Biochemist Allison Higi got into brewing by accident. After graduating from Purdue University, Indiana, following a career in medicine seemed like the obvious choice. But, life had other plans. "After graduating in biology and chemistry, I went to work at a hospital. It was a depressing place, it just didn't feel right [for me]. A friend suggested I work at his brewery as a steward. After serving beer for a while, the brewer was let go of and I was asked to step in."

These days, Higi, 40, is on a beer trial in Mumbai and Pune, as part of the Crafter's movement, a talent exchange programme organised by Powai's Crafters Taphouse, where brewers from across the world are invited to prepare their signature styles. Allison will brew two special beers from locally sourced ingredients from both, Indiana and India, which will make it to the menu. The concoctions are classified as cantaloupe IPA. "Cantaloupe is a fruit native to my home state [Indiana], and IPAs are the most popular style of beer there. The sweetness of the fruit pairs well with the bitterness of the IPA," she explains. The second brew is a fig porter that uses a variety native to Maharashtra. The result, says Higi, is an unmistakably dark brew with rich, roasty undertones.