I just returned from four days in Goa, India. I went there to attend the 12th World Congress of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI). This was my first visit to India. It’s a big country, of course, no matter which measure you use. Its population is 1.3 billion (only China has more). It is 1.2 million square miles (3.2 million square kilometers), making it the seventh largest country in terms of land area. With a nominal GDP of $2.85 trillion, it is the world’s seventh largest economy.

In land area, Goa is India’s smallest state. It is located in the southwest of the country, with the Arabian Sea forming its western border. Despite its small size, it has the highest GDP per capita of any Indian state, while ranking fifth in terms of literacy rates. Being on the Arabian Sea, Goa has some stunning beaches. My hotel, the Park Hyatt Resort and Spa, had direct beach access. Add to that an open air beachside restaurant and bar, and I had the ideal spot to enjoy some Indian beers.

Per capita beer consumption in India is relatively low – 5.1 liters per capita. This compares with per capita beer consumption of 74.9 liters in the United States. Indian per capita consumption even compares unfavorably with its regional neighbors – across Asia, average annual per capita beer consumption is 20.9 liters. Having said that, the Indian beer market is posituined for growth; an average annual growth of 6.9% is forecast for the 2018-2022 period.

Not surprisingly, beer sales in India are dominated by large multinational brewers – United Breweries (44.1% market share in 2016), AB InBev (24.6%), and Carlsberg (16.9%)  control close to eighty five percent of the Indian beer market. Heineken own a forty-four percent share in United Breweries and, at the time of writing, are poised to increase their share to fifty-eight percent.

Budweiser is becoming increasingly popular among Indian beer drinkers. Budweiser first appeared in the Indian market in 2007. Today, it has a five percent market share; up from one percent in 2011. Budweiser is aggressively marketed as a premium lager, targeted at India’s urban Millennials. AB InBev’s 2016 acquisition of SABMiller will help it expand Budweiser’s reach in India. In acquiring SABMiller, AB InBev acquired ownership of  the extensive brewery and distribution network SABMiller established in India. With the mature markets in North America and Europe offering little prospect for growth, multinationals such as AB InBev and Heineken turn their attention to developing markets such as India.

In addition to Budweiser, Indians are acquiring a taste for craft beer. Unlike the United States, however, where IPAs are the most popular style of craft beer, the Indian craft beer consumers prefers lighter, less bitter styles; wheat based ales, particularly German-style Hefeweizens and Belgian Wits, are especially popular. One of the craft beers that is making big headlines in India is Bira 91. The brand was launched in 2015, by Indian entrepreneur Ankur Jain. Jain had become familiar with craft beer while living in New York for ten years. When he returned to his native New Delhi, he started Bira 91. Unable to find a brewery in India which could meet his exacting brewing  standards, Jain contracted production to a brewery in Belgium. Because the beer was not brewed in India, the label on the bottle read “Imagined in India”. Such was the success of  Bira 91 that, by 2016, it was being brewed in India. In 2017, Bira 91 opened a second brewery in India, and a third is planned for 2018. Jain is ambitious and in addition to Bira 91’s Indian breweries, he hopes to open one in the United States. The ‘91’ in the name refers to the international dialing code for India. I enjoyed both Bira 91’s Blonde Lager and White Ale several times during my stay in Goa.

Imported and craft beer are proving popular among India’s growing middle class, particularly those who have traveled internationally. As Indian consumers are exposed to international tastes and trends, they return home and aspire to mimick some of the consumer behaviors they have witnessed.

In addition to the Bira 91, mentioned above, I sampled a number of other beers while in India. I arrived at hotel at 3am. After registering, I had anticipated on going straight to my room, Before I could do so, however, one of the hotel staff members offered me a complimentary welcome beer. I am sure that, after being in airports and on planes for the best part of twenty-four hours, he probably realized that a cold beer was just what I wanted. Surprisingly, the beer he offered me was not a standard Indian lager, such as Kingfisher, but was a Witbier called Jungle Wheat. Jungle Wheat is one of four beers brewed by Simba Beer. Simba is owned by Sona Beverages. Sony Beverages was established in 2006, as a franchisee of SAB Miller. Its brewery is located in the city of Durg, in east-central India. So whether my Jungle Wheat is a craft beer or, because of its connection with SAB Miller, is one of those “crafty” beers I’ll leave that for you to debate. All I will say is that, after a long journey, it tasted damn good.

Another beer I tried was Goa King’s Pilsner. Up until, 2015 Goa King’s beers (then just called King’s) were only available in Goa. It’s geographic exclusivity was part of its appeal. In 2015, the King’s brand was acquired by Vikiing  Ventures. In addition to changing its name, the new owner expanded distibution of Goa King’s, thus makimg available in cities such as Mumbai and New Dehli.

India’s most popular beer brand is Kingfisher. When I told friends that I would be visiting India, many made mention of Kingfisher. Brewed by United Breweries, Kingfisher has been losing market share recently. Still, it is the country’s most ubiquitous beer brand. Kingfisher premium lager, of which I had quite a few while in Goa, is a standard lager, which proved quite refreshing under the hot Indian sun.

So that was my first visit to India. I was only there for four days and only saw one tiny corner of this vast country. But I saw enough, and was sufficiently captivated by the friendliness of the people I met, that I hope that I have an opportunity to return some day.

My visit also marked something of a milestone in my world travels; as it was the fortieth country/territory that I have visited in my lifetime. Later this  year, I will add two other countries to that list – Switzerland and Liechtenstein. I look forward to seeing what beers those two have to offer.

Further Reading:

Knoth, Michael and Jonas Björn Borrit. 2014. The Indian beer market: The next “China” or a hyped market with little future growth? Scandinavian Brewers’ Review, Volume 72, Number 2, pp. 10-14.