There is something uniquely appealing about wining and dining in a hotel restaurant. There is the idea of opulence that comes from selecting from a wide variety of food and beverages and the comfort of attentive service, or the inevitable lucre of the bar.
For the longest time, the bar menu was dominated by imported foreign liquor and cocktails, with some beer brands. Slowly, indigenous beer brands started finding a place of pride in these pages. This was driven by the growing interest in craft beer from microbreweries. Now, some hotels have even gone the extra mile and have set up a brewery on their premise to give beer lovers a truly extraordinary sipping experience.
Amongst them is JW Marriott Bengaluru. It had the first microbrewery in the city, operated by a craft beer brand, in 2019. And now it is all set to raise to toast with the newly launched The Merak Brewhouse at its Merak lounge.
Talking about this Gaurav Sinha, Director of Operations JW Marriott Bengaluru said, “The idea of offering something which is not run-of-the-mill to our patrons and beer enthusiasts of Bengaluru and beyond is what made us come up with our own brewery. Freshly produced brews for every palate and preference in a set up by the pool surrounded by a tropical forest scenery is what sets The Merak Brewhouse apart from all others. We feel the ambience is as much important as the brews for a brewery for the current generation.”
GOING THE WHOLE HOG
A distillery is one of the most vital assets of any brewery, which helps get the right kind of brew. Hence, JW Marriott Bengaluru invested judiciously in all aspects of the set-up – from brewhouse control systems, fermentation tanks, and chillers to serving tanks, glycol tanks and CIP stations.
Getting the right kind of structure for the ale, and getting it consistently at that, needs further investment in good malt and hops. Each brew at The Merak Brewhouse uses a different malt. Staying true to the company’s overarching sustainability ethos, this Marriott hotel uses local and sustainable products to brew as they are readily available round the year and more environmentally friendly.
Sinha stated that coriander is a common ingredient used, followed by dried orange peel, lemongrass, and spice when it comes to hops. The master brewer, Karthik Singh, adds these in just the right quantities to get a distinctive structure for the ales served at The Merak Brewhouse.
However, there can be many a slip between the cup and the lip. The hotel has to time after time, warrant that its brew is unique from the craft beers brewed at local microbreweries.
“For our winter specials, we had a spiced ale called Winter Warmer, a spicy malt with flavours of sweet spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Besides this, we offer three more varieties with some exotic flavours, such as our signature Belgian Witbier which comes with a fruity orange, a hint of coriander with a sweet and spice finish, the American Style West Coast IPA which has a citrusy, piney and fruity character derived from American hops and a smooth, low Pilsner malt Kolsch which has an aroma of delicate fruit with slight tones of bitterness and sweetness,” Sinha stated.
The hotel is planning some more innovative recipes to push the boundaries of craft beer while staying rooted to tradition and being backed by science. For example, for summers, it will introduce its customers to some refreshing tropical flavours like a Cucumber Saison, Mango Hefeweizen and Lemongrass Kolsch, to name a few.
DRINK HAPPY THOUGHTS
Getting the proper brews was not an easy task, but it was not unpleasant either. The team at JW Marriott Bengaluru went through multiple attempts, brainstorming sessions and thorough research with each ingredient to zero in on the final brews. While the process took some time, the cumulative experience within the team helped raise the bar high and bring the beer to the counter.
The brewhouse, at present, allows the hotel to pour four different styles of beer at any given time. Two of these are house beers and the rest will be brewed rotationally based on the season and customer demand.
Today, the Merak Brewhouse microbrewery houses 10HL fermenters and has tanks that can brew 2000 litres with 4000 litres storage capacity. The outlet has six taps to dispense the ale. Since the distillery equipment is located in the Merak lounge’s open location, care had to be taken that the brew areas are kept dry by ensuring adequate top covering.
Sinha is confident that the establishment of a microbrewery will positively impact the hotel’s overall Food and beverage revenues. “In addition to our existing clientele, this could also introduce us to a new set of diners and beer aficionados. Keeping in mind the quality of our brews complimented by the nature inspired ambience, I am confident that The Merak Brewhouse will be a successful addition to our already vibrant food & beverage canvas at JW Marriott, Bengaluru,” he proudly claimed.
Well, we will drink to that.
