What is an ideal Sunday for you? For me, an ideal Sunday means having a glass of craft beer by my side, with a live game of cricket to keep me hooked to the TV. While I wait patiently for another Sunday like this to come along, it gave me a nice fun idea to put down on paper. I thought of looking at some popular craft beers available across brewpubs in the country and equating them with India’s cricketers based on their characteristics. This is what I got…
White Zen – Cheteshwar Pujara
Cheteshwar Pujara is an eye-pleasing cricketer to watch play, and he arguably has the best technique in the business. He also comes across as a no-nonsense guy and sticks to getting the job done. Similarly, the White Zen is a no-nonsense, straight forward and easy breezy craft beer to consume. Brewed with clove and banana, the cricket and craft beer fan in me cannot help but equate this delightful wheat brew with Cheteshwar Pujara’s cover drive. And going by his calm and composed marathon innings’ off late, the word ‘zen’ couldn’t be a more ideal fit.
Available Where? Gateway Brewing Company, Mumbai
Price: INR 265 a pint
Juicy India Pale Ale – Ajinkya Rahane
The Juicy India Pale Ale is the most fruity and malty brew that I’ve included in this list. It also means that it is the sweetest drink on this list. The one Indian cricketer from the current crop who comes to mind when I think of the Juicy India Pale Ale is another test match specialist in Ajinkya Rahane. From his child-like face, to his demeanor on the field, to even his batting and fielding, Rahane is sweet in more ways than one. I can draw parallels with the fruity aroma of the Juicy IPA with the positive vibe that this Mumbai boy exudes when he is on camera.
Available where? Independence Brewing Company, Pune & Mumbai
Price: INR 250 a pint
Beteljuice Pale Ale Beer – Ravindra Jadeja
The Beteljuice Pale Ale, India’s first ‘paan beer’ is as indigenous as it sounds. This lemongrass infused betel leaf drink packs a solid punch and was a result of an experiment with different local ingredients. While a bunch of Indian cricketers can fit into this bracket, the most rustic and impactful of those is Ravindra Jadeja, and with his antics on the field, he matches well with this locally influenced brew, which stays true to its roots.
Available where? Arbor Brewing Company, Bangalore
Price: INR 250 a pint
Rauchbier – Virat Kohli
Rauchbier is a German styled beer which has quite an illustrious history in its home country. Brewed with seven different types of malts, this brew is also known as ‘smoked beer’, simply because of its smokey nature. Similar to our Indian captain, the seven kinds of malts signify Kohli’s versatility and of course, we all know how he can ‘smoke’ those balls out of the park at will. The Rauchbier is not everybody’s cup of tea, which is also the case with Virat. As legendary as he has already become, Kohli hasn’t quite acquired that universal fan following, the kind that Sachin enjoyed for most part of his career.
Available Where? Windmill Craftworks, Bangalore
Price: INR 325 a pint
Belgian Style Witbier – Mahendra Singh Dhoni
This is one of the most traditional brews in the world, dating back a hundred years. It’s strong, bitter, and characterized by a rock-steady balance of hops and malts. In many ways, it has earned a cult status, lost its sheen somewhere in the middle, and is now undergoing a renaissance of epic proportions in brewpubs across the country. A certain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the equivalent of a Belgian Style Witbier for me. Undeterred by little failures, shows immense self-belief, and keeps showing glimpses of genius despite passing his prime.
Available Where? Doolally, Mumbai & Pune
Price: INR 250 a pint
There you go. This was fun. If you’re a beer and cricket fan like me, feel free to disagree with some of the comparisons I’ve made above and drop your version of Indian craft beer cricketers in the comments section below.
