With the outbreak of coronavirus, people across the country were deprived of alcohol with the liquor shops being closed. With the reopening of wine shops, long queues were observed following which rules were imposed to observe social distancing. Now, in recent developments, Maharashtra is said to allow the sale of craft beer directly through growlers.
With restaurants and bars being shut during the lockdown period, it has become increasingly difficult for the hospitality industry losing close to one lakh litres of beer as it was not being consumed. Hence, this move is expected to bring about much relief to the industry as well as the beer lovers who have been craving their ales, lagers or stouts.
This move comes with the ruling of the Karnataka government which allowed microbreweries to sell up to two litres of beer in growlers to clear their existing stocks of beer. The move was introduced on an experimental basis to allow businesses to generate revenue during the lockdown. Maharashtra, however, happens to be the first state to allow the permanent sale of craft beers via growlers.
The state is going to take some time to set up this venture. Along with the capital and the infrastructure, there are other aspects to keep in mind as well, for example, temperature-controlled kegs and special growler-filling taps to maintain the right carbonation in the beer. Given the current situation in Maharashtra with the advent of coronavirus, the implementation is going to be tricky. However, The Maharashtra chapter of the Craft Brewers Association is aiming to have this set up operational by as early as today in Pune and the end of the week in Mumbai. This move comes at a time with the demand for craft beer has increased. Furthermore, this is expected to boost the alcohol industry and give it the much-needed support in times of crisis.
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