From treating craft beer as an exotic order a few years ago, to now being home to over 200 microbreweries, India has come a long way. The consumer is educated, and the industry now spoils us for choice. Bira 91 recently launched a limited release beer in cans, pints and pour: a pomelo-brewed IPA in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. In another two weeks, it will be joined by a stout brewed with cold brew coffee.

We are privy to a tasting with founder Ankur Jain and newly appointed vice president (innovations and brewing) Thomas Hartman. The IPA has a clear, orangish colour with a fresh nose of pomelo fruit. On the palate, it is light, crisp with a citrusy invitation that ends in a lingering, mild bitter aftertaste. For the IPA, two hot-selling American varieties of Hops—flowers of the hop plant Humulus lupulus that work as bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer—Citra and Mozaic have been used to make the beer, which adds notes of mango, pineapple and tangerine. The specialty malt adds an orangish colour and a toasty note. "Usually an IPA is 6-7 percent ABV (alcohol by volume) but this one is 4.5 per cent. We wanted it to be light and flavour-forward so that customers can enjoy a couple of rounds without getting too tipsy."