Craft brewer Mehul Patel, who studied fermentation in Pune, was first introduced to ciders when in the USA on an exchange programme. He realised that the abundance of fruits in India, could result in many interesting varieties of ciders. A fermented fruit drink, a cider is suitable for warm weather conditions and can be drunk any time of the day. Following a successful stint at beer brand White Owl, Patel — who later started Wildcraft Beverage — now wants to pass on his knowledge to those enthusiastic about brewing, through workshops.

"This is a 45-minute long, closed format workshop that will give you an introduction to the drink and some common recipes like ginger beer, mango cider, pomegranate cider and pineapple tepache. Once you have learnt these, you can experiment with different kinds of fruits," says Patel, adding that the process of fermentation takes seven to eight days on an average and requires basic kitchen ingredients and yeast. Once you register, you will be sent a list of things you need to have ready. "All you need is a stainless steel container, a juicer/mixer, a strainer or muslin cloth and some bottles to store. The only reason why you-ll probably have to step out is for fresh fruit," he says.