‘Crafted’ by Ankur Jain in 2015, Bira91 is one of India’s first-ever craft beer brands. This frothy, light, and citrusy concoction finds itself on the shelves and menus of prominent restaurants and pubs across the country.‘Bira91’ is a combination of ‘Bira’– Punjabi slang for brother and ‘91’ – country code for India. The brainchild of Chicago-based Indian entrepreneur Ankur Jain, Bira91 is a contemporary brand with a quirky personality, just like its mascot — the mischievous monkey.
Bira91 is a zesty, vibrant and energising drink created for the young, urban Indian millennial. who wanted a not-so-bitter tasting, refreshing drink to wind down and relax after a long day which was pocket friendly too. Bira91 ticked all the boxes that make a great drink — good flavour that invigorates the taste buds, quality and tension that balances the taste elements of the drink. To reflect its carefree and easy-going persona, the beer is bottled in a contemporary and modern design. Minimalistic design — Bira91 is packaged in a tasteful blend of a bold but neutral design, just like its flavour.
However, the founder’s journey was not as smooth as the taste of this beer. Bira91 has had its fair share of ‘hiccups’ too! In 2016, the company struggled with issues as they failed to estimate the demand and after an agreement with their sole bottler based in Haryana fell flat, Bira91 was briefly pulled off the shelves. Throw in lack of funds! Also, marketing a liquor brand in a country that prohibits the promotion of alcoholic drinks was a major deterrent for the company, coupled with ever-changing guidelines around liquor sales. Bira91’s status as the ‘King of Light Beers’ in the country was threatened many times. But this crafty monkey did eventually manage to swing back into action!
Bira91 has been bestowed the honour of being voted the ‘Brewery of the month’ and named ‘Beer of the Month’ in May 2018, at the members-only North Delegates lounge, UN, New York headquarters. A company that once struggled with a lack of funds went on to sponsor international events like the Tribeca Film festival & Global Citizen Festival in the next two years.
A relatively new entrant in the liquor market; it is steadily becoming the drink of choice for many, both locally and globally. Creative flavours, contemporary packaging and a rich and silky texture have made Bira91, the perfect escape for the driven, tech-savvy, millennial hustler into a world without a care!
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