Crafting Frothy Experiences

By Spiritz Desk in Cover Story
New Update

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From opening the first brewery in Hyderabad in 2016 to now, 2022, when Proust was relaunched with a brand-new look, Ironhill India group has come a long way. Managing Partner, Teja Cherukuri attributes the success to not only serving the best of the beers, but also to creating unique experiences at all times.

The year was 2016, Teja Cherukuri came to Hyderabad with rich F&B experience, equipped with knowledge of running a microbrewery in Bengaluru. It was only natural that when the Government of Telangana issued licenses for microbreweries, Proust was the first one to jump on the bandwagon with all its elements going right.

The beer enthusiasts in Hyderabad were already waiting, armed with experiences of international travel, and from experience of visiting breweries in cities like Gurugram, Pune and Bengaluru and hearing amazing stories of fresh brews. It didn’t take much effort to take the fairly new concept to the people as the curiosity was already there, shares Teja.

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“We already had very good international brew masters from countries like Germany. We knew our brews. For a place like this to be successful, it has to deliver on four counts - the drinks, food, service and ambience. Even if one goes wrong, then it is a problem,” he confides.

Proust has undergone a major overhaul recently, and now sports a new look and menu. “The lifetime of an outlet, until it undergoes renovation, is six years which is its prime time, beyond which it is like retirement time where you only get the pension. We have to give customers something new every now and then. The new Proust is totally changed. This might as well be yet another brand new place,” he adds.

Largest Microbrewery

The same philosophy is working well for the six Ironhill microbreweries that the group has opened. One of the latest additions, Bengaluru outlet is spread across 1.3 lakh sq. ft., making it the largest microbrewery in the world! With installation art at every corner and an ambience to match, the outlet serves eight varieties of original craft beer. The space can accommodate 1800 + people at a time.

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Besides, Proust on Road No 45, Jubilee Hills, and Ironhill Bengaluru, the group has opened microbreweries in tier-II cities like Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, and one in the suburbs of Hyderabad, at Kukatpally.

“Here people are as exposed to microbreweries as in Koramangala or Jubilee Hills, and they have the spending potential, and there is no competition. In Hyderabad,most breweries are opening on either Road No. 36 or Road No 45 in Jubilee Hills. Kukatpally is landlocked due to traffic.It is the place where many IT employees stay.We opened a 25000 sq.ft.brewery here for people, who used to travel for their beer despite the traffic. Now, they have a place closer home,” he explains.

Unique Flavours

One common factor in all the breweries is uniqueness of the crafted beer menu - Ironhill India aims to bring flavours from different parts of the world, and from across India to its menu. Testimony to this are the additions to the menu at the newly relaunched Proust Hyderabad. These include Hurricane- Hefeweizen, Ein Hofer- Blond, Krafting- Coffee Stout and Wild Cider- Cider.

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On a personal note, Teja shares, “I agree that a good stout is the benchmark for a good brewery. At 21 days, it takes the longest time to ferment. Cider on the other hand takes 7 days and is considered the easiest, but many get that wrong too. Sometimes simple ones need the most attention. I personally like my beer to be lighter, crispier and thinner. On the present Proust menu, I most prefer the ‘Blond’.”

The Ironhill India team plans to expand its footprints across 10 locations by 2023 in Maharashtra, Goa, Haryana, Chennai, Chandigarh, and Bhubaneswar. Plans are also afoot to open three more outlets in Mysore, Mangalore and Pune by the end of the year via a franchisee model.

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