A hot Sunday afternoon and your favourite bottle of CHILLED beer in hand. Sounds like paradise, doesn’t it?
Beer, one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the world, is consumed by a vast number of people. It can be consumed during any season, even though beer is preferred during the summer. We are sure you have your favourite go-to beer brand that you never fail to order on a night out, but a little exploration never hurt anyone. International beer brands like Corona, Stella, Fosters, Carlsberg, Heineken and Budweiser are very popular in India, but in this post, we will discuss the Indian beer brands.
Beer is a drink that the British brought along with them to India. The Britishers set up the first brewery in India as well as in Asia, that produced a pale ale called Lion.
One of the most easily available beers in India is Lager beer. There is a huge variety of Indian beer brands and it is something that people should know about these Indian Beer brands. Each and every Indian brands of beer have a unique taste and aroma. While you are trying out different beers from this Indian beer brands list, you may find the perfect beer that suits your taste. To help you expand your knowledge of the various brands of Indian beer, here’s a list of best beer brands of Indian origin.
Also Read: The Best Types Of Alcoholic Beverages
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The BIG BEER review by Mishry – Our panel consisted of beer enthusiasts who helped us in blind tasting of 12 popular beer brands available in India. After judging them for three specific parameters of Aroma, Appearance & Taste, we announced our winners for the Best Lager Beer & Best Wheat Beer in India.
Table of Contents
10 Best Beer Brands In India
Here are the top ten Indian beer brands. (The prices mentioned in the article are subject to change.)
1. Kingfisher – One Of The Best Indian Beer Brands
Here is the first in the Indian beer brand name list. One of the best, popular and widely available beers in India is the Kingfisher beer. Kingfisher is a very famous Indian beer brand that is brewed by United Breweries Group, Bangalore. Kingfisher is a top favorite beer brand for many Indians. It’s a brand that established itself in the 1970s.
The brand offers a wide range of choices that you can choose from like Kingfisher Premium and Ultra. When you look for Kingfisher beers, the most famous ones are Kingfisher Premium and Kingfisher Ultra. They contain a strong alcohol content. If you prefer a strong beer, you can choose Kingfisher Strong. The light taste and malt of the beer make it a perfect choice for someone who’s drinking beer for the first time. Kingfisher is one of the best Indian origin beer brands. One of the beers in the premium range is the Kingfisher Ultra (which contains around 5% alcohol). It’s a light beer that’s going to help you enjoy the drink.
Kingfisher, like many other beer brands, bring out new products keeping in mind the taste and preferences of the consumers. The latest move is bringing out its first craft beer, Ultra Witbier. It’s a beer that has a lesser percentage of alcohol than Kingfisher Ultra.
Kingfisher also has a Non Alcoholic Beverage called Kingfisher Radler. We tried and tasted all three flavors of Kingfisher Radler and here is what we thought about it.
| Beer Name | Beer Brands Price List |
| Kingfisher Ultra | Rs 50/- for 330 ml |
| Kingfisher Premium | Rs 55/- for 330 ml (Bottle) |
| Kingfisher Strong | Rs 90/- for 500 ml (Can) |
2. One Of India’s Oldest Beer Brands – Kalyani Black Label
One of India’s most famous as well as the oldest beer brands is the Kalyani Black Label. Kalyani Black Label is brewed by United Breweries Group, the same as Kingfisher. The cost of a 330 ml bottle is around Rs 50/-. Kalyani Black Label is very popular and widely consumed in Kolkata and other eastern states of India.
Kalyani Black Label is available in the two varieties- strong and mild. You can choose which beer you prefer according to your bitterness tolerance. The uniqueness of the drink lies in the taste which you can describe as mellow. While many beers have a strong after-taste, Kalyani Black Label is different. Kalyani Black Label has a sweet after-taste. Kalyani Black Label is one of the beer brands on the list of top ten Indian beer brands in India for a long time.
3. Haywards – An Iconic Indian Beer Brand
The next on the list of Indian made beer brands is Haywards. Haywards is a very popular beer brand in India and popular among all beer lovers. Launched in 1974, the iconic Haywards 5000 is still as popular.
The first beer that belongs to the Haywards brand is mild, which is Haywards 2000. Later, a more robust version of the drink, the Haywards 5000 came in the market. It is one of the best beers that Haywards beer brand has to offer. The intense flavour and aroma of the Haywards 5000 beer give it the prestige that the brand carries.
No beer can match up to the unique taste of the Haywards 5000. Another factor that makes the drink famous is the after-taste. You will either love it, or hate it. There is no in between. Haywards surely belongs to the list of top Indian brands of beer.
4. Godfather – Famous Indian Beer Brands
One of the most popular local Indian beer brand is Godfather. It’s a flagship beer brand of a famous company in Jammu, Devans Modern Breweries Limited. Established in 1961, Godfather beer is one of the oldest Indian beer brands.
The Godfather beer is available in three different varieties – Strong, Medium and Lite. Godfather (Strong) has an alcohol percentage of 7%. If you want a beer that has a medium alcohol percentage, you can go for the Godfather (Medium) which has 5% alcohol content. Lastly, the Lite beer has 4.5% of alcohol.
Another feature of the Godfather that sets it apart is the brewing cycle. The brewing cycle for the Godfather takes up to twenty days. It’s a period that’s ten days longer than the usual time it takes to brew a regular beer. A change in the cycle will change the taste of the beer. When you compare the Godfather to a Kingfisher or Haywards, it has a bitter taste.
5. A Famous Urban Beer – Bira 91
Now that we have read about 5 brand names of beer, Indian beer, we will move on to the next. Bira beer Indian brand, is a famous beer easily available in the urban cities and towns of India. It’s a beer which will give you a different experience when you compare it to a Haywards or a Kingfisher. While most beers have a strong and powerful taste, Bira 91 is a little lighter in the flavour. You will find Bira 91 in between the Indian mainstream beer brands and is a little expensive in comparison. Therefore, you can categorize Bira as one of the expensive Indian beer brands. Undoubtedly, Bira beer comes in one of the top 5 Indian beer brands.
Bira 91 has a variety of different alcohol content beers. The alcohol content of the beers by Bira range from 5% to 8%. If you are diet conscious or calorie conscious, Bira has a beer called Bira 91 Light, which is a beer that has 4% alcohol.
The average price of Bira beers like Bira White, Bira 91 Strong and Bira 91 Blunt are somewhere between Rs 90/- and Rs 120/- (330 ml bottle).
As a comparatively new entrant in the beer market, Bira is fast catching up with it’s competitors by bringing out new and exciting beers. Even though it is new and expensive in comparison, it is still one of the best beer brands in indian market.
6. Indian Brands of Beer – Knockout
SABMiller is one of the largest brewer in India that brews Knockout. Knockout is a beer brand that’s famous in a few selected states of India like Telangana and Maharashtra. It is a strong beer which is priced around Rs 105/- for a 650 ml bottle. Knockout beer has a strong aroma and. a gives a ‘kick’ when you drink it.
7. The Famous Indian Beers Brands – Royal Challenge
Bira 91 has a variety of different alcohol content beers. The alcohol content of the beers by Bira range from 5% to 8%. If you are diet conscious or calorie conscious, Bira has a beer called Bira 91 Light, which is a beer that has 4% alcohol.
Like Godfather, Royal Challenge also has a long brewing cycle. Due to the long brewing cycle, the taste changes. Royal challenge has a smooth taste and gives a wonderful experience while drinking it.
If you compare Kalyani Black Label and Royal Challenge for flavour, Kalyani may win. However, the taste and flavour of Royal Challenge are different and unique making it a good Indian brand beer.
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8. One Of The Best Domestic Indian Beer Brands – King’s Beer
Most tourists in Goa flock to the bar for the taste of locally crafter beer – King’s. Beaches and beer go hand in hand. One of the best beers that are perfect for the beaches in Goa is the King’s. The beer was available only in Goa till 2015, however, now it’s available in many other parts of the country too. While expanding the market, it also keeps increasing the variety of beer available. King’s is on the list of popular Indian beer brands.
One of the most famous beer brands has a renowned beer, King’s Black Label Premium Pilsner. It has a light taste with a smoky malt aroma. The uniqueness of the beer is its fermentation process that happens in low temperature – so the beer gets a crisp taste. Another highlight of the beer is that it’s gluten-free. The alcohol content of the beer ranges from 4% to 8%.
9. A Favorite Amongst The Young – Simba
Simba is a beer brand that is immensely famous in urban India. It’s just another add-on to the list of Indian beer brands. Simba is one of the best options for you if you don’t like the bitterness of the standard beers.
The famous Indian brand of beer is available in four ranges- Wit, Stout, Strong and Light. Wit is the beer that has 5% alcohol content and is a Belgian style of light-bodied wheat beer, with a pinch of lemongrass and orange. Simba is a very popular Indian beer brand name.
Bottled Stout beer is one of the first of its kind in India. Stout has a different flavour from Wit. With a dark color and chocolate like flavor, it is a very nice Indian beer brand. Wit and Stout have very different flavors.
10. Beer With A Strong Taste – Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt was launched in 1984 by Mount Shivalik Breweries Ltd. Thunderbolt is a strong beer that has a very bitter first sip. It has a high alcohol content of 8%.
Other local beers like Bullet (Rajasthan) and Zingaro are also consumed widely.
Fun Fact
THE STRONGEST BEER IN THE WORLD HAS A WHOPPING 67.5% ALCOHOL CONTENT.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which brand of beer is good for health in India?
Bira 91 has a variety of different alcohol content beers. The alcohol content of the beers by Bira ranges from 5% to 8%. If you are diet conscious or calorie conscious, Bira has a beer called Bira 91 Light, which is a beer that has 4% alcohol.
2. Which beer is less alcoholic?
Here is the list of some of the less alcoholic beers available in the Indian market.
- Bira 91 Light
- Godfather Lite Beer
- Kingfisher Ultra
3. Which is the smoothest beer?
You can try Godfather and Royal Challenge beer to experience the smoothest beer. Godfather and Royal Challenge have a long brewing cycle. Due to the long brewing cycle, the taste changes and gives a wonderful experience while drinking it.
Conclusion
New to the beer club? When you are trying beer for the first time, you should go for something that’s light. You may undoubtedly dislike it for the first time; however, as you continue to drink beer, that opinion will change. Beer is an acquired taste, like most alcoholic drinks, you will grow a fondness for beer.
In fact, overtime, you may even be able to identify yourself which are the best brands of Indian beer. All the famous Indian famous beer brands have their unique local taste that beer lovers keep going back for.