Beer shortage looms in Bangalore

Bangalore: As temperatures soar across the state, Bangaloreans have turned to chilled beer to beat the heat, causing a surge in demand that has left the Excise Department grappling with unprecedented sales figures. In a startling revelation, it was disclosed that a staggering 17 lakh litres of cold beer were sold in the last 11 days of April-May, shattering previous records dating back three years of chugging down 14.4 lakh litres in as many days.

However, amidst the surging demand, a bleak outlook awaits liquor aficionados as a shortage of beer looms over the next two months. With daily sales peaking at 11.50 lakh litres, a notable increase from the pre-summer average of 8 lakh litres, the state finds itself unable to meet the amplified demand of 2 lakh litres per day brought on by scorching temperatures.

The root cause of the beer scarcity lies in a significant slowdown in production, as acknowledged by the Excise Department. Factors exacerbating the shortage include water scarcity during the summer months, logistical challenges in transportation, and restrictions on storage imposed during election season, constraining supply channels.

This year has witnessed a remarkable 30% surge in beer sales compared to the previous summer, exacerbating the strain on existing stocks. While assurances of sufficient inventory were made by the Excise Department last month, the escalating demand has outpaced supply. In a noteworthy shift, there are reports of a growing preference among the populace for alternative beverages such as fruit juices and cooling foods, as awareness grows regarding the adverse effects of alcohol consumption in hot weather. The health buffs on various social media handles have advised alternative ‘coolants’. As Bangaloreans brace themselves for the impending shortage, authorities are urged to swiftly address the supply chain disruptions and explore sustainable solutions to alleviate the brewing crisis before the heat of summer peaks further.

But at the same time, those pubs having their own in-house microbreweries have reported an increase in their output as well as consumption in their captive pubs. One of the largest micro-brewery pubs in Indiranagar in the city has increased production by 20 per cent, but that is only for a few days a week “We do not want to scale down our quality” said the managers of the Pub. In the meanwhile many brands at lower prices have gone out of stock. Following the shortage of beer of their choice the the people on the coast have switched to ‘Kali’(toddy), which is a product of the palm trees. “The situation is highly demanding as we are not able to cater to the market with just one product, usually the palm fruit toddy is preferred by the guzzlers. To meet the demand, we have also started tapping toddy from coconut palms,” said Eshwar Poojary of Kalladka, -one of the top tappers.