Bira 91: Handcrafting the World's Greatest Beer Is Our Life’s Work

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High growth rates and relaxation of rules on foreign direct investment in the last decade has attracted foreign investment in the beer sector. Indian beer consumption patterns have changed radically in the last few years, most of it attributed to the advent of foreign brands in Indian beer market.

Indian alcohol distribution structure is complex and generally varies from state to state. Liquor is a state subject in India and consequently, the liquor industry is subjected to very strict distribution controls by the state governments. The distribution structure consist three types of market- Government controlled, open market and auction market. States like Assam, West Bengal and Pondicherry are states with open market; States like Tamil Nadu and Kerala fall under the complete regulation of government whereas states like Haryana, Chandigarh and Punjab fall under the auction market structure. The Indian alcohol industry is characterized by high entry barriers due to government regulations.

The industry is also highly taxed and regulated and struggles with multiplicity of taxes and lack of uniformity in the regulations varying from state to state. The industry is also burdened with unjustified pricing of its products. Beer, although contains less alcohol, is taxed in the same manner as strong spirits which in turn makes beer expensive for the end user. The industry also faces moral restrictions due to religious influence. Some groups, particularly of a religious nature, have tried to ban alcohol altogether and have made its consumption into a sin. Despite such challenges Indian market is a sea of opportunities with its extremely low per capita consumption of beer when compared to other countries in the world.

Beer: How it is crafted

Beer manufacturing process has been very traditional and it is a common practice across the globe. The main ingredients are grains and it goes through multiple processing steps to achieve the finished product.

Step 1: Milling of grain

At the very beginning of process, different types of malt are milled together to break up the grain and extract the fermentable sugars which produce an intermediate product called grist.

Step 2: Mash Conversion

The grist is mixed with hot water and transferred in to a mash mixer where natural enzymes convert malt starch in to sugars.

Step 3: Lautering

Enzyme treated mixture is forwarded in to Lauter tun where sweet liquid (wrot) is separated from grain husk.

Step 4: The boil

Collected wrot is boiled at controlled temperature and hop is also added at this stage of boil.

Step 5: Wort separation and cooling

After boiling, the wort is transferred into a whirlpool for the wort separation where malt or hop particles are separate form the liquid. Separated liquid is ready for cooling and fermentation process.

Step 6: Fermentation

Yeast is added in the separated liquid which converts the sugary wort into beer by producing alcohol, a wide range of flavours, and carbon dioxide.

Step 7: Maturation

Once the fermentation is completed, it results into Green Beer that requires maturation time to achieve its desired colour and flavour development.

Step 8: Filtration, carbonation, and cellaring

After reaching its full potential, the beer is filtered, carbonated, and transferred to the bright beer tank, where it goes through a cellaring process that takes 3-4 weeks to complete.

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Fig: Beer Manufacturing Process, Encyclopaedia Briannica, Inc

People in India is becoming more aware about the taste and varieties of Beer. This new awareness has created a demand for boutique and exotic beer varieties. The nomenclature “craft beer” and “micro-brewed beer” are synonyms. However, a craft brewery cannot be always micro-brewery, and a micro-brewery is only a craft brewery if it is compliant to certain craft brewing principles.

CRAFT BEER: How it is different from Beer

Typically, craft breweries follow some everlasting approaches in brewing, and use quality, local ingredients in their formulations. They use more old-style malts in their beers than macro-breweries, who normally use high volumes of corn, rice, or other sugar syrups to streamline the beer, making it cost effective to produce. Craft breweries prefer real malts because they add newer flavour, texture, and innovative image to their beers.

Craft beers are raw in nature and left without filtration, no preservative and without any added flavours, leaving their beers unique in taste, and arguably more thought-provoking. Today’s craft brewers use the best of antiquated brewing methods while at the same time looking forward and exploring new beer styles and experimenting with new ingredients and motivating new techniques. While many craft brewers always try to create their own identity by serving the unique beers of their speciality, some focus more on the method of brewing and legacy of their brewing art. Over a period of time more quality focused innovative beer offerings have taken the share of mind among conscious and selective consumers.

Bira91 Brand Positioning

The golden opportunity posed by the beer market in India was identified clearly by the founders as they set out to create a craft beer revolution in India. Although beer is considered to be an alcoholic beverage originating from US and European countries and widely preferred in the US and European countries, the founders decided to set Bira apart by giving it an Indian touch.

Brand Identity

Bira91 is a case of tenacious and careful brand creation with attention to minute details governing every aspect of the brand. Bira91 Team has strived to create a brand identity that resonates well with the target group, keeping in mind the binding and obligatory competition that also runs itself on similar positioning.

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Brand Identity Prism for Bira91

Bira