Whether it’s bedtime fairy tales, centuries-old campfire stories or a new show on Netflix – the world needs more stories to feel connected, now more than ever. For Hari Singh, founder of Briggs, the best stories unfold over great beer. That’s why beer unites, not divides.

Interestingly, Bengaluru’s first-ever craft beer label – Briggs, was born out of passionate people collaborating over their mutual love for beer. Since the brand’s inception, Hari has worked closely with several like-minded friends to build the brand, one of being Pratik Bagmane, a coffee planter by profession and the owner of 250-year old heritage estates in Chikmagalur.

“With a name that’s borrowed from old English - translating roughly to ‘bridge dweller’ - Briggs serves as a ‘bridge’ between beer lovers, serving the perfectly chilled mug of craft beer while they bond over conversation and evolve from ‘strangers’ to ‘comrades’ – even if it’s just for a few hours.” – Hari Singh, Founder, Briggs Brewery  

Today, Briggs takes pride in serving Bengaluru’s community of beer lovers – a fine collection of uniquely flavoured craft beers that reflect the same spirit of passion, creativity and camaraderie that brought Hari’s vision to life.

For Hari, who is a Bangalorean himself, community always comes first. “At Briggs, our primary responsibility is to recognise and understand the community we’re serving our beers to, which has played a significant role in helping us develop our beer styles too,” he says. “Briggs also focuses heavily on customer engagement within the community – be it via our social media channels or via our partner outlets.  Gathering feedback consistently helps us further improve our product to deliver better beer, every single time.”

[caption id="attachment_21430" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Hari Singh, Founder of Briggs Brewery, Bengaluru's first craft beer label[/caption]

According to Hari, the expectations of the Indian beer consumer today have evolved considerably and their preferences when it comes to purchase decisions will be key in driving sales in the future. “While most Indian consumers are still drinking strong beers, we are increasingly beginning to witness a growing loyalty amongst the same crowd for their favourite craft beer brands too. This is especially true for the younger segment who are new to alcohol in larger markets across urban India.

India started small and independent breweries ten years ago. Back then, I don’t recall being able to access or request a specific brand to be served at the point of consumption. But now, consumers ask for brands by name; this reflects how conscious they are of what they’re drinking and buying.”

There are several beer styles, but only a handful of companies serving their own unique versions of them. To bring the best of craft to Bangaloreans, Briggs decided to select the best-selling styles worldwide and brew their own interpretations for a product that promised premium quality and an experience that’s good value for money. The time-tested flavours of Belgian Wit, Irish Stout, American IPA and Belgian Strong Ale are given fresh new twists with secret spices, gorgeous aromas and a flavour palate that’s an instant hit with beer lovers from and outside Bengaluru!

Hari reveals that the brand worked hard to develop its own unique recipes after conducting a thorough R&D for the Indian consumer palate. A careful selection of the finest raw materials and all-natural ingredients sourced from far corners of the world for the most authentic flavours, was then placed in the hands of a team under the guidance of a skilled European Master Brewer. Furthermore, using the small-batch production model as opposed to brewing larger quantities has helped Briggs keep their focus on quality.

“Our brewing technique requires the brewing process to last for 20 to 22 days to ensure each beer has its own signature colour, a well-defined flavour and aroma along with unsurpassed taste and quality as compared to the regular commercial beers,” elaborates Hari. “We also partner with world-class breweries who contract brew for us under the supervision of our brewing team. This way, we ensure we bring to the Beer Capital, a craft beer label that’s at par with international standards yet is well-loved by the local community. Because of these combinations, Briggs has been well received by our audience here.”

That is why, despite so many brands entering today's competitive market, Hari remains optimistic that Briggs will continue to stay on top of its game.

“The Indian market, per capita beer consumption, is still shallow in comparison to other countries. The market is expected to grow annually by 10 percent and hence, could witness exponential growth in the coming years. There's plenty of room for competition and new players in the Indian beer market. However, we are concentrating on our home ground for now and are constantly striving to build consumer loyalty within Bengaluru. We are confident that this will keep us top of its game in the long term."- Hari Singh, Briggs Brewery

Briggs beers are currently available in Bangalore in bottles and kegs and are rapidly expanding select markets. Follow Briggs on Instagram @briggs.brewery to stay tuned on new updates added every day!