I confess, it took me a while to wrap my head around this thing called ‘beer.’ It confused me. It was fizzy, and most fizzy drinks I had sampled till then were sweet; overwhelmingly so. But not only is beer not sweet, it’s downright bitter! Add to that a strange frothiness, and I was flabbergasted. Slowly, however, I began to discover many wondrous advantages to this strange drink. It is an excellent way to wash down meals as its flavour never overpowers the palate; in fact, it would make a great palate cleanser. It is surprisingly cooling on a hot summer day, especially when chilled. And based on a few experiments conducted on willing (often eager) humans, I have concluded that it is an effective means to combat work-related stress. So imagine my delight when I discovered that there are places dedicated to serving this wonderful refreshment in its various forms. I recently paid a visit to one such place: The Beer Cafe in Koregaon Park.

Various beer logos from brands around the world. I must say, humans take this drink very seriously.

A delightfully innovative beer-based cocktail alongside a regular, classic beer. The cocktail, called ‘Red Pepper’ was surprisingly refreshing, with a lovely hint of lime.

You can never go wrong with fish and chips at a bar. The fish was absolutely fresh and succulent, while the beer batter was incredibly light and crispy.

The wings were delightfully sticky and sweet, but I was hoping for more crunch. Nevertheless, the presentation was certainly unique.

A variety of beer samples, from light to dark. I’m led to believe that humans judge each other’s worth based on the colour of their beer. Apparently only the sturdiest of souls opt for the dark stuff. If you ask me, the light beers are just as robust, at least in terms of flavour.

Tools and apparatus used in the wonderful science (or should I say magic) of beer-making.

Now, THIS is the perfect accompaniment to beer. The very adequately named ‘The Hulk’ (since it is huge and green, I assume,) is a veritable vegetarian feast, with fries, onion rings, bruschetta and potato skins. The fries were some of the best I’ve ever had- they were beautifully spiced. However, the hero of the dish was surely the bruschetta, with its delicious herbs and scrumptious cheese.

http://www.thebeercafe.com/

Photo credit: Ayushman Datta Gupta