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Bottoms Up

India is having a few beers too many

India is the strangest place to build a craft beer brewing business. We don’t drink a lot of beer. Never have. Our thing is spirits; anything that does the job quickly. Well, not if you were to ask Simba. Or maybe Bira. Damn right, but wherever is Simba?

05/09/18

Harveen Ahluwalia

Launched in 2016, Raipur-based craft beer brand Simba has, so far, largely been limited to smaller towns and cities

In the past three months, it ventured into the metros for the first time, launching in Delhi, Gurugram and Bengaluru, where it faces fierce competition

Amid a declining beer market, the premium segment (which includes craft beer) has been a bright spot

Bottled craft beer is an increasingly crowded category, dominated by B9 Beverages’ Bira, as a bevy of Indian brands look to get in on the action

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Nobody goes to Assam to sell craft beer. The state in the north-eastern part of India is best known for tea gardens, beautiful wildlife and nothing much else. Except, Prabhtej Bhatia did. Bhatia is 27. Dressed in a casual violet tee and jeans, and a black turban. It is evident he comes from privilege. The…

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