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Indian beer nostagia


bague25

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We’ve finally managed to source Kingfisher here in Brussels. This was a problem since most Indian storeowners are Muslim and so will not sell alcohol.

Sigh! When in Bombay we loved Flying Horse. Does it still exist? What are the other beers available in India now?

Don't know about India but here in the DC metro area (US)

Kingfisher- origionally from India, then bottled in the UK and now Sarratoga New York!!

Taj Mahal which in India, I believe, is Kalyani Black Label.

Golden Eagle

Crait (sp) a new one which the distributor was trying to push recently

Maharaja

Flying Horse

These was another one called Lal Toofan which I dont see any more

Then recently at the Indian store I saw two other of higher alcohol content, the names of which elude me.

another one called cobra also comes to mind.

My fav is the golden eagle, especially the one brewed at Solan, with that wonderful mountain water. The Golden eagle we get here though is brewed in the south somewhere, perhaps to save shipping, it does not come close, specially after its long travel but you got to work with what you get.

bhasin

Bombay Curry Company

3110 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305. 703. 836-6363

Delhi Club

Arlington, Virginia

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  • 2 weeks later...
We’ve finally managed to source Kingfisher here in Brussels. This was a problem since most Indian storeowners are Muslim and so will not sell alcohol.

I thought that the Asian store opposite Marriott carried beers from all over Asia ? but then I may have not paid too much attention to indian beer - Come to think of it, Belgium is known for its beers worldwide - :raz:

anil

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There are always "new" beers surfacing in India, but it's a market much subject to the vagaries of strong competition - and the ensuing dirty tricks reminding me of the "Cola Wars".

San Miguel beer (very good, from the Philippines) made a short appearance a few years ago, but the big guys made sure it went under - fast.

Foster deteriotated tremendously in quality a couple of years ago, and no one would drink it anymore. Lately it's improved again, so it has a strong market.

The best here in Goa is a locally made beer, Arlem.

Between the ups and downs of the beer wars, people tend to return to the ubiquitous Kingfisher - always there, and always predictably mediocre.

But it's like the old soft drinks of India: since nothing else was available, everyone was brought up from childhood drinking Gold Spot, Limca, Thumbs Up, etc. etc.

Some people still love the stuff.

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:cool:

Yea, Episure - I thought you might. :rolleyes:

And regarding feni... it has a strong bouquet of unwashed sweats and football dirty socks!

My favourite thirst quencher here in Goa is a home made brew, served chilled, of lemongrass, mint and ginger. Great on a hot day!

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And regarding feni... it has a strong bouquet of unwashed sweats and football dirty socks!

i secured a couple bottles of feni exported to california--somebody (can't remember who, but thanks!) provided a link earlier.

it's fragrant for sure, but more lycheewise than sockwise. atypical??

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Whippy,

the dirty sock/ sweats "bouquet" is typical of the fermentation process of the cashew apple. I know this is the one bugbear that Goans (and the whole Malabar coast) has had to contend with in order to make feni palatable to the outside world.

There is a local feni manufacturer here in Goa, in Saligao (Santa Rosa Distillery), who claims his "export quality" hooch is free of any redolent touch. But I am not

brave enough to try it!

The California lychee-flavoured feni sounds interesting though - but what a marriage!

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My fav is the golden eagle, especially the one brewed at Solan, with that wonderful mountain water. The Golden eagle we get here though is brewed in the south somewhere, perhaps to save shipping, it does not come close, specially after its long travel but you got to work with what you get.

bhasin

Much like Lowenbrau when it was actually brewed in Europe, rather than by license in the US...lost it's character...

Edited by jw46 (log)
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  • 1 month later...

I was in Southern California recently and had, Dansberg (allegedly owend by Danny Denzogppa, the movie Star), India Special, and Havard 5000, also a impressive vodka called Snow Lion, all from India. All these were available on top of the usual suspects, ie Taj ,KF, Golden Egale etc etc...

Oh, and Dansberg was my favorite.

Edited by M65 (log)

"Burgundy makes you think of silly things, Bordeaux

makes you talk about them, and Champagne makes you do them." Brillat-Savarin

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