I grew up working at my parents package store and I was always interested in how wine, liquors, and of course, beer was made. When I was in college, I spent time at a local brewery learning about the process of making beer and started home brewing after I graduated. All of these things inspired me to start my own brewery and I really wanted to make something that reflected the flavors and themes of my culture and I wanted to find a way to give back, so I created Other Desi Beer Co (ODB Co). All of our brews have some South Asian flavor or theme represented and each year we donate a portion of our profits to a different charity. I think there’s a lack of diversity in the liquor industry and I hope I can change that perspective through Other Desi Beer.

The people and the process of creating something. I’ve met and have worked with so many amazing people in this industry and have loved going through the process with all of them: from experimenting with different recipes, creating the label, marketing and releasing my beers, it’s all been such a great experience for me. Everyone I’ve met, from the brewery owners, restaurant owners, liquor store owners, and beer enthusiasts have been so positive about what everyone is doing in this space and it’s great to see. I love being able to bounce ideas off of my family and friends and has been a great creative outlet for me. I especially have loved being able to work with so many artists around the world to create something special.

Right now, we’re really excited about our High Chai (tea) Stout, our newest brew which is, an Imperial 7.5% Stout brewed with chai and Parle-G biscuits, an Indian tea cookie. I am really excited to share this beer with others as it’s the first beer that is so connected to Indian flavors. I drink chai and eat Parle-G biscuits all the time, so to turn it into a beer has been really cool and I love how it turned out. When ice cold you get flavors of chocolate, mint and vanilla. As it warms up to room temp you start to taste more of warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, clove and black peppercorn. One of our favorite ways to drink it is by making an ODB (an Old Dirty Bomb) which is our High Chai mixed with any coffee liqueur.