Microbreweries in Kerala: Will state spice up nightlife in cities by following Bengaluru model?

Several restaurants will be allowed to brew beer at their own microbreweries if the government acts on a proposal from the excise department At least 10 popular resto bars across the state have sought permission from the government to set up microbreweries in their premises  Bengaluru, a city renowned for its pub culture and nightlife, has several watering holes serving beer brewed from their in-house microbreweries

The excise department has sought the state government’s nod to open microbreweries in select resto bars across Kerala, an initiative which has been proved successful in neighbouring Karnataka's capital city Bengaluru.

Several restaurants in the state will be allowed to brew beer at their own microbreweries if the CPM-led government acts on a proposal made by excise commissioner Rishiraj Singh.

At least 10 popular resto bars across the state have sought permission from the government to set up microbreweries in their premises and operate pubs serving beer to customers 24/7.

Microbreweries are small independently owned breweries which produce a limited amount of beer in a variety of flavours daily. Bengaluru, a city renowned for its pub culture and nightlife, has several watering holes serving beer brewed from their in-house microbreweries.

If the proposal gets the green light, it could be a major game-changer for Kerala's tourism industry. However, voices of protest from both social and political sectors, mostly the Congress-led UDF, have surfaced against the proposal already.