Conceived in the aftermath of the 2022 Ukraine War, an Indian-inspired beer brewed in Eastern Europe has just entered the Singapore market
Everyone knows an icy cold beer is the best way to fortify one’s constitution in the tropics. Thankfully, there is no shortage of choice. From Teutonic weissbier to a low-malt Japanese happoshu, Singaporean imbibers have it good. However, a new biyar (beer in Malayalam) brand, named “Malayali”, after the people of Kerala, India, has just entered the market to shake things up a little.
“Most of us appreciate a good drink,” says the Palakkad-born Chandramohan Nallur, 40, one of Malayali’s co-founders. “We celebrate life. And this shows through all aspects, even in our cinema culture. Most Indian films portray alcohol in a negative light, favoured by gangsters and the bad guys. But in Malayalam-language movies, you would often find the heroes are the ones enjoying or rejoicing with a drink.”
Founded in Warsaw, Poland, by Chandramohan, together with Sargheve Sukumaran and recently joined by Pradeep Kumar Nayar, managing director of Vistula Foods, one of the largest exporters of Polish apples to several markets, who came on board as an investor and mentor, the hybrid beer brewed in Poland and the Czech Republic using European hops and Indian rice flakes, is undoubtedly a conversation starter. It also owes its birth to the most unlikely of circumstances. Chandu, as he is popularly known and who is a teetotaler to boot, suddenly found a client of his saddled with 20,000kg of parboiled rice flakes. The shipment, originally destined for Europe’s cereal market, was in jeopardy after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine sent currency exchange fluctuations into overdrive — and which caused the business associate to balk.
“I had to quickly figure a way out,” says Chandu, who is also head of business relations at the Indo-Polish Chamber of Commerce. “Initially, I thought of converting the rice flakes into animal feed but getting certification would have taken up to nine months. Holding onto the stock would have incurred high costs, not to mention taking up precious storage space. Meanwhile, sending it back would have meant a total and outright loss. You wouldn’t believe it but I decided to ask Google what to do with five containers of rice flakes, and beer popped up as a potential solution. So, yes, Malayali is a completely accidental business. I don’t even drink myself, so entering the industry was never in my plans. But I like how something productive came about as the means of solving a crisis.”
Better than mere productivity, Malayali seems to have outperformed expectations, selling out 50,000 bottles in the initial two months, after which a growth trajectory that would make investors salivate promptly followed. “We started the business in November 2022, with products officially hitting the Polish market in July 2023,” says Chandu. “A few Indian restaurants were interested. That’s how we got started. From then to December 2023, we sold another 36,000 bottles. From January to August last year, we sold 155,000 bottles and are now ready for the export market.”
See also: The wine whisperer
Although the beer recently changed its labelling (the original was a right winner though, featuring a moustachioed caricature of the legendary Mohanlal in the 1990s hit film Spadikam wearing the state’s iconic Kathakali headgear; however, an accompanying aviator sunglass motif presented copyright issues, necessitating the change), its delicious taste remains the same. The hops make for a crisp and refreshing swig as expected, but the inclusion of the rice flakes lends the brew a greater smoothness and subtle sweetness.
Fans may pick from three main variants: Light (4.8%), Power (7.2%) and even a non-alcoholic version which debuted last summer. The light and non-alcoholic beers now feature bright labels in yellow and light blue, respectively, while the punchy Power is bright red. And although it looks like a smart and simple packaging design, there is deeper thought and mindfulness behind the move. “The red, since it is our strongest beer, pays homage to Old Monk, India’s most famous and beloved rum, while the yellow and blue is actually in tribute to Ukraine — and the real reason behind Malayali’s birth,” Chandu explains.
Although it sounds novel, Malayali is by no means the first Indian (or Indian-inspired) beer of international origin. Komban, for example, is a UK-brewed beer using the Belgian technique while Kamasutra is an Italian lager. But composition and ancestry aside, the very nature of Malayali’s beers also make it incredibly versatile. Suitable for everything from a big hunk of grilled meat to seafood and, yes, it is practically made for coconut-based dishes and spicy curries, you would find it going down easy with most foods. And with its arrival on Singaporean shores, imagine the sheer fun one can have, having a pairing party to experiment if the lighter lager or more potent variant tastes better with appam and stew? Or better yet, bring a few bottles along to the next social gathering and see what your Singaporean-Malayalee friends have to say.
See also: Born to brew
The new labels pay tribute to Ukraine and a favourite Indian brand of rum
DRINK UP
Malayali Beer is available at the following establishments:
Club Bagawan - 82 Boat Quay , Singapore 049870
Star Bagawan Bar by the River - 82 Boat Quay #01-01A (outdoor bar) , Singapore 049870
Alankar @ Norris - 4 Norris Rd, Singapore 208249
Chettante Kada - 36 Sam Leong Rd, Singapore 207926
Kaayaloram - 115 Syed Alwi Rd, Singapore 207683
Spice Junction - 126 Race Course Rd, Singapore 218585
Swaadhisht - 47 Chander Rd, Singapore 219546
Premaas Cuisine Pte. Ltd - 6 Dalhousie Ln, Singapore 209675
Sree Laxmi Villas - 61 Dickson Rd, Singapore 209528
My Kitchen - 308 Tanjong Katong Rd, Singapore 437091
The Mango Tree (From next shipment) - 91 East Coast Rd, #01-00, Singapore 428791
Casuarina Bistro - 132 Casuarina Rd, Sembawang Hills Estate, Singapore 579520
Mugshot Bistro - 91 Desker Rd, Singapore 209613
