When in India, no matter where you are, you are not far from a prominent ad for the “King of Good Times”, also known as Kingfisher Beer.
Review: Kingfisher Beer (India)
Kingfisher seems to be the most popular beer and the most popular alcoholic beverage in India. It is commonly available in the Lager and the Strong forms, and if you dine at a higher-end restaurant you may be able to find the Ultra variety.
The King(s) of Good Times:
The Gold Label
The Gold Label
The Kingfisher Gold label is a Euro-style Pale Lager that is a perfect middle-of-the-road beer with 4.8% alcohol content. It’s the perfect refreshment for lunch or an early dinner on a hot Indian day. Well balanced, not too light.
Kingfisher Strong
My “hands-down” favorite beer of the bunch is the Kingfisher Extra Strong. Clocking in at 7.1% alcohol by volume, it is notably and noticeably more potent then the Gold Label.
However, I found that this beer had a more substantial full-bodied feel that you’d find in something like an Amber ale or even malt liquor. It does have a sweetness to it that is a little strong but not bad at all. Overall, I’d say this is your absolute best bet for Indian beer.
The Emperor of Good Times: Kingfisher Ultra
The Emperor
Last, but not least, we have the Kingfisher Ultra. This one is the smoothest and lightest of the bunch by far.
The alcoholic content is 5% and the carbonation is slight – I’d say too slight – so much so that you almost feel like you are drinking a beer-flavored water. It is very refreshing once you mentally block out the faint metallic note. I went back and forth with this one, sometimes I loved it, sometimes I hated it. Always finished it though.
Cheers!
