Spring in India, especially in the southern parts, is very short-lived. It has only been a week or two since India celebrated Spring with Holi, and Summer is already clicking at the heels.
I have heard that beer has a lot of nutritional value. In summers, Barley based drink equals good health. (Beer lovers will find anything to justify their urge for a cold beer!)
Places like Apache on F. C Road and the Diamond Restaurant and Toons in Camp have been serving beer on tap in Pune for some time. However, these places have a very limited beer choice. The opportunity to visit The Beer Café in Koregaon Park was definitely not a chance I was willing to throw away.
Being able to go beyond Lagers, which is the only beer predominantly available in India, gives beer lovers a much wanted variety at The Beer café.
They have a long list of imported beers and you could try a different one you visit each time – after all, there is the entire summer to think of!
The interiors of the place are quite western with brick patterned walls that we rarely see here in India. But that’s not the only thing that gives a western feel to the place. You are greeted with a Foosball table and they also have some board games stacked on the shelves.
For smokers, there is a separate seating outside on the Northern side of the building, ensuring there is no sun overhead during the day. You get to choose a park bench style seating or a more relaxed lounge style seating for a larger group.
What differentiates The Beer café from other beer-only places is their range of beers and beer cocktails. If you are in the mood to drink beer with bit of a sweet flavor, the Brewtails are the perfect choice. You get fruit based concoctions like the passion fruit based Blue Flip or hazel nut flavored Crazy Nuts.
I, however, prefer the taste of beer. Although both these drinks were good, the White Zen from Gateway Brewery was the clear winner. The German style wheat beer uses Hallertauer hops, which gives it a strong bitter flavor.
A guzzler’s got to eat. The Hollowman rolls is something you will not find on every other menu in the city. Plus this is a perfect starter for a hot day. The accompanying sweet chili sauce gives you the spice kick and the fresh veggies keep the food temperature down.
I am not very fond of starters that use blocks of cottage cheese as it is very difficult to get the marinade to permeate into Paneer unlike chicken and other meats. But the Green Inferno, although not green, was topped with a very tasty sauce which had a hint of Mexican spice combination and was topped with sour cream.
Talking of different, my eyes caught the pizza listing that promised Feta, Spinach, and Walnut toppings. I can’t remember having a non-tomato sauce based pizza in Pune. The pizza too didn’t disappoint. The pungent taste of feta went well with the spinach and the cheese base.
So the next time you think of a nice refreshing beer at the end of a hot, sultry day, I suggest you head to The Beer Café on the North Main Road in Koregaon Park to try a beer that you haven’t before. The large TV screens also make it a great destination to watch the World Cup final or IPL games.
Cheers!