India’s craft beer scene is expanding, and according to Abhinav Jindal, CEO and founder of BeeYoung beers, the younger generation is driving this shift. Jindal believes that consumers today are looking for more than just a drink—they want a unique experience. With a growing interest in craft beers, he sees a huge opportunity for this segment in India.
Jindal explains that India’s beer market has traditionally been dominated by mass-produced brands that all taste quite similar. However, with craft beers, there’s a noticeable difference in flavors, aromas, and textures. He points out that craft beers offer a more nuanced drinking experience, with distinct styles such as American wheat, Belgian wheat, and German wheat beers. This variety is what sets craft beers apart and is a big part of their growing appeal, especially among the younger, more experimental drinkers who want something new and exciting.
In fact, according to a 2023 report by market research firm Imarc Group, India’s craft beer market is projected to grow at a rate of over 24% annually between 2024 and 2032, reflecting the increasing demand for these unique brews.
BeeYoung, which is owned by Kimaya Himalayan Beverages, recently opened its first brewpub in Delhi’s Panchsheel Park, which houses the largest craft brewery in northern India. Jindal’s goal with BeeYoung is to make craft beer affordable and accessible, so that people can enjoy it regularly, not just on special occasions. While craft beers are often thought to be lighter, Jindal clarifies that the focus is on balance and quality of production, rather than just alcohol content. The brewing process itself, he says, is what makes the difference, rather than the final strength of the beer.
While the southern part of India has long been home to a thriving craft beer scene with microbreweries like Arbor Brewing Co, Jindal notes that the northern region is catching up. Currently, BeeYoung is sold exclusively in the north—Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Chandigarh—but they plan to expand to cities like Gurugram, Lucknow, and Jaipur in the near future.
At BeeYoung’s Brewgarden facility, craft beers are brewed in small batches using local ingredients combined with global flavors. Jindal believes that a wider variety of homegrown craft beers will shape how beer is consumed in India in the years to come, adding more variety and choice to the Indian beer market.
