Gaurav Karnani's vision, which he had way before opening The Grid in Topsia, is coming true finally. The director of The Grid always wanted to brew the best craft beer in Calcutta and make it a household brand. This gave birth to Caldera, the "finest craft beer" that the city vouched for but most expressed the desire to have more access to it. Last year Caldera stepped out of the microbrewery and poured from taps across several outlets in the city and this year, Caldera has taken a leap forward — it is now available in bottles for you to enjoy in your home. From where to get it to the pricing, Gaurav tells t2 all about Caldera.
Caldera was born in 2017 and it stepped out of The Grid last year. How has the response been from the outlets that you are pouring at?
The response to Caldera has been nothing short of phenomenal. The love and support we’ve received has been truly heartwarming. It encouraged us to take the next step, which was our plan. We always knew that Caldera had something special to offer to beer enthusiasts, but seeing the positive response validated our belief.
What has been the highest consumption at an outlet?
We’ve had the privilege of partnering with more than 100 outlets where Caldera has found an enthusiastic audience and the highest consumption we’ve observed in a single day reached around 1,000 glasses from one outlet alone.
What makes Caldera unique and a hit with every age group?
Caldera boasts a unique taste profile characterised by its low perceived bitterness and delightful fruitiness. This winning combination makes Caldera not just a favourite among seasoned beer enthusiasts but also an excellent choice for those who may not typically lean toward beer. We’ve had the pleasure of seeing non-beer drinkers discover and enjoy the refreshing taste of Caldera, which speaks of its broad appeal.
Furthermore, the fact that Caldera is brewed right here in Calcutta holds special significance. Calcuttans have a deep connection to their city, and they take pride in supporting local brands. Caldera embodies the spirit of Calcutta, and this local connection resonates strongly with our customers. It’s more than just a craft beer; it’s a representation of the city and its vibrant culture.
Whether you’re young or old, Caldera has found its place as the ideal addition to any adda or gathering. It’s a beer that brings people together, sparks conversations, and enhances the overall experience of enjoying quality time with friends and family.
What is now happening to Caldera?
Caldera’s inception at The Grid was a momentous occasion, and it quickly captured the attention of not just our city but also the national beer scene. Recognising its immense potential, we were determined to give Caldera a centre stage of its own. The path to bottling Caldera was a long and demanding one, filled with challenges, but with dedication and commitment, excellence prevailed.
Today, we are thrilled to announce that we have successfully bottled Caldera, making it the first craft beer to be bottled in East India. It’s a significant milestone, and we’re overjoyed to share this achievement with everyone. Our hope is that we receive the continued support of the city that has nurtured us.
Our vision extends beyond just Calcutta. We aim to keep Caldera consistent and available not only throughout West Bengal but also across India gradually in the coming years.
The bottle looks super chic! Tell us what the idea was in terms of the bottle design.
Caldera has always been about embracing a classy yet quirky aesthetic. From the iconic yellow colour that has become synonymous with Caldera to the beloved Cal the Bear mascot, we wanted the bottle design to capture the spirit of fun and sophistication that defines our brand. We decided on a metallic finish design that exudes a luxurious sheen. A special mention goes to the rip-pull caps, which were sourced from Finland. These add a unique touch.
How long does it take for the process of bottling to take place?
The process of bottling Caldera is carefully designed to preserve the beer’s quality and deliver a premium product. This process typically spans approximately 15 days and involves a series of essential stages:
Brewing: It all starts with the careful selection of the finest malts and the precise design of the water composition.
Clarification: Unlike some beers, Caldera being a wheat beer is not filtered. However, before it’s ready for bottling, we take care to separate most of the solids and yeast to ensure the beer’s quality and clarity.
Pasteurisation: To extend Caldera’s shelf life and preserve its freshness and flavour, the beer undergoes pasteurisation before it’s transferred into the bottle filler.
Bottling: The bottling process is a crucial step in bringing Caldera to our customers. It involves several intricate stages. First, the bottles undergo a thorough rinsing process to ensure they are impeccably clean. Then, the beer is carefully filled into each bottle, and CO2 purging helps maintain the beer’s carbonation. Finally, the bottles are sealed with caps to preserve the exquisite contents.
Quality check: Quality is paramount, and every bottle undergoes rigorous inspection using a dynamic weight checker to guarantee that it contains the perfect amount of beer.
Labelling: The bottles then proceed through a labelling process. Front, back, and neck labels are artfully applied, adding the final touches to the packaging.
Excise Hologram: To comply with regulatory requirements, an excise hologram is thoughtfully applied to the cap of each bottle.
Casing and Sealing: After labelling and hologram application, the bottles are carefully cased and sealed, ensuring they are ready for storage and safe transportation.
Warehouse for Dispatch: Finally, the sealed cases are transported to our warehouse, where they are prepared for dispatch to outlets.
The entire journey from grain to bottle is a blend of precision, craftsmanship and quality control.
When are you planning to start selling the bottles? What is the bottle capacity?
As we speak, our stocks are being dispatched to excise warehouses for distribution. Caldera bottles are of the standard pint size, each containing 330ml.
Where can one buy the bottles from?
You can expect to find Caldera bottles on the shelves and online delivery of Spencer’s and various other modern retail on/off shops throughout the state very soon.
What is the price point of the bottles? How have you kept the price?
Caldera craft beer bottles are priced at MRP Rs 165 per pint.
Will bottling change the taste of Caldera as compared to being poured fresh from the tap?
To an extent yes, there will be a slight difference in the taste of Caldera when served from a bottle compared to being poured fresh from the tap because bottles undergo pasteurisation to maintain shelf life and preserve freshness. In contrast, the Caldera served directly from the tap is non-pasteurised.
Where are the raw materials of Caldera sourced from?
Most of the malts used in Caldera are imported from Germany, Belgium, New Zealand, and the UK. Hops are sourced from Europe and the USA. Yeast is imported from Montreal, Canada, and is then propagated in our lab.
Tell us about the Caldera’s beer style and its taste.
Caldera in bottles shall be a Belgian-style Wit.
Means it’s brewed in Belgian style and is a wheat beer. Wheat beer is a top-fermented beer which is brewed with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. The two main varieties are German Weizenbier and Belgian witbier.
How did you come up with the tagline “Calcutta’s Finest Craft”?
The tagline “Calcutta’s Finest Craft” was born out of Caldera’s unique position as the pioneer of craft beer in Calcutta. Caldera made its mark as the first craft beer available on tap in the city, and its popularity has continued to soar. It’s a testament to the quality, innovation, and the unwavering commitment to delivering a premium craft beer experience from the city.
What are your future plans for Caldera?
It's all about growth and expansion. We have plans to take Caldera to the wider geography and make our city Calcutta proud.
We’ll continue to engage with the Caldera community through events, promotions, and collaborations that celebrate the craft beer culture and the spirit of our brand. The support and enthusiasm of our customers and the craft beer community have been invaluable, and we look forward to sharing the joy of Caldera with an even broader audience in the future.
For the uninitiated, tell us the difference between commercial and craft beer.
The distinction between commercial and craft beer lies in several key factors that contribute to the unique and often more vibrant characteristics of craft beer:
Small batch production, quality ingredients, an artisanal approach, and focus on flavours to name a few. Craft beer is about exploration, innovation, and a celebration of unique flavours. It encourages beer enthusiasts to discover new tastes and styles, fostering a sense of adventure and curiosity.
What message would you like to convey to the customers and the craft beer community?
Our primary message to our customers and the wider craft beer community is one of appreciation and shared enjoyment: Caldera is not just a craft beer, it’s a shared passion, a journey, and a celebration of flavour and quality. We’re grateful for the support and enthusiasm of our customers and the craft beer community, and we invite you to join us in savouring the joy of Caldera and hope you keep showing us the love as you have done so far. Thank you and cheers to the craft beer experience!
Lastly, if you were to define the feeling of Caldera, what would it be?
Originating from the city that lives to chill, our Caldera resembles the city in ways you could not imagine. Giving out the same quintessential vibe of relaxing, it is the calm in the chaos, the little pleasures that matter at the end of the day, resonating and inculcating with each sip, the Cal Way of Life.
(From left) Bottles are being rinsed to ensure they are impeccably clean, Once the bottles are carefully filled with beer, the bottles are sealed, The bottles are being labelled carefully from all the sides
