The path of high summer is laden with finely cracked ice floating with sprigs of mint. We have come a long way since sherbet ruled the roost as the ultimate summer cooler. While brands and dainty brunches with bellinis cannot replace the refreshing cold condensation of a glass of aam panna or lemonade, here are the newest summer saviours from our favourite drinking companies.
ABSOLUT MINI
Premium vodka brand Absolut has launched ‘Absolut Mini’ across three variants—Mandarin, Citron and Raspberri. Petite and glassy with fruity colour splashes, the 200ml bottles will give consumers an opportunity to experiment and discover their palate for flavoured vodka. Absolut Mini will be available across Delhi, Gurugram, Goa, Mumbai, Noida and Hyderabad.
STRANGER & SONS’ PERRY ROAD PERU
Inspired by the humble and seasonal pink perus (guavas) that line the streets of Mumbai twice a year, Stranger & Sons, one of India’s leading gin brands, found the perfect muse to capture the city’s spirit. Fresh, balanced and luscious, it has a flamboyant pinkish hue and makes for a breezy, effervescent sundowner. This limited edition cocktail is the perfect union of the potent peru and the nine Indian botanicals in Stranger & Sons gin. Pour it over ice in a rock glass or top with tonic in a highball, served with a spiced rim. Perry Road Peru launched across the country this year, covering Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi, Rajasthan and Goa.
MAVI’S GINGER ALE
Named after cofounders Mashi and Vikram, the Pune-based startup began with brewing Kombucha and has now diversified into kefir, beetkvass, sauerkraut tepache and kimchi. But one of its most interesting products to hit the market is the ginger ale in four flavours including hibiscus, rose and turmeric. While most commercial ginger ale companies use carbonated water with sugar or high fructose corn syrup with either natural or artificial ginger flavouring, MAVI’s uses organic root ginger naturally fermented over the course of days with zero preservatives. Each batch is made from scratch, retaining the full beneficial bacteria spectrum, and has a richer, deeper and more intense flavour. The flavouring is done with dried flower petals and spices.
JADE FOREST’S NEW ICED TEA RANGE
Jade Forest, a premium non-alcoholic beverage brand that has witnessed recent success by creating unique and refreshing drinks in fast-growing categories, has just dropped their brand new range for iced teas in three exciting flavours. Developed in conjunction with flavour specialists based out of Denmark, these iced teas are packed with antioxidants and real fruit juice. Perfect for the summer months ahead, these iced teas are naturally low in calories and sugar and make use of black tea, green tea and infused hibiscus tea in variants called Berry Blush, Floral Rush and Citrus Crush.
SVAMI SALTED LEMONADE
Svami, a leading brand in the non-alcoholic beverages, especially low-cal tonic water, announced the Svami Salted Lemonade in March. With that, Svami has reinvented one of India’s all-time favourite drinks—the sweet and salted fresh lime. Give your drinks a nimbu twist with this versatile mixer and add some jazz to the regular tequila, gin, vodka, rum, whiskey, beer or be brunch-ready with lemonade mimosas and cold brew coffee lemonade. Svami Salted Lemonade has a balanced sweet and sour taste with a hint of salt that appeals to the contemporary palate.
BIRA 91’S IMAGINED IN INDIA
Bira 91, one of the fastest-growing premium beer companies, launched ‘Imagined in India’, a portfolio of four new limited-release beers—Bollywood IPA, Kokum Sour, Brown Ale and Mango Lassi—crafted with local ingredients to tickle the Indian taste buds. ‘Imagined in India’ is inspired by the raw creativity of today’s India led by artists, entrepreneurs and startups.
The Bollywood IPA is loud, flavourful and vibrant with a tropical twist, inspired by West Coast IPAs that were born in California. Kokum Sour complements the Indian summer by combining the traditional ingredient from the Konkan coast and the affinity of the Indian palette towards sour flavours. On the other hand, Brown Ale is a blend of English nut brown ale and the Antwerpian amber with strong notes of coconut and vanilla. And finally, Mango Lassi, which is gaining the maximum traction, merges Bira 91’s flagship Wheat Ale and a milkshake beer into one flavourful bomb. Bira 91 re-launched the popular taproom in Bengaluru with a beer line-up of 14 flavours.