Malayali, a beer crafted in Poland, garners attention few months after debut

For Malayali, raise a glass! Just a few months after its November 2022 debut, the beer, which is made in Poland, is garnering attention for its smoothness and finish. The brand’s marketing geniuses, Chandramohan Nallur and Sargheve Sukumaran, claim that they brainstormed ideas on how to utilise five containers (about 20,000 kg) of parboiled rice flakes that were imported by Varanasi-based KS Global in Uttar Pradesh out of need. Finding customers for the rice flakes that were to be used to produce cereal was challenging because of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. According to Chandramohan, the first Malayali director of the Indo-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Poland, he sought to help the exporter with the stock. At first, he thought if the rice flakes could be made into pet food since there is a sizable demand for it in Poland. However, the stringent conditions for testing in government-authorised laboratories would have taken time and that would have been disastrous for the rice flakes. That’s when Chandramohan recalled Komban, a beer made by Vivek Pillai, a Malayali in the UK. The duo decided if they could make a hybrid beer with rice flakes and hops from Germany and Denmark. Chandramohan, a teetotaller, contacted his acquaintance Sargheve, a master in product design. The two got in touch with Lijo Philip, a fellow Malayali who had started a beer company named Kalikut 1498. Lijo connected them with a master brewer, who agreed to create a drink, especially for the friends. Chandramohan was certain that the beer had to be a hybrid made with European hops and rice flakes. Since he added, European consumers could already get Japanese rice beer with Japanese hops. The first attempt to make the beer did not go as expected. “The first attempt was a complete failure. It did not taste good and we decided to go for a second trial. On November 13, 2022, we tasted success with the third one. It also happened to be my 38th birthday. The beer was light and smooth and had a fantastic aftertaste,” says Chandramohan. Sargheve says that their master brewer had created a beer with a special and delectable flavour combination. “The European hops provide a crisp and refreshing taste, while the Indian rice flakes add a subtle sweetness and smoothness to the finish. The unique flavours make it perfect to pair with a wide range of food, ranging from cheese platters, toasted vegetables and spicy curries to grilled seafood and meat.” After the beer was crafted, the duo decided to call it Malayali as a tribute to the Keralites who had flocked to help Indian students stranded at the Polish border after war broke out in Ukraine. The Kathakali artist’s headgear, as well as a pair of Aviators and a moustache similar to the one worn by actor Mohanlal’s character Aadu Thoma in the cult classic Malayalam movie Spadikam, are shown in the logo created by Sargheve. They determined that the drink would be offered in green bottles as a premium beer, competing with prestigious brands like Heineken and Carlsberg. The brewery insisted on a minimum order of 2,000 litres, around 4,000 bottles. Since they needed customers for the beer, Chandramohan and Sargheve had the idea of serving made-to-order bottling services for wedding planners. That proved to be a hit. “The brewery insisted that we needed a minimum order of 2,000 litres (around 4,000 bottles). We had to find customers for the beer. We hit upon the idea of serving made-to-order bottling services for wedding planners. That proved to be a hit and some of the guests took the bottles as souvenirs,” says Chandramohan. They added the names of the bride and the bridegroom and appropriate phrases to the stickers on the bottles, and soon the personalised bottles were in high demand in Poland. They also managed to work out an agreement for the delivery of the beer with Little India Group, one of the biggest sellers of Asian products in Europe. Chandramohan says, “Malayali Spirits, the company we set up, has decided to license out the sales to brewers who can use our recipe and the brand to brew Malayali. Thus, we hope to accelerate our growth in the European market.” Chandramohan says that just two months after its launch, over 50,000 bottles have been sold. The duo have also decided to market the beer in Kerala as well. “If a beer called Malayali is not sold in Kerala, then what is the point? As in Europe, we plan to license the trademark and recipe to a brewer for sales in India,” says Chandramohan. Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.