The Beer Face-Off

The 12th Spiritz Achievers’ Awards tasting sessions began with the beer category, unfolding with the quiet intensity of brewhouse with the convivial spirit of a taproom. Participating companies, from independent breweries to global giants fielded their flagship and emerging beer brands across all major styles, including crisp lagers, hoppy pale ales, smooth wheat beers, and robust draughts, vying for the coveted award. At its heart lay Spiritz Magazine’s long-standing commitment to providing a credible, unbiased platform that celebrates craftsmanship and sets benchmarks for quality in the Indian alcobev industry. 

A Morning of Tastings

On August 29, rows of gleaming glasses awaited their pour as judges prepared for a meticulous, blind evaluation. Each beer was poured without labels to eliminate brand bias, ensuring every sip was judged on merit alone.

 Judging the beers was a distinguished panel of eight experts, each chosen for their mastery of brewing and sharp sensory insight. Beer veteran and COO Khoday India Ltd, Satpal Chaudhary who introduced first lot of beer in India added value of his inputs and brought in gravitas while Amar Srivastava, Cofounder of Siqera, brought handson artisanal brewing experience. They were joined by Dhiraj Kapur, The Beer Face-Off Beer expert and Paritosh Bhandari, Founder of Tipple Brands Ltd. and Good Karma Drinks, who has been instrumental in introducing premium craft sparkling cocktails to the Indian market.

Other eminent names included Ashish Ranjan, Co-founder of Fort City Brewing; Akash Tomar, seasoned mixologist and beverage consultant; Ashaydeep Kulshrestha, brewing expert; and brewer Mannar Siva Baba R. The panel’s depth was underscored by the inclusion of Bishan Kumar, the Editor-in-Chief of Spiritz Magazine, whose leadership in establishing the magazine as India’s foremost alcobev trade voice over the past 16 years has lent both credibility and a visionary editorial lens to every assessment. Together they made certain that every beer was assessed with precision and fairness.

 Behind the Scores

In line with global standards, judges evaluated all beers blind in small, rotating teams so each entry received multiple, independent readings. They rated appearance, nose, mouthfeel, balance and finish, and also noted storytelling; how well a beer’s flavour profile matched the style it claimed to be.

This was no quick sip-and-score exercise. Judges swirled glasses between taster rounds, refreshed their palates with plain water or crackers, and conferred over tricky evaluations. Their conversations ranged from technical aspect like yeast management and mash schedules to drinkability, packaging promise and shelf life. While newer entrants were praised for bold ideas, established names were judged on consistency and refinement. Some entries leaned into precision with clean ferments and crisp finishes while others chased bolder narratives: fruittipped aromatics, expressive yeast, or a lingering roast. The stakes were high and the competition, more intense than ever, but what stood out this year was restraint done well. Beers that finished clean and invited the next sip tended to spark the longest nods around the table.

After hours of concentration, the scores were tallied. In an example of Spiritz’s forward-thinking approach, the panel recorded all marks digitally, eliminating paper and ensuring instant, error free tabulation. This modern, paperless scoring system reflects Spiritz’s commitment to innovation and efficiency, aligning tradition with new technology even in the tasting room.

 Anticipation Builds

The blind tasting session reaffirmed that India’s beer industry is maturing by leaps and bounds. Craft beers and specialty styles, once a curiosity, are now competing head-to-head with mainstream lagers in a rigorous blind format. For breweries large and small, a strong performance at Spiritz Achievers’ Awards can be transformative as producers today regard these awards as a mark of credibility and excellence, and winning can act as a passport to consumer trust in a discerning market.

All eyes now turn to October 29, 2025, when the winners of each beer category will be announced. Anticipation is palpable. Until then, the craft, dedication and rigour displayed in this blind tasting have already made their mark. The tasting session highlighted not only the rich sensory depth of the beers themselves, but also Spiritz Achievers’ Awards evolving role as an innovative, credible arbiter of quality in India’s alcobev scene.