beer brewers spend months trying to balance and perfect their beer recipes. They give us beer lovers something to look forward to, something to get intrigued by, something to cherish and love. Try putting a dozen, of these mainstream beer, next to each other, which almost look the same pale yellow and watery, will taste the same. On the other hand, put 12 different craft beers together, and you will be lucky to find two with similar taste patterns.

Distribution

The big players in the beer market, like United Breweries ltd. and AB Inbev, carrying the likes of Kingfisher and Budweiser, have their own distribution channels. One can find these beers at every corner of the country. Barring the Covid impact, the Indian beer market is still proving to be a huge growth opportunity. The craft beer industry in India, with now over 10 years under its belt, still at a nascent stage, only holds 2-3% of this growing beer market, as compared to 12% in the US.

Bira91, launched in 2015, has emerged as the bigger player in the beer market. With great brand positioning and competitive pricing, they have revolutionized craft beers in India. The change is visible with Bira, as it provides distinct taste with various styles which resonates with the youth.

It is difficult for smaller craft breweries to reach their customer. Smaller budgets, shorter shelf life of beer and a cold-chain of distribution infrastructure, make it even harder for them to get their beers to larger portions of the marker. Having said that, the craft beer production has grown. GlobalData, a statistics and analytics company, projected craft beer production in India to rise to 43 million in 2019, as compared to 0.15 million liters in 2014.

Definitely drink some craft!

With growing urban population and youth getting crafty with experimenting with different styles and flavors of beer, the future is bright for craft beers in India. Taking note of the rising popularity of craft beers, big beer brands are eyeing the market as well. For example, the launch of Kingfisher Ultra Wit…but who are we kidding honestly?

Bottled craft beer range from Rs.130 to Rs.350, so, there is an option for different budgets. There are craft beers like, White Owl’s – Diablo and Yavira – Basmati Pilsner by Kimaya Brewing Company priced at Rs.130 in the market. Pricier, but delicious options like Kati Patang’s – Snappy Wheat at Rs.220, Goa Brewing Company’s – Breakfast Cereal Stout at Rs.200 and BrewDog’s – Punk IPA priced at Rs.350 are also available. Bira91 and Simba both are very competitively priced, with price range between Rs.140 to 180 a pint.

With growlers now gaining the traction it deserves in Mumbai and Pune, after ease of restriction and Maharashtra allowing breweries to deliver their batches in the form of growlers. Growler stations have started popping-up at different parts of Mumbai. It is the perfect time to experiment with your beer choices and get immersed in the world of craft beer. Growler are priced at Rs.500 a liter and breweries are running great offers like 4+1 (offer in liters) which are definitely a steal.

The craft beer industry in India and all over the world have fought valiantly, and hopefully not in vain, to survive through these tough times. They need our support to survive, grow and flourish, and most importantly, keep brewing our favorite beers for years to come.

So, if you are reading this, anywhere is world, and nodding your head looking at the price of craft beer, keep in mind that craft beer is more than just your watery, pale yellow looking beverage. It is complex, with layers of flavor, made with passion and using carefully curated recipes, with the best of ingredients

If you feel like drinking a cold one next time or have an itch for experimenting with different styles and complex flavors of beer, grab a craft beer from your local store or go have it at the nearest brewpub. And if you are in Mumbai and Pune, get your growlers delivered to your home, they won’t disappoint.