#Blahdrinks goes to Thirsty City 127 (and the super secret speakeasy Remo’s)

I spent 12 years in Mumbai complaining about the lack of good beer. There was a good taproom in Doolaly. And good beers on tap at Woodside. But not one microbrewery worth the name. Coming from the land of Windmills it was immensely frustrating to not get a freshly brewed beer with freshness and complexity and surprise. 

Well it’s finally happened! 

I went to Thirsty City which has come up in place of Barking Deer and I can say that Mumbai’s beer lovers can rejoice. The beers here are absolutely fantastic with the highlights being a black rice based beer inspired by the rice beers in the North East and a beer derived from vegetable waste and leftovers in the kitchen. There was a real lager that didn’t feel the need to be sweet and fruity and a good, full bodied stout that I also liked a lot. 

They also have a fantastic cocktail programme including their own distilled gins and their versions of the best cocktails in some of the best bars in Asia including Old Man in Hong Kong and Neon Pigeon in Singapore. I was also really happy to see a home grown bartender Santosh Kukreti. I feel that if India’s cocktail scene is to grow we need more guys like this who have grown through the ranks, who know the Indian palate, who have the desire to explore and learn, who succeed because of their hard work and ability and not because of their accents or the colour of their skin. 

Finally, there’s the speakeasy Remo’s hidden away with a separate entrance and a password that changes every week. At a time when speakeasies in India are to actual speakeasies what rexine is to leather, it’s nice to actually find a place that’s private, grown up, has great drinks and isn’t overcrowded with kids trying to be cool. But not a word more on Remo’s. Some things should stay secret!