It has been truly a cosmetic transformation for Bangalore , now Bengaluru- langas and chaddis to lehengas and shorts ,rava idlis and masala dosas to pastas and pizzas, by-two coffees to one pint beer – garden city to pub city! And, interestingly, the charm of the old remains somewhere within the new too.
Bengaluru has something to offer for the varying tastes of the tourist- heritage walks around the avenues where the stately buildings proudly stand in their magnificence, beautiful parks, botanical gardens, temples, palaces, and monuments, hotels, big and small. But what is unique to the metro is the concept of micro-breweries and vineyards, where wine tours are conducted.
During my recent visit to the city, I was whisked away to a micro-brewery located in Indiranagar. I was amused by the name of the place- Toit. Micro breweries as the name suggests are breweries where limited quantities of beer are produced, typically for consumption on their own premises. Traditionally, big breweries took decisions over the flavour and the taste of the beer, and had a common pale coloured beer bottled up to be consumed. But as taste buds got more adventurous, and ideas floated around, small breweries slowly began to figure on the map catering to the tastes of their loyal clients so much so that micro breweries seem to encourage a signature style- like artists with their own loyal clients. Micro breweries made ‘bottled’ beer seem less fashionable, because here, beer would be brewed fresh, and each of the breweries prided on making their beer with natural ingredients and using unique and exotic flavours- rice, fruits wheat, or spices.
A quaint looking place with a wooden look about it, and as you walked in, you had to adjust your eyes to the semi-darkness of the place. Dim lights, comfortable sofas that you could lounge in and find it difficult to get up later, either because they were either too low, or you had one drink too many! Not so narrow stairs transported you to two floors of the pub that can seat 400-500 guests. Weekends of course were the most crowded. We realized we had arrived at the perfect time because we managed to get the last of the comfortable seaters, rather than being stuck with a high bar stool, which could well land you hard on the ground if you got a little too high!
The place had a Western look about it and one expected a cowboy to suddenly turn up. Long benches, stools shared the floor space with tall copper boilers which were used to brew the beer every day. I had difficulty reading from the menu (thanks to the dim lighting), and so I was assisted by my friends. Since I was a first timer, it was suggested that I try their sample tray, consisting of 6 different flavours-from light to strong, each with its own distinct aroma and flavour. Their food was good too: though the onion rings left much to be desired, the paneer marinated in spices was soft and delicious. The pizza and pasta were great for our taste buds too. The coasters had the most beautifully crafted beery messages!
Toit not only had a beautiful ambience, but made it an educative experience too. At the entrance were framed posters that enlightened us about beer making-“It takes four to tango-malt, hops, yeast and water.”And then the process of brewing (mashing, fermentation and so on) was explained in detail for anyone who wanted to know, besides just wanting to get high on beer! Besides the dim lighting, there was loud music, and layers of voices drifting from across tables from all sides and levels. Posters made from works of great Masters, Mona Lisa and the Scream were among the works that adorned the place. It was definitely aimed at drawing the younger crowd, but when you love beer, what has age to do with it? After a few rounds of beer, the loud music didn’t seem so loud after all, and each of the guests were totally oblivious of the decibel level from the neighbouring tables. We savoured the aroma, and breathed in the fragrance that invaded down our senses prompting us to pamper our throats.
Toit was the perfect place to unwind. All through the week, sometimes we are left feeling like a coil highly strung…too wound up. The minute you take the glass to your lips, the nostrils dictate the next move. Slowly and magically, you are ready to savour the journey, and the beer feels ever so refreshing, calming the nerves and I began to feel light headed too. The noise no longer bothered and I was already savouring every moment of it. It was pouring away as we hailed an auto, but even the weather couldn’t dampen our spirits and the magic that we had just experienced.
We really didn’t keep track of time, and we glided down the stairs with ease as we walked out of Toit. The Collins English Dictionary : Toit – ‘to walk or move in an unsteady manner (as from old age).’ It seemed to me then that it was the perfect name .
Hema Iyer Ramani
