“I think a man workin’ outdoors feels more like a man if he can have a bottle of suds.”
That’s what Andy Dufresne said in Shawshank Redemption, and chances are, Jag Thind would agree.
Local ethnic eatery Mehtab East Indian Cuisine has brought in its own beer, and the brew is getting some rave reviews from customers.
In fact, as the Eagle sat with restaurant owner Thind to discuss how his establishment had come to get its very own draft beer — coined Mehtab Lager — a customer mentioned to Thind as he was leaving how good the new house beverage was.
Crafted after Hayward’s beer, a popular brand in India, Mehtab Lager has a cool, crisp taste, one that Thind said goes well with the type of cuisine his restaurant serves.
“We never bring anything into our restaurant without tasting and testing it first,” Thind said, adding that the first keg of Mehtab Lager has sold out in the first three weeks of bringing it in.
The beer is brewed by Minhas Micro Brewery in Calgary, and Thind said after approaching the brewmaster about crafting a beer for his restaurant, he had about six recipes to choose from after a month.
Thind said some of the larger restaurants in India have started bringing in their own beer to serve to customers.
Mehtab’s new beverage is currently being promoted at the restaurant, and customers can buy a pint for $5.
It is only served as a draft, and when asked about offering Mehtab Lager in a bottle, Thind didn’t say it was out of the question, but for now, the only place people can get a taste of the new brew is at Cochrane’s Mehtab.
