Ale and Hearty

Keeping with the tradition of brewing new beers,Hops ‘n’ Grains,too,has three new beers on offer as part of its Oktoberfest celebrations. To make it easier for the guests to make a selection,the beer is served in shot glasses and our tasting platter arrives as quickly as we find our seats. The Hefeweizen (unfiltered wheat beer,‘hefe’ is German for yeast) looks a tad murky but is very light. Interestingly,it ends with notes of cinnamon and coriander and is a must try for those who think beer can’t be a connoisseur’s drink. In contrast,Kolsch is a pale ale that’s light- bodied and sits lightly on the palate. For those who like it strong and prefer a bitter-sweet lager,then the heavy-bodied bock is for you. The latter is quite the surprise,but we preferred the ale (Kolsch) that makes a perfect sip on a working lunch.

Speaking of which,while beer is definitely the highlight of the festival,there is a special menu on offer,apart from the staple fare,that compliments the frothy drinks. Traditionally,an Oktoberfest rolls out a wide variety of German meals like roast pork,grilled ham,grilled fish,sausages and pretzels. The Hops ‘n’ Grains menu does a global twist and surprisingly tops the hops. Our order of butterfly prawns and chicken wings was not just lip-smacking but made for perfect accompaniments to the ale. The prawns in particular were very well done. If you are looking for a vegetarian meal to match,choose from the falafel,duplex mushroom,paneer kathi roll and bruschetta. There are many main course options that include thin crust pizzas and the chicken kathi rolls we wolfed down. If you are looking to lounge with friends and open to taste new flavours of beer with food to match on a budget,hop in at the microbrewery.

The festival is on till October 7. Meal for two: Rs 700

Location: Hops ‘n’ Grains,SCO 358,Sector 9,Panchkula

Contact: 4026666