In cheers for tipplers, Delhi may have micro-breweries soon

his is one news the lager lovers of Delhi will greet with loud cheers. The excise department of the Delhi government has proposed allowing micro-brew pubs for the first time in the national capital.

Hitherto people wanting to savour the freshly-brewed bubbly had to travel all the way to Gurgaon and Faridabad in Haryana where such breweries exist in large numbers. 

The proposal, which has been forwarded to the AAP government for approval, has cited existence of micro breweries in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Pune and Bengaluru and said opening such outlets can shore up the state's revenue. "There are no microbreweries in Delhi due to which people have to go to Faridabad or Gurgaon to get freshly-brewed beer. If government approves this proposal, it will also help generate more revenue," a senior government official said. Micro-breweries produce a small amount of lager and are usually set up in pubs that cater to niche customers. "The proposal will soon be tabled before the cabinet. We are hoping to increase revenue through this exercise," the official said.

If the proposal is approved, five star hotels and malls in Delhi may soon be able to offer freshly-brewed beer to their customers. Haryana was the first state to have allowed micro-brew pubs.

Micro-breweries originated in Germany and have gained popularity globally in the past four decades including in the United States, Belgium, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom, where the term microbrewery was first coined in the 1970s. The move comes on the heels of another excise department proposal to bring down the legal drinking age for beer and wine from 25 to 21 years.