The Great ‘Indian Beer’ Belly

Watched Delhi Belly the other day… what a mad mad movie!! It was simply hilarious to the core. I in fact, was very happy to see a few stereotypes in the Hindi cinema being broken.

I mean, in Bollywood mainstream cinema when was the last time you saw characters mouthing such bold dialogues, when was the last time the reality of a bachelor’s accommodation was showcased in such cruel detail & when was the last time you saw your on-screen heroes enjoying beer after a hard fought battle. (yes Of course many Bollywood movies have shown beer being served or drunk, but not in the recent past due to some new censor rules).  

The thing is, I tried hard to get the name of the beer used in the movie but couldn’t identify the brand, also knowing Amir Khan’s professionalism & attention to detail in keeping with the storyline I am sure he must have used some local beer brand, which in turn got me thinking… in the past few years with the Indian market flooding with international beer brands where have those old beer brands disappeared. 

Discounting the big players like kingfisher & Hayward’s what happened to those lesser known yet equally loved brands which used to enjoy the same shelf in wine shops along with the kingfishers & Hayward’s. Today their place has been taken by the Budweisers, the Tuborgs, Heinekens Carlsbergs & many more, not that these aren't great beers, but I miss the nostalgia, the excitement, the drama that was associated with those beers   Few of the beers I enjoyed were

Sand Piper beer.. a super smooth beer. This beer looked great in those days due to the silver covering and was the least bitter of the lot.

Royal challenge (RC Beer) another light and smooth beer.

London Pilsner (LP). This is the beer I still enjoy for its light aromas and smooth flavor, This is the closest to sand piper in terms of taste. Also it was the least expensive.

Khajuraho: This beer was a bit stronger than the ones listed above and was a favorite among friends due to its exotic name.

Some stronger beers were

Knock out

Canon 10000

Zingaro 

These beers really had that punch to knock out one's brains.

Lion beer that was made by Mohan Meakin (the same company that makes XXX Old Monk Rum) was one of the first lager beers of Asia.

The golden eagle is another beer that they used to make. few years back they supplied only to the Indian army. Recently its made a comeback in the market.

I know a few of you hate beer because of the way it tastes, but the rest of you would surely agree with me that we Indians just love ‘our’ beer.

The way it was showcased in Delhi belly just endorses the fact that its an ultimate way to relax after a hard day’s work. 

So the next time you buy beer spare a thought for those Indian beers and if you get a chance, try them, enjoy them before they completely vanish behind the heavy marketing of international giants. 

Cheers!!!