Startups : Crafting the Perfect Brew

The gradual easing of the ‘Manufacture of Beer and Wine rules, 1966’ in the past few years paved the way for microbreweries or ‘brewpubs’. Bringing home the ‘beer on tap’ concept, most microbreweries now tout their own ‘artisan’ brews that whet palates of snob seekers of the famed Hefeweizen (wheat beer) while also cajoling newbies to associate beer with everyday beverage drink. A ‘hop-in’ at Pune’s Independence Brewing Company Pvt. Ltd. (IBC), reveals the passion and creativity of engineer-turned expert brew master, Shailendra Bist, Co-founder and CEO ---a believer in amalgamating the art and science of crafting class ales meticulously.

Sporting the “Freedom From Boring Beers”- printed on his T-shirt, Shailendra Bist, Cofounder and CEO of Independence Brewing Company Pvt. Ltd. (IBC), conveys his ‘stout’ pursuit of ‘bringing home the ale’ to all.

Paying obeisance to the ancient ‘Hymn to Ninkasi’– in praise of the Sumerian goddess of beer, and an ancient recipe for brewing, Shailly (Bist) as he is fondly known in the circle, acknowledges his thirst for tweaking beer recipes for home blends. The result is a wide variety going beyond his classic offerings of Belgian styled wit beer, Pale Ale, American Pale Ale, Saison, Brown Porter, and the flagship Indian Pale Ale.

By Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar