which is the lightest beer in india

[ajay124]

@Suri
I would not equate religion with television.Television for me is a 'lost oppurtunity'.A medium which can potentially provide great art,but is drowning in kitsch.Religion is like a ship for charting the stormy seas of life.We may feel religious in different ways,but a little bit of belief is essential for carrying on.
Existentialists like Albert Camus believed that the only certainty we have is the certainty of death.Therefore life is Absurd and freedom and 'release' comes from acknowledging this certainty.Great for a French intellectual,but what about the poor starving masses of the third world.They have very little except their faith.They are able to survive because of it.Take away hope and belief and our planet would descend into chaos.

 

[suri]

@Suri
I would not equate religion with television.Television for me is a 'lost oppurtunity'.A medium which can potentially provide great art,but is drowning in kitsch.Religion is like a ship for charting the stormy seas of life.We may feel religious in different ways,but a little bit of belief is essential for carrying on.
Existentialists like Albert Camus believed that the only certainty we have is the certainty of death.Therefore life is Absurd and freedom and 'release' comes from acknowledging this certainty.Great for a French intellectual,but what about the poor starving masses of the third world.They have very little except their faith.They are able to survive because of it.Take away hope and belief and our planet would descend into chaos.

true enough - each one of us will need god before morte -

In strength, god is far away, and as one becomes old and infirm, god comes closer (and closer) - so close, in fact, that when one finally falls at his feet (in the moment/s before death), the magnificent opulence of his robes and presence becomes apparent - and makes death tolerable.

of course, for those who are devoted to god, for those who make regular trips to the places where he resides, for those who give gold, diamonds and money to embellish the abodes of god -

for them, there will be a special dispensation - they will be able to flit closer to god, the really special ones may be allowed to touch and feel-

perhaps - better quality wings and shapelier bodies? or, perhaps paid leave from heaven to visit their living loved ones annually?

re the concept of religion keeping people out of trouble and teaching them concepts of (relative) right and wrong -

that is moot-

and the debate may become too hot -

we will allow ourselves an opportunity to carry on when i arrive at chandigarh with a bottle of trinitas (but this whiskey is blended!)

 

[GeorgeO]

Balvenie is good stuff. I have fond memories of 5 of us guys knocking off a 1 lt bottle of 18 yr old Balvenie in about two hours on a cold Feb evening. It was so smooth it was unbelievable how quickly it went down. Laphroaig and Arbeg( especially the latter) are not for the fainthearted.

 

[shredder]

brings back happy memories of my college days in the NCR, when it was cheap, light and plentiful. but is it still available? and does it taste the same?

SandPiper is still available with the same old silver sticker with the bird on it. Though I have never liked the taste of it much.
For light beer, the lightest I have tried till now is the beer served at Pecos in Bangalore. It is draught beer I believe. You can drink and drink without getting the slightest kick. Which is not to say that I was chugging it down. I prefer to drink beer more to appreciate the taste than to get high.... Why else would I drink light beer anyway? Another great tasting lager is Tuborg. It comes bottled with a cap that can be twisted to open (no need of opener) and opens with an audible pop.
For those who are into strong beers you need to try out something from Yuksom breweries (owned by Danny Denzongpa). Availability may be an issue. But I tried out these two labels: HIT and He-man, during a trek up in the hills. And I swear that it was not just the high altitude that contributed to my light headedness. Lucky I had it at the end of the day. These two beers well live up to their names. One will hit you with a kick you won't believe and you need to be a he-man of sorts to be able to stand straight after 2 bottles of He-Man.

 

[metalmickey]

Its gotta be CORONA!.perfect taste n neat buzz!.yeah evn kf lager is neat.like sandpiper too!.these days me cutng down on beer(courtsy:big paunch!) and got into single malts

 

[ajay124]

Single Malts!
(Detest all blended whiskies as they smell and taste like chemicals)
Single Malts are made in single distilleries in Scotland.From malted barley.Water sourced from local springs.Peat wood used to introduce a smoky flavour.Generally at least 10 years old.Older one's are infernally expensive.My local supplier is selling a 30 year Glenfiddich (a brand I personally feel is more hype than substance) for 38000
Three regions.Islay.Highland.Coastal.
Islay(eye-luh) is the one I like.Small region in the Inner Hebrides.Wonderful peaty flavour,high phenolic content,redolent of the mist and mystery of Scotland.
Brands
Ardbeg
Lagavulin
Bruichladdich
Bunnahabhain
Lapohroaig
Caol Ila
Bowmore
Most of them are available in India in metro's,Duty Free's.Prices for 10 years olds/750 ml. range from 2800-5000 in Chandigarh.Duty free prices for 1000 ml. would be in the 50-70 $ range.
*Adding soda DESTROYS a single malt.Equal portions of whisky and a good spring water chilled in the freezer.No ice.On the rocks,is simply something which has caught on.IMO,ice especially the Indian variety,would ruin a good whisky.
Sip,Don't Swallow!
Cheers

More about the Islay Malts
Amateur Islay enthusiasts (like me,from low exposure regions like India),freely use words like Peaty,Smoky,Phenolic,Medicinal.We may have a general idea of how an Islay tastes but little background knowledge about the terms we use.So I Googled some basic information.
Peat is decomposed vegetal matter found in the bogs and moors of Scotland.High water and carbon content because it grows in wetlands and decomposition occurs in the absence of oxygen,trapping the CO2 inside.Before being used as fuel Peat is dried.This dried peat is used for firing the stills and drying the malted barley.This traditional process is still followed in the Islay region,but the majority of distilleries in the Highland and Speyside region use modern 'industrial' methods for firing the stills and malting the barley.Ardbeg,Lagavulin,Laphroaig are the most 'traditional'.The use of Peat in the malting process is what gives the Islay's their distinct 'smoky' flavour.Smoke from the peat being burnt releases 'phenolic compounds' changing the 'aromatic profile' of the whisky.Phenolic content would depend on the amount of peat burnt,the duration and the water content in the barley.The measure of Phenolic content is PPM-Parts Per Million.Non peated Speyside malts have a PPM of less than 5.The heavily peated Laphroaig,Ardbeg,Lagavulin (also depending upon the number of years thay have been matured) of over 30 PPM.Incidentally 'phenols' under medicinal definitions are listed as 'poisons'.% of phenols in Islay's is small(I for one will will not desist because of the 'poison' scare),but consuming in large quantities can produce a hangover.:sad:
Two more Islay's,I was not aware.Port Ellen and Kilhoman.
*Statutory Warning.Drink in moderation.My personal consumption is about half-a-bottle per month.Half-a-bottle of Wine once or twice a month.Occasional Heineken/Singha.

 

[GeorgeO]

BTW, is stout still available in stores here? I remember a few years ago it was introduced by Haywards, dont know if they withdrew it.

 

[jitubisht]

Of all the beers I have had I've come to love Budweiser the most!
Others that I don't mind gulping is Thunderbolt(Factory on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway.. which makes that highway sort of pilgrimage for us), Corona, Tuborg and Carlsberg.

Ajay - I gotta try the Thai beer you suggesting mate, I don't think I have spotted it in NCR yet.. I have one more reason to visit C'garh.
Have you tried the Apple Cider thats available in Chandigarh? 2 650ml bottles of Ciders and ANYONE can be done for the day! I just love them Ciders!

 

[ajay124]

Of all the beers I have had I've come to love Budweiser the most!
Others that I don't mind gulping is Thunderbolt(Factory on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway.. which makes that highway sort of pilgrimage for us), Corona, Tuborg and Carlsberg.

Ajay - I gotta try the Thai beer you suggesting mate, I don't think I have spotted it in NCR yet.. I have one more reason to visit C'garh.
Have you tried the Apple Cider thats available in Chandigarh? 2 650ml bottles of Ciders and ANYONE can be done for the day! I just love them Ciders!

Yeah!I tried the apple ciders available on the Chandigarh/Simla highway.Loved the idea of it,but I'm sure good European cider's are a different breed.Not very certain,that our local brewers are overly concerned about providing anything except a nice 'kick'.All I got from my highway cider drinking was a crashing head-ache and a towering hang over.
I'm sure Singha would be available in the NCR.You just have to look around.In Chandigarh also,it's not very common.But it's quite reasonably priced at 70/- for 330 Cl.

 

[jitubisht]

my search for 12 singha starts!

 

[denom]

BTW, is stout still available in stores here? I remember a few years ago it was introduced by Haywards, dont know if they withdrew it.

Yes that Haywards stout was not bad, unfortunately it did not get a good response from the beer drinkers here, stout as it is has a very niche fan following in India.

Have mostly found people just talk about enjoying Guiness & Murphy's as snob value......

 

[ajay124]

Guinness is a meal in itself and should be imbibed on a hot summer afternoon when you are feeling thirsty and hungry!

 

[jitubisht]

Guiness has always caused me tummy upsets not sure why!

 

[hifimusic]

the point of it all - is to appreciate the different flavors -

here is the way -

Tasting Beer

just as one appreciates the 28 different types of pickles:licklips: that Gujaratis serve at the lunch table

There are two camps of drinkers.
One camp would say that the only reason for drinking is to get a 'kick'.And the higher the alcohol content the quicker you get it.They tend to gulp their drinks as they are in a hurry to get there.THERE being a summit where they feel supremely confident,hearty,talkative and hungry.Music to go with it?Anything,as long as it is LOUD.
The other camp would say that alcohol is first about aroma,palate,taste and after taste.They sip their drinks because the journey is more important than the destination.And the high being sought is not a 'kick',but a sense of mellowness,a sense of loosening up,like relaxing in a pool/tub of warm water after a long day,feeling the tiredness drain out of your limbs,a sense of languor gradually enveloping your body,lulling your senses,Coltrane and Miles spinning their magic....I'm getting high merely describing the sensation
Obviously,I feel,that I belong to the second camp.But I am not suggesting that the second camp is superior or better.To each his own high...
But I pity the sober one's (not the one's who are listening to their HiFi!) who listlessly watch TV from 7 to 11 everynight.:sad:What an existence!

Suri,
Amazing chart on beer taste!

Ajay124, that was enlightening. I think i have some research to do hyeah:
but first I have to stop the KFs which seem to be the only ones available in pubs.

 

[ajay124]

First day in Chandigarh which has the chill of winter in it.Winter is the season I shift to American Bourbon Whisky and French Cognac.Prefer both with warm water.As it grows colder,I don't feel like having 'chilled' liquor,so no more single malts,beer or white wine.From mid December to mid Jan it's so cold, that I heat red wine by putting the bottle in an ice bucket full of hot water.Sometimes I simply heat reds for 30 seconds in the microwave!
Back to bourbon,since I am sipping Jim Beam at the moment.With an Amjad Ali Khan/L Subramaniam CD.Bourbon is made from corn and is normally associated with the State of Kentucky.Flavour,colour comes from ageing for 2-4 years in wooden barrels.Barrels are charred for imparting flavour to the Bourbon.Jim Beam White is lighter while JB Black ,presumably from a more charred barrel is darker and has notes of bitter chocolate and caramel.White is for 1400/- and Black for 2000/- in Chandigarh.But the big daddy of Bourbons is Jack Daniels.This is what Ernest Hemingway drank in Paris/Spain/Africa/Cubawhile he wrote great novels and hunted big game.Truly a great whisky.Far superior,in my book,to any blended whisky,no matter how expensive.Bourbon's are very smooth and s...They taste very natural and chemical free.Sip and smile rather than gulp and grimace.Do not go at all with soda,but taste very,very nice with a bit of chilled coke.An all american wonder!Personally I like it with warm/hot RO water.Equal quantities of water and Bourbon.Lights up a real fire in the belly on cold winter nights.Cures common colds and chest congestion-my observation.

 

[suri]

First day in Chandigarh which has the chill of winter in it.Winter is the season I shift to American Bourbon Whisky and French Cognac.Prefer both with warm water.As it grows colder,I don't feel like having 'chilled' liquor,so no more single malts,beer or white wine.From mid December to mid Jan it's so cold, that I heat red wine by putting the bottle in an ice bucket full of hot water.Sometimes I simply heat reds for 30 seconds in the microwave!
Back to bourbon,since I am sipping Jim Beam at the moment.With an Amjad Ali Khan/L Subramaniam CD.Bourbon is made from corn and is normally associated with the State of Kentucky.Flavour,colour comes from ageing for 2-4 years in wooden barrels.Barrels are charred for imparting flavour to the Bourbon.Jim Beam White is lighter while JB Black ,presumably from a more charred barrel is darker and has notes of bitter chocolate and caramel.White is for 1400/- and Black for 2000/- in Chandigarh.But the big daddy of Bourbons is Jack Daniels.This is what Ernest Hemingway drank in Paris/Spain/Africa/Cubawhile he wrote great novels and hunted big game.Truly a great whisky.Far superior,in my book,to any blended whisky,no matter how expensive.Bourbon's are very smooth and s...They taste very natural and chemical free.Sip and smile rather than gulp and grimace.Do not go at all with soda,but taste very,very nice with a bit of chilled coke.An all american wonder!Personally I like it with warm/hot RO water.Equal quantities of water and Bourbon.Lights up a real fire in the belly on cold winter nights.Cures common colds and chest congestion-my observation.

all very true-

but -

the seat of the commode gets unbearably cold in winter in those parts -

i was in delhi - 2 or 3 winters ago - for a day and a half -

and the only thing i can remember is the cold toilet seat-

solution? - i used the western toilet as one would an indian toilet.

 

[ajay124]

all very true-

but -

the seat of the commode gets unbearably cold in winter in those parts -

i was in delhi - 2 or 3 winters ago - for a day and a half -

and the only thing i can remember is the cold toilet seat-

solution? - i used the western toilet as one would an indian toilet.

In Simla,in the winters,in my hillside room,the western toilet seat used to have a 1mm thick layer of frozen ice on it.No water,because water pipes burst when the water inside turns to ice.No electricity.Therefore,no music.No hot breakfast or coffee,because for cooking all I had was a heater.Thick fog,cold black rain,dark slushy snow outside.Alone.No cash.No girlfriend.All I could do was smoke and mope.And drink and sing
Reminds me of a Traffic song I used to sing in those days
Sitting all alone by the fireside
Listening to the wind blow in the chimney top
Haven't slept for days
But I'm still wide eyed
Trying not to think
But my mind won't stop
Evening shadows make my heart sink down
With the setting sun
Turning leaves to brown
Wish I had a lover
Who's heart was true
Wouldn't be alone with
These Evening Blues....

 

[ajay124]

@Suri
My best of Traffic 2CD Set,is probably residing next to your Witches of Ecstasy.
Have you checked out?
40000 Headmen
Paper Sun
No Face No Name No Number
Dear Mr.Fantasy
Low Sparks Of The High Heeled Boys
Rainmaker
Light Up Or Leave Me Alone
Evening Blues
John Barleycorn
Freedom Rider
Dream Gerrard
These were the anthem songs of my gang in Simla.Steve Winwood was bigger than Dylan for most of my friends.Although for me,Dylan was number 1-10.Neil Young was 11 and Winwood 12,followed by Cream,Dire Straits,Doors,S&G and Marley.Don't have them anymore,but planning to borrow a set of Traffic from a cousin.
A true blue,classic,golden,unforgettable,masterpiece from Steve Winwood is 'Arc of A Diver'.Grab it,if you ever find it.Unless,of course if you already have it.
YouTube - Steve Winwood Arc Of A Diver

 

[ajay124]

Also from Arc Of A Diver.
NIGHT TRAIN
YouTube - Steve Winwood, "Night Train"
SPANISH DANCER
YouTube - STEVE WINWOOD: SPANISH DANCER/AND I GO
WHILE YOU SEE A CHANCE
YouTube - Steve Winwood - While You See A Chance

 

[ajay124]

A newcomer accidentally,drifting on to this thread marked (The lightest beer in India) may wonder how single malts,bourbon,commodes,Simla,Winwood came into the picture
Since,the master of ceremonies (Moktan) is on holiday,and the rest of the posters are apparently high on light beer,this thread is meandering and taking it's own course.Hopefully the scenery is better this way and we will eventually find our way back to the OP's original destination.