9 Best Beer Brands in India 2022
Looking for beers that taste amazing? Check out our list of the Best Beer Brands in India.
Let’s admit it. We Indians love beer!
But this obsession with beer has caused so many brands to emerge in the market which has tossed us off track about the best and the abysmal ones.
There are so many factors that make up for a good beer brand. So we have taken time off to research and come up with some of the best brands of beer that have served as the favorites for Indians.
- Related: Best Red Wine Brands in India
- Related: Best Champagne Brands in India
- Related: Best Whiskey Brands in India
We are in no doubt that the brands that we have listed out below will become your favorites. Did you know, India consumed about 220 milliliters per capita in 2019, Arunanchal Pradesh being the highest consumer.
After having reviewed all the beer brands in India based on various factors like taste, alcohol content, ingredients, paring, price and much more; my team and I zeroed in on 9 that really stood out. Beers from these 9 brands were put through a series of tests to determine the best. We found that:
The best Beer brand in India is Kingfisher. Not only is the brand extremely popular among Indians but the range of beers suit the Indian palate. The Kingfisher range of beers are malty in taste but can be paired with spicy Indian food like Kebabs. Most importantly, all the Kingfisher Beers in India are extremely affordable.
Best Beer Brands in India
Kingfisher
Of Course, we had to have Kingfisher as the lead! Kingfisher has been the face of beer in India for as long as we can remember. It has turned out to be the most prevalent liquor in India. It’s one of the Best Beer Brands in India.
I love Kingfisher because 2 bottles are enough to give me a good buzz. It’s also super easy to bottoms up because I love its malty flavour. It’s one of the top beer brands in India for sure.
- Kingfisher beers come with varying intensity AKA alcohol content. Beers like Kingfisher super, Kingfisher max, and Kingfisher Lager are all performing super well. The taste of this beer brand is exquisite and one of the most favourite among Indians and Indian cuisines.
If you are into the taste of this beer brand, you are in luck because most pubs in India have this as a priority. If you are out with a large group and all varying taste in alcohol, Kingfisher will serve as the go-to brand!
Food pairing : Kebabs, Chilli Chicken, Tandoori, Barbeque chicken.
Flavor : Malty
Key features:
- Malty flavour
- Superior quality
- Budget-friendly
- 4-8% ABV
Ratings:
- Taste: 9/10
- Quality: 9.5/10
- Affordability: 10/10
Carlsberg
Carlsberg is another popular beer brand that is widely popular among youngsters in India. The intensity of the beer is slightly lower than Kingfisher so if you are only trying out beer, this is a good start.
I used to drink Carlsberg a lot in college because of its gentle taste. I love the quality of this beer that you wouldn’t find in all the Indian beer brands.
- Carlsberg classic, Carlsberg premium and Carlsberg malt premium are some of the top kinds that this brand offers. Carlsberg is sweeter than Kingfisher so could be gentle on the palette, that’s for sure! It’s one of the Best Beer Brands in India.
Though this brand is not as omnipresent as Kingfisher, it has definitely started to make its presence very clear in pubs and resto-bars. It has a malty flavour which we think is the highlight of the brand. The taste is very significant in spite of the intensity it offers.
Food pairings : Pizza, Grilled meat and Spicy peanuts
Flavour: Malty
Key features:
- sweet-malty flavour
- Mild beer
- premium quality
- 5% ABV
Ratings:
- Taste: 8.5/10
- Quality: 9/10
- Affordability: 9/10
Budweiser
Budweiser is the refreshing beer brand that you would choose on a hot sweaty day. The fragrance and the scent of it are so mellow yet refreshing so as to avoid an overwhelming experience for those who don’t usually prefer beer.
Ah! I don’t think anybody can dislike Budwieser beer brand in India because it’s perfect to drink. If you’re new to drinking beer, this beer has a sweet taste and will help you gulp down and enjoy a good high. I really like the sweet malty taste and the mellow high that it gives me. It’s one of the top 10 beer brands in India.
- Budweiser is one of the leading beer brands in India that has a great reach with the Indian audience. Unlike Kingfisher and Carlsburg, Budweiser offers a lighter intensity in beer which means the taste is mellow as well.
Even though it is an American brand it has a great influence on the Indian clientele. They have the right quantity for casual light drinking which we are all in for. The prices are slightly higher than Kingfisher but we assure you that Budweiser is the right choice for you. It’s one of the Best Beer Brands in India.
Food pairings : Pizza, Grilled Veggies and Spicy food.
Flavor : Sweet
Key features:
- Mellow yet refreshing
- Ultra-light flavour
- 5-6.5% ABV
Ratings:
- Taste: 9.5/10
- Quality: 9.5/10
- Affordability: 9/10
Tuborg
Tuborg is the perfect combination of the sweet and the strong taste of beer that you would expect. It definitely gives you the best of both worlds.
- If you are savouring the beer on a night out with friends we suggest you pair food that has a mild flavour. It blends well with the flavour of Indian spicy food which is why it is the most sought after in bars and pubs. The bottle of Tuborg comes in an attractive green which makes it look irresistible and attractive.
Though the size of the bottle is not very big, by the time you are done with this, we assure you that you will start seeing signs of tipsiness. The biggest reason people opt for Tuborg is because of its taste so it garners the attention of those who do not generally opt for beers because of the taste.
Food pairings : Spicy food
Taste : Malty and sweet
Heineken
Heineken is Dutch company which has a huge variety of beers which include alcoholic and non alcoholic brands.
- The brand identity of this brand of Heineken is very noteworthy and can be recognised by everyone with its bright green bottled package.
We love the lager from Heineken as it has a very distinctive taste and flavour which has failed to repeat in other brands. We feel the taste of Tuborg and Heineken have the same tone to the texture and the strength of the flavour and they both cater to those who are not very used to beer.
Food pairings : Mild Flavored food like crackers
Flavour : Strong
Foster’s
Here’s yet another lager beer for the Indian crowd from Foster’s. Foster’s has started to make its way through the Indian crowd with its beer variety. It’s one of the Best Beer Brands in India.
- The light flavoured and coloured beer is the right choice for those who are not into drinking beer on a regular basis. We have noticed that it does not keep you dizzy for a long time although there is a slight kick when you are still consuming it.
From our list,we think Kingfisher is the complete opposite effect on you when it comes to the strength of the flavour in terms of taste and the effect on you. If you can’t stand to experience one of those hangovers the next morning, then we suggest you go for Foster’s.
Food pairing : Peanuts, Grilled Chicken
Flavour : Light and slightly malty.
Corona Extra
Excuse our untimely mention of this but Corona is also a popular beer brand in India!
- Corona has a grain infused solution which makes the beer taste super malty. Even though the strong can be quite overpowering, it has caused a separate fan base and allowed many to bask in the distinctive taste this beer has to offer. It’s one of the most expensive beer in India.
- After the pandemic broke out, there were baseless allegations that linked the brand to the virus which was later declared a meaningless hassle. So Corona is back to serving you with yummy beer!
Even though this is originally plain lager beer, it has different flavours out of which the lime is our favorite. When compared to Kingfisher and a few others on our list, Corona can be slightly more expensive which is one reason why people steer clear from the brand.
Food pairing : Extra spicy Indian food.
Flavor : Malty
Godfather
Godfather is a brand that is only up and coming in India that has managed to gauge the pulse of the Indian market. They offer three different levels of beer intensity including pale lagers, lite and strong. Check out our list of the Best Beer Brands in India for all the details.
- The flavor of this beer is smooth and does not make you feel dizzy any time soon after consumption. It takes time to kick in.
- But we love the aftertaste of this beer as it does not leave an overpowering taste on your tongue. The texture of the drink is smooth and is easy to gulp down.
It comes in a rather small bottle. The only thing on the downside is that it can be hard to find this brand given how popular Carlsburg, Kingfisher and the other brands are in India.
Food pairings : Salad
Taste : Smooth
Hoegaarden
Even though Hoegaarden is very popular and revered in other parts of the world, it is only beginning to catch the attention of the Indian audience. Like we mentioned earlier, it could be because of the traction the other brands are getting. It’s amongst the top beer brands in india with price.
- The highlight of this brand of beer is that it is wheat beer, something that is very rarely found in Indian liquor stores.
- The taste of this is slightly different and comes as a surprise to those who have not tasted this before but we assure you, you will not regret it!
It contains 50% unmalted wheat which makes for the original texture and the flavor of this particular beer. It is a great pick for cocktail parties if you have an exotic range of food.
Food pairing : Grilled meat.
Flavor : Bitter.
Which beer brand is best?
Kingfisher Beer is one of the most loved and best beer brands and has been that way for a long time in India. Not only is it the easiest to get but it has managed to attract the Indian taste palette. It also happens to be extremely affordable which makes it a go-to in India. Check out our list of the Best Beer Brands in India for all the details.
Tips to Choose the Right Beer:
- Make sure you read the ingredients label carefully to make sure there’s no extra additive that you’re allergic to or is too bad for you. Also, check the alcohol percentage of the drink, which should be around 5%-12% ABV.
- Don’t go behind brands, you can choose something lowkey that suits your taste profile and gives you a better high.
- Expensive beers don’t assure quality. So, make sure your beer is affordable and of good quality.
- Examine the type of bottle you’re served in. Usually, beer comes in cans and glass bottles. It’s better to go for aluminum cans as they’re less likely to transfer oxygen and light.
- Check the shelf-life of the beer which shouldn’t be more than 6 months otherwise it might contain additives.
- Check the alcohol by volume content which should be anywhere from 3% to 14%, anything less or more shouldn’t be consumed.
- Look at the foam of the beer which should stay for about 5 mins and the residue should remain on the walls.
Also Read:
Hipbrands puts together some of the best brands in India to make it easier for our readers to purchase wisely.
I’m Preethi Menon, an avid learner of tech and gadgets. I have been reviewing top brands for 5 years and aim to do the same more elaborately so as to give a customer everything there is to know about a particular brand. There are brands in India that are overlooked due to the dominating mainstream direction we are headed in. At Hipbrands, we believe in the balance of quality and cost and focus on brands that provide exactly that!
To give you an insight into our expertise, here are some of the major categories that we cover on our site – Technology, Fashion, Food, Accessories, and Information.
So brace yourselves into knowing more and experiencing more from the best brands in the country!
