Why Indian Beer Is Super Strong
Cheap lagers are by far the most popular beers in India, as in most countries, but don’t expect to see bars full of people downing bottles of Bud Light or Michelob Ultra in Mumbai. For Indians, the cheap lagers of choice have names like Knock Out: High Punch, Boom Super Strong, and Tuborg Booster Strong, each of which are part of the “strong beer” category and weigh in at a hefty 8% ABV — compare that to America’s taste for light beer, comparatively wimpy at 4.2% ABV. Though the country’s craft segment has grown in recent years, Indians’ preference for beer still has more to do with alcohol and projecting an aura of masculinity than with flavor, and they expect their brews to pack a serious punch.
Even some massive brands recognizable to western drinkers have their own special India-only variants. Alongside names non-Indians probably wouldn’t recognize, like Haywards 5000 and Knock Out (India’s second and third most-popular brands, respectively), drinkers can find special strong beers sold only in India under the banner some of the world’s most recognizable beer brands: Budweiser Magnum, Miller ACE, and Foster’s Gold Strong come in at 8% ABV, while Carlsberg Elephant, also unique to India, is more toned-down at 7.5% ABV.
