Beer drinker’s guide to Pune

Editor’s Note: The lesser-known treasure of Pune is its craft beer. Homegrown breweries, online deliveries, draft beer on tap and the multiple craft beer festivals reflect the laid back pace of the city. Hope you enjoy checking Arunima Joshua’s favourite spots to grab a cold one. Have a ‘brewtiful’ weekend:)

Written by: Arunima Joshua, Advisory editor

It’s no secret that craft breweries and artisanal beer are having their ‘hoppiest’ moment in the country. Beer drinkers are spoilt for choice—whether you’re in the mood for coconut cream ales, strawberry ciders, malty IPAs or zesty witbiers. Today, I take you on a pub crawl of Pune’s best bars for the pitcher-perfect experience.

Great State Dive, Koregaon Park: An extension of the city’s indigenous brewery Great State Aleworks—Dive is located in the heart of Pune’s nightlife neighbourhood Koregaon Park. It is an ideal place to unwind on any day of the week. At the rooftop venue, Dive offers a signature Belgian Witbier called ‘Brightside’. Another light pint is their coconut cream ale. The taproom also has seasonal brews such as the current millet beer series with options such as the Jowar Cashew Sour called ‘Salt of the Earth’. 

Their food is at par with their quality craft beers. The dishes on the menu are inventive that make surprisingly great flavour pairings with your pint of choice. I recommend their pork samosas, sweet potato fries and chapta fried chicken for evolved chakna options. For those with a sweet tooth, don’t forget to try Lemony Snicket—their take on the citrusy tart.

Babylon Craft Brewery, Erandwane: With an impressive wooden interior, this bar touts itself as the largest craft brewery in the state of Maharashtra. The basics for all drinkers are available on tap here—Apple Cider, Stout, Hefeweizen, Belgian Witbier and IPA. An additional menu in Marathi with kheema-kaleji pav (mince-liver in pao bread), an audacious pickled chilly octopus and peri peri arbi (taro) keep things very interesting. Hit up Babylon for—not the best brews—but the ambitious and challenging bites that come highly rated and recommended. 

TOIT, Kalyani Nagar: An outpost of the Bangalore pub, TOIT Pune retains deccan delights such as ghee roast prawns and haleem samosas with sprinklings of bar bites like the decadent truffle popcorn and calamari frito.

Let’s get into what TOIT does best—brewing stouts, ales and lagers. TOIT Weiss, their version of a Hefeweizen is a cloudy, medium-body beer with a distinct clove or banana aroma. For a creamy and smooth mouthfeel in a lighter-body go for their Tintin TOIT. The Pune lager is great for fans of the commercial Budweiser variety with more carbonated and malty notes in a clear gold form. The location is an open-air, restructured bungalow. A friendly playlist and fresh, wood-fired pizzas cinch TOIT’s status as one of Pune’s favourite beer destinations.

Kimaya Beer Station, Karve Road: The first microbrewery to start a retail outlet in the city, Kimaya offers a special IPA, a Kokum Seltzer, ciders and lagers for takeaway in the ‘cityside’ of the river-bifurcated town. Alphonso mango meads and vanilla porters with a hint of dark chocolate are the more exquisite offerings at the tap station. The Marathi-friendly beer spot sells their brews in both their signature growlers and PET bottles. Also worth checking out: their social media that highlights their avid participation at varied pop-ups and events from stand-up gigs to food festivals.

Independence Brewing Company, Kalyani Nagar: Spritzy strawberries are locally sourced for their cider, making it the house favourite at this brasserie and craft bar. Another pint for crisp, light-bodied, fragrant brew lovers is the Oryza lager made of the indigenous Indrayani rice. Food picks from the tenderloin burger to the turmeric kingfish are excellent accompaniments. The brewery has large, open-air sections that are favourable for both intimate or group dinners. Dessert is a must-try at this brewery where they do a better job than most with their baklava cheesecake and chocolate mousse.

The 1st Brewhouse (Doolally), Corinthians, NIBM Road: This was Pune’s first brewpub at a time when people didn’t even understand what handcrafted beer was. Their cider and stouts at the lawn venue are popular choices, while their finger-food at the suburban club—from spice-dusted fries and lamb chops to a range of sausages—make the drive down to this end of the city worth it. The oldest taproom in the city is also a great place to celebrate birthdays and even New Year’s with their many gigs and dance events.

Drifters Growler Station, Kothrud: The best part about this bar is that it allows refills of their growlers—from seasonal drinks to the perennial Hefeweizen (Sunny Bavaria) and IPAs. I highly recommend the cloudy, Belgian style Jamun Sour and creamy Stout, while the West Coast IPA is only for aficionados of the bitter, mango-tinged brew. Available to order online and for pick-up at the Kothrud beer station, you can play it safe with the Love Potion (Apple Cider) or ‘trye’ the pale, ‘lager than life’ hops of the Czech Pilsner.

Honorary mention: Annie's Bar, Koregaon Park: Picture yourself in an 80s Hollywood flick. Neon lighting and ceiling art. Consummate cocktails and a carefully curated retro playlist. An underground bar and late hours. While Annie’s is not an artisanal beer outlet, this bar is the real deal—unlike any other watering holes I’ve seen in the country before. It deserves an honorary mention for its impeccable staff and housekeeping, talented barkeeps and celebratory vibes. No one really comes to eat here, there are limited tables and the majority of patrons are seated at the strip-lit bar. Named after the owner—Annie—this Koregaon Park is the dive bar of your technicolour dreams.