Vikram Achanta On The Growing Trend Of Mixology In India | Food News News

vikram

Vikram Achanta, founder of Tulleeho

Vikram Achanta, co-founder and leads Tulleeho, a renowned drinks training and consulting firm, as well as Bar X, a business specializing in bar accessories has been an important voice of the industry over the years. Best known for him 30 Best Indian Bars that is aimed at recognizing and honoring the top bars in the country, this one celebrates the finest bars and bartenders across the nation. The 30 Best Bars India is conceived as a platform to acknowledge and elevate the standards of bars and beverage service in India. With a vision to promote excellence, this initiative aims to offer Indian bars and bartending talent the chance to shine on the global stage, thus enhancing their recognition and credibility in international markets.

Vikram has also co-authored the Tulleeho Book of Cocktailsshowcasing his expertise in the world of beverages.

As important “voice of industry” how do you see yourself making a difference?

Through three main ways. Firstly, help create more platforms similar to 30BestBars India in the Indian alcobev ecosystem that helps all stakeholders, and at the end of the day, the consumer. Second, through our body of work and my own writings being an opinion leader in this space. Thirdly, by mentoring the next generation of India’s bar and beverage talent.

Tell us more about 30 Best Bars and the current edition?

The 2023 edition of 30BestBarsIndia was significant for a multitude of reasons. For one – we saw many noticeable jumps in the list, with eleven new bars entering the top 30. We also saw Pune bars win big, with Cobbler & Crew ranking #2 and winning four others awards – the Highest New Entry, Best Bar Team, Best Bartender (Aashi Bhatnagar), and Best Work in Sustainability (along with Pune’s Soy Como Soy). Other awards from Pune included Elephant & Co. Kalyani Nagar winning People’s Choice Best Bar and TOIT awarded People’s Choice Best Microbrewery or Taproom. We also got to introduce our new award category, Best Non-Alcoholic Bar Menu, won by Chennai’s Pandan Club, to recognize bars pushing the needle with zero-ABV drinks.

FotoJet 28
30 Best Indian Bars

This year’s list showcased the ever-growing efforts and standards of the Indian mixology landscape, especially as we continue to position ourselves on a global level.

We were also excited by the move of location to Goa, which worked well both for the awards as well as the burgeoning bar scene in Goa. We saw more than 30 guest shifts and bar takeovers by bars across India and overseas, and by virtue of quite a few bar crawls for the media and influencers, as well as some organized by select brands, there was definitely an increased spotlight on Goa’s bars .

What has been your selection criteria to choose the best bars in the country?

For the long list of Top 100 shortlist, we have a 75-member jury of experts across the country poll. For the 30 Best Bars and other select categories, the selection criteria are based on a vote by a 200+ member jury, determined by numerous factors such as stellar service quality, unique and creative bar menus, and general ambience. We have a smaller technical jury voting on categories like ‘Best Bar Team,’ ‘Best Bartender’ and ‘Best Bar Design’.

You also have introduced a new category called ‘Best Pandemic Response’. Can you tell us more about it and whether it is a one-off for 2022?

‘Best Pandemic Response’ was introduced in the 2021 edition, after we took a break during the pandemic. It was a one-off for that year, created to honor a bar that had reinvented itself during the pandemic and introduced innovative business methods that helped them succeed during the difficult time. Every year we re-examine current situations and add categories where relevant. For example, our new category introduced in the 2023 edition was the Best Non-Alcoholic Menu Bar. This was to recognize the fact that there is a large population of people who don’t drink alcohol or have cut down on their consumption. This category highlights the experimentation of mixologists who go beyond overly sweet and synthetic mocktails, urging bars to craft thoughtful Non-Alcoholic bar menus.

FotoJet 29
Vikram loved his Gin, Tequila, Rum

How do you see the world of bartending / mixology growing in India when comparing to the Western world?

The world of mixology in India is on an upward trend, with Indian mixologists and bars consistently upping their game. We’re seeing innovative cocktail programs, experimentation with new and unique ingredients, and the commitment and investment in bar teams. This has also led to seeing Indian bartenders on various global platforms, shining a spotlight on our bar landscape. The best part is that this growth is not limited to the major metros, instead we’re seeing innovations across all points of India and a lot of bars working in collaboration through guest shifts and takeovers.

Your go-to Bar other than Sidecar and favorite cocktail of all times?

While this is a tough one, I’d say my favorite cocktail is the Coa Negroni – which swaps out Gin for Mezcal. rather, my go-to beverage is actually craft beer, and given the chance, I’d love to be at the Great State Dive in Pune.

What are the top 6 spirits that one must have in their bar

Gin, Tequila, RumA good single Malt, American Whiskey, Irish Whiskey.