Skip to main content

Burrp Review: Independence Brewery Company

This article was published on Burrp.

Call it a brewpub or a gastro-pub; they have got the recipe right – superbly brewed beer with some tasty grub.


Independence Brewery Company located in Mundhwa is spacious. If not the bar stools, then choose from bench-style seating to get comfortable. Having opened its doors to beer guzzlers in January, the pub finally acquired the required licenses to brew their own beer on site. It is interesting to note that they do not serve beer in pitchers or towers here. Shailendra Bisht, owner and Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) approved member, works out the science behind the perfect mug of ale. Here, beer is served in a tall glass so you savour it at just the right temperature (4-5 Degrees Celsius).
Beer tasters (1)They brew four kinds of beer of which the pale yellow, translucent Belgian Wit Beer (Rs 300 for 500ml) is our pick for its easy-on-the-palate fruity notes that make it difficult to stop drinking it. The American Pale Ale (Rs 300 for 500ml) is a deep golden coloured bitter, malt-intense beer. Chocolate enthusiasts will enjoy the Brown Porter (Rs 300 for 500ml) with its prominent aroma and notes of bitter chocolate and malt. Their most popular beer though is the India Pale Ale (Rs 340 for 500ml). Don’t get fooled by its citrusy smell, this is a challenging beer to drink if only because of it extreme bitterness. Ask the manager for a tour of the brewery and they’ll be happy to give you a show-round.
Unlike a number of similar establishments, Independence Brewery 
Ethiopian SambussaCompany takes its food very seriously as well. Their menu has a mix of Indian and world cuisine. Take the Ethiopian Sambussa (Rs 180) for instance – we doubt there is anywhere else in Pune you can sample a great version of this lentil stuffed pastry dough or samosa.The lentils cooked al dente were mildly flavoured but to take the heat up a notch it was a bright red chilli dip – the highlight of this appetizer! The heat from the dip lingers long after you’ve finished eating a few bites. The Independence Paprika Wings (Rs 300) make for another great bar snack. Crispy fried wings are tossed in homemade hot chilli sauce and the tanginess from the vinegar is very prominent. The perfect foil to this – dunk the wings into the blue cheese dip before every bite. For those of you who love a bit of smoky tandoori fare on the sidetry the Lasooni Murgh Tikka (Rs 380). The meat is tender and flavoured with garlic and onion. Finely chopped fresh coriander and little chunks of dry roasted garlic add texture to the dish.
The Crepes Arrosto (Rs 300) is a more substantial eat that most of the other dishes. The crepes were filled with melted cheese that covered a mix of yellow bell peppers, carrots and spinach dotted with slivers of dried red chilli and a dash of mustard sauce. Its inherent bold flavour means that the mustard easily overpowers all the other flavours of this dish. If you’re not a big fan of mustard try the Cumin Mustard and Chilli Roast Chicken (Rs 400) instead. This generous portion has a chunky leg of chicken slathered with brown gravy flecked with capers, juicy rings of onion, parsley and whole peppercorns ensuring a burst of strong distinct flavours with every bite. Adding to the dish is a side of vegetables tossed in oil and rosemary, and Hasselback potatoes, which are particularly delightful.
Lemon Orange Tart
For dessert, look no further than the Orange Lemon Tart (Rs 240). Infused with lemon zest, the baked tart is creamy and sweet with an edge of acidity, and lies on a bed of finely crumbed biscuits. Though, the kiwi glaze on the plate is quite unnecessary. With great beers and plans to tweak the menu every six months, there definitely is a lot to keep heading back to Independence Brewery Company!


Must Try: Belgian Wit Beer, Independence Paprika Wings
Meal For Two: Rs 1,200+taxes (without alcohol)


This review was sponsored by the restaurant.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

INSIDE THE GO CHEESE FACTORY

Last weekend, I got a unique opportunity to visit Gowardhan Cheese Factory in Manchar district, a good two hour drive from Pune city. The owning home-grown company Parag Milk Foods brand portfolio includes Gowardhan and GO boasting of a range of dairy products that have been retailed across Mumbai and Pune over the last decade. I first started using their yoghurt when the local kirana store ran out of my usual preference of Amul , Danone and Britannia . One spoon of it and I instantly found it so fresh, light and 'unprocessed'. I have always loved cheese but now I even prefer it over chocolate. So when I was scheduled to visit the GO factory, it bore semblance to winning the golden ticket and entering glistening gates to its factory much like the popular Roald Dahl 's  Charlie . Except that it was not all that dramatic! 

Restaurant Review | Where Else Cafe & Bar

Where Else promises to be unique in Viman Nagar, a neighbourhood already brimming with so many eateries.   Four young friends came together to put their love for food and travel experiences in a melting pot called ‘Where Else’. This new café and bar is the brainchild of sibling duo Ardesh and Daisy Rustomjee and best friend duo Amritha Shrikumar and Sweta Jobanputra. These Viman Nagar residents have been firsthand witnesses to the rise of new eateries in their locality. With ‘Where Else’ they aim to fill in the void of a place that offers all-day breakfast and good quality indulgent food. We drove to the outlet in its first week of opening to find out if ‘Where Else’ is the place to be.   

First Look Inside Legoland Dubai

Yesterday, I went for the soft opening of Legoland Dubai . It's a much anticipated attraction at the Dubai Parks & Resorts - home also to the Bollywood Parks  (I hear you can film your own movie here), MotionGate  (a Hollywood inspired theme park), Lapita  (a Polynesian, tribal themed Marriott hotel) and Riverland (retail and dining zone). Now who doesn't love Lego right? I remember spending as many hours building Lego house models as I did playing with Barbie! So when you get a free ticket for a trial run of the park, you go!  Riverland, the 'reception' zone of Dubai Parks & Resorts; and way in the distance, Bollywood Park The beautiful 500-room Lapita hotel with the beautiful sunset backdrop This wasn't the first Legoland I have visited. On a trip to the U.K., we spent such a fantastic day at the Legoland . Imagine what a fascinating sight it was to my ten year old eyes! I vividly remember seeing a Lego version of a giant Cadbury...