Draft:Malayali - The Hybrid Lager
| Submission declined on 27 June 2025 by Qcne (talk). This appears to be a duplicate of another submission, Malayali_Beer, which is also waiting to be reviewed. To save time we will consider the other submission and not this one.
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Comment: In accordance with the Wikimedia Foundation's Terms of Use, I disclose that I have been paid by my employer for my contributions to this article. Anilet Thomas (talk) 07:56, 27 June 2025 (UTC)
| File:Malayali bottle logo.jpg Malayali Lager bottle with logo | |
| Type | Lager |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Malayali Beer Company |
| Country of origin | Poland |
| Introduced | November 2022 |
| Alcohol by volume | ~4.5% (standard); stronger and non-alcoholic variants in development |
| Colour | Pale golden |
| Ingredients | Indian rice flakes, European hops |
| Website | https://www.malayali.rocks/ |
Malayali Beer is a hybrid rice-based lager brewed in Poland by Kerala-born entrepreneurs Chandramohan "Chandu" Nallur and Sargheve Sukumaran. It combines Indian rice flakes with European hops and features branding inspired by Kerala’s cultural heritage.
History
[edit]In late 2022, 20 tonnes of Indian parboiled rice flakes were stranded in Poland due to disruptions from the Russia–Ukraine war :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}. Inspired by UK-based Komban Beer, the founders worked with Polish brewers and Malayali brewer Lijo Philip (Kalikut 1498) to develop their recipe—achieving success on their third attempt on 13 November 2022 :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.
Branding and Production
[edit]The logo—designed by Sukumaran—features Kathakali headgear merged with aviator sunglasses and Mohanlal-inspired moustache, reflecting Kerala culture and global appeal :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}. Initially served in green bottles, packaging was later simplified using the Malayalam letter "Ma" to broaden market appeal :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
The beer blends locally grown European hops (Czechoslovakia/German varieties) with Indian rice flakes, resulting in a smooth, crispy lager :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
Launch and Reception
[edit]Commercially launched in July 2023, it sold over 50,000 bottles within months and about 36,000 in 2023; by early 2024, total sales surpassed 155,000 bottles :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}. It is available in more than 117 venues across Poland (39 in Warsaw), including Indian, Mexican, Italian, and European bars—and outsells Kingfisher by a 3:1 margin in some locations :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.
Global Expansion
[edit]With a ₹9 crore investment from Gulf investors, Malayali Beer signed distribution deals for the UAE and Bahrain, and plans entry into North America, Australia, Southeast Asia, and India by 2025 :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.
Variants
[edit]- **Malayali premium** (~4.8% ABV)
- **Malayali power** (~7.5 % ABV)
- **Malayali Habibi** (<0.0% ABV) :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
Cultural Impact
[edit]The name "Malayali" resonates strongly with Kerala natives globally; during the Ukraine evacuation, the term became emblematic, further amplified by the beer :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}. Reddit users celebrated it as a source of pride: > “This is not just a ‘beer’, it’s ✨‘malayali beer’✨” :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
Ranking
[edit]As of 2025, Malayali Beer is ranked the **fourth largest Indian beer brand by global presence**, following Kingfisher,Cobra and Bira 91, reflecting its growing international footprint :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}.
News Coverage
[edit]Articles and features include:
- *The New Indian Express* – “The Malayali on a high in Poland” & “Gulf countries to say ‘cheers’…” :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
- *BBC* – “How Ukraine war led to a new Indian beer in Poland” :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
- *The Hindu* – “Malayali, a beer crafted in Poland…” :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
- *Curly Tales* – “Selling out across 7 Countries!” :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
- *Quartz* – “India's Malayali expats are brewing a mini liquor boom…” :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}
- *Business Today* – “tastes massive success in Poland” :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
See also
[edit]References
[edit]
External links
[edit]Category:Beer brands Category:Beer in Poland Category:Kerala diaspora Category:Products introduced in 2022 Category:Indian diaspora in Europe