A pintessential hip hop

With great tipple comes great responsibility to hold your alcohol like a pro. And now with the recent International Beer Day, Bengaluru was buzzing with excitement. Yet, that isn’t the latest development; young Bengalureans are infusing organic with high ‘spirits’ and indulging in probiotic beer to go!

The world has been exploding with the news of researchers in Singapore having brewed up a beer containing probiotic bacteria. However, Bengaluru has been riding the organic wagon for a while now.

Not very long ago, the city came up with the idea of the infusing local produces like mangoes, coconuts and raagi into creating beer. “Our motto is to discover beer, and raagi adds just the right amount of  earthy aroma to it. The response has been amazing and we did not expect it. Coconut stout to mangoes — seasonal beer is in. The expat population in the city, looking for indigenously brewed beer, are among its biggest patrons,” states brewer Rohit Parwani, adding, “It was a brand new concept that nobody knew about or understood, but like most things, it caught on. People are a lot more sophisticated about their tipple choices now.”

The simplest description of organic beer is that it’s brewed from 95 percent of organic ingredients. As city-based nutritionist Ajitha M mentions, “There’s no financial benefit as organic beer is every bit as pricey as regular ones, but the health benefits are plenty. Anti-cancer properties, a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, increased bone density – these are only a few among many. Apart from acting as a serious stress buster, it also has great anti-ageing properties.

Gone are the days when downing a beer was all about getting buzzed. Today, it’s a lot more about relishing the texture and ambience. “There are over 25 microbreweries in the city and I’ve sampled a good number of interesting brews. What never goes out of style is giving the good old beer a regional twist,” opines 22-year-old engineer Mayank Manjunath.  From the Yuengling Light Lager, the Abita Purple Haze and the Left Hand Good Juju, Bengaluru has moved on to raagi and locally grown fruits, spices and veggies. While the probiotic Singaporean beer has not yet been given a name, the city knows exactly what and who to call for their organic beer cravings. As popular outlets are offering beer all through the remarkable day, city-based lawyer Sammith Dixith says, “We are bored of drinking bottled beer. This is a godsend for all the beer-heads who were ridiculed by health maniacs. Now, even the health obsessed will join them and guzzle this beer without any guilt!”