BeeYoung has carved a distinct niche in India’s craft beer market by delivering quality, innovation, and authenticity. As the country’s first craft-strong beer, BeeYoung has led the charge in providing beer enthusiasts with a unique drinking experience. With a focus on premium ingredients, exciting product launches, and the introduction of BeeYoung Brewgarden, BeeYoung continues to set new benchmarks for craft beer in India. Let’s see what Mr. Abhinav Jindal, Founder, BeeYoung has to share with the world

There are a number of craft beers across India currently, and that’s a growing trend. How does BeeYoung stand out in this competitive market?

BeeYoung has never been a “me too” product. As India’s first craft strong beer, BeeYoung has set benchmarks far ahead of the curve, with this pioneering ideology trademarked in its favor. Being the first in this category comes with a lot of responsibility, which we focus on by consistently delivering quality to the market. Our biggest strength and differentiator is BeeYoung’s vibe, its personality, the recipe, the liquid, and the overall value it delivers at an incredibly competitive price—consistently.

After almost five years in the market and the love we’ve received from our beer lovers in India and abroad, we’re now ready to introduce our next range of products as we move into our sixth year. Expect some new launches that are truly differentiated in terms of category, taste, flavor, aroma, and even packaging.

Alcohol prices dropped

You mentioned the use of premium quality ingredients in BeeYoung. How do these ingredients affect the taste?

Beer is mostly water, but the right choice of malt, hops, and yeast heavily influences the flavor profile, creating the aromas and alcohol content. We carefully select our ingredients and ensure their optimal storage and delivery to consumers. BeeYoung variants feature a high malt content, sourced from a leading industry name. We use only Two-Row barley, a specialty variety, and maintain strict quality control over the malt. Quality control is strictly maintained for the malt, and the rice is carefully checked and audited to ensure it contains 0% foreign elements.

We use only the freshest and speciality hops from Europe and the US, and our brewmasters bring these ingredients together with artisanal yeast to create the unique flavor that is BeeYoung.

The launch of BeeYoung Brewgarden marks your venture into a direct-to-consumer (D2C) experience. How does this initiative fit into your overall business strategy, and what can consumers expect from this new outlet?

We are ecstatic about the launch of Brewgarden. This has been on our drawing board for almost four years.

The biggest challenge with craft beer is accessibility, and we wanted to solve that with Brewgarden. We’ve put in a lot of hard work to create an authentic craft beer experience in this country, and we believe Brewgarden is probably the only authentic beer experience, at least in the North.

Brewgarden offers a very authentic European barn-style vibe—rustic and genuine—backed by great food and an artisanal fresh cocktail menu. We also have a great engagement program, including India’s first “Bocce Ball court” at a brewery, cornhole, table games, and an arcade. It’s a unique space that brings together everything that beer stands for—fun, vibe, and having a great time, with BeeYoung leading the way.

Kimaya Himalayan Beverages is expanding its portfolio with new beers and has a growing presence in the market. Could you share your strategy for scaling the brand while maintaining the same level of craftsmanship?

After spending nearly five years with a single product—BeeYoung Craft Strong—we realized our consumers want more, especially premium variants and different styles of beer. This means more investment in specialty ingredients, brewing processes, and expertise.

BeeYoung has already launched in Singapore and Hong Kong. How are you adapting BeeYoung for international consumers, and are there any notable differences in preferences compared to the Indian market?

There are indeed distinct preferences in both packaging and the liquid itself. We are committed to meeting the expectations of our customers, wherever they are. The entire team is working hard to make our international offering even better. Although we’ve temporarily paused shipments, we’re planning to restart them soon to both Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Kimaya Himalayan Beverages frequently engages with consumers at festivals and events. How important are these engagements in building your brand identity, and what role do these events play in promoting BeeYoung?

BeeYoung is all about fun—our motto is “More Than Fun.” Festivals and events are the perfect places to promote a great fun outing alongside India’s most friendly beer brand. These events allow us to reach our clientele in their preferred environments, with their preferred drink in hand. They also enable our customers to have “more than fun,” more than what they asked for with BeeYoung around them. This synergy helps us connect with our consumers in a deeper, more meaningful way.

What are the main challenges you face in scaling production without compromising on quality? How do you maintain the same level of attention to detail as you grow?

I won’t deny that it’s extremely difficult. Each brewery in different geographies has different equipment and water qualities, making it a herculean task. The responsibility falls on the shoulders of our brewing team, who pay meticulous attention to every detail to ensure consistency in the final taste and offering. We start with zero compromises on the quality of our ingredients, ensuring absolutely no deviation in the recipe and process. This focus on consistency helps us scale while maintaining our high standards.

Craft beer is known for pushing boundaries in both flavor and innovation. How does Kimaya Himalayan Beverages plan to stay at the forefront of these trends, especially with your new product launches?

The idea behind setting up Brewgarden was to create an incubation laboratory for experimentation. Brewgarden has given us the ability to experiment with ingredients, processes, tastes, aromas, flavors, and more, while also gathering constructive feedback from our customers. This has significantly accelerated our innovation process. Alongside this, we are experimenting with new malts, specialty hops, and yeast as we develop new variants. We’re bringing out something truly exciting for our customers, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of craft beer innovation.

The Brewgarden represents more than just a microbrewery; it’s a touchpoint with customers. How do you envision this D2C initiative growing, and what sets it apart from other craft beer venues?

How did the concept for Brewgarden come about? You’ve mentioned the use of recycled materials—how did the entire idea come into being?

The idea came from the fact that beer is probably the most accessible and unpretentious beverage. You don’t need a glass, a specific container, or even an opener—people open beer bottles with their teeth! You can drink it anywhere, on a public garden fence, at the beach, or on a mountain. Beer transcends place and occasion, and we wanted to create something that pays homage to this great accessibility. Brewgarden is a place that welcomes everyone, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or what they do. It’s a place where people can come together, make friends, and enjoy a great time with a great beer. That’s the idea that brought Brewgarden to life.

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important. You’ve mentioned that Brewgarden was built with sustainability in mind. How is Kimaya addressing environmental concerns in brewing and packaging, and what are your goals for reducing the brand’s ecological footprint?

We have made significant strides towards sustainability by eliminating plastic shrink wraps on cans and removing four-packs, six-packs, and 24-packs with plastic wraps. We now use 100% recycled cartons and our own 100% PET-tinted bottles, which we plan to reuse for 12-15 cycles. Additionally, lighter aluminum cans have been introduced to reduce carbon emissions. At Brewgarden, we use recycled materials throughout the space and continuously seek ways to reduce our environmental impact while maintaining quality and customer experience. Our commitment to sustainability is a journey, and we strive to improve wherever possible.

As BeeYoung grows and innovates, we keep our focus on quality, sustainability, and delivering an exceptional beer experience. With the launch of new variants and the immersive Brewgarden experience, BeeYoung is set to lead India’s craft beer industry, ensuring that beer lovers enjoy more than just a drink—they experience a vibe.