​Beverage News from India & the World

Oi Brewing Company, the founders of Oi Brewhouse, Pune's favourite beer garden is proud to announce that its Black Rice Lager has secured the Chairman’s Selection award at the Asia Beer Championship 2025 - in the fiercely competitive Rice Lager category. Brewed with organic black rice grown in-house, this accolade honours Oi Brewhouse’s dedication to innovation, quality, and modern craft brewing.
The Asia Beer Championship is one of Asia’s most prestigious beer competitions, open to beers brewed across the continent. Judged by internationally trained brewers and beer experts through blind tasting, beers are evaluated on appearance, aroma, flavour, structure, balance and style integrity. The Chairman’s Selection award is reserved for the very few that the Chairman personally selects as outstanding representations of a style, unanimously agreed upon by the entire panel - making this win especially rare and significant.
Brewed from organic black rice, inspired by the ancient “forbidden” grain once reserved for royalty that journeyed from China to Assam and subsequently across India - Oi's Black Rice Lager bridges heritage and innovation. Pouring crystal clear with a luminous golden-amber hue, it reveals delicate nutty and toasted rice notes beneath its crisp, clean body. At a sessionable ABV of 5%, it finishes smooth and refreshing, showcasing a modern craft expression of an age-old Indian grain, reborn for contemporary palates.
“This win reflects our relentless pursuit of authenticity, innovation and global standards in Indian brewing,” said Manu Misra, CEO, Oi Brewing Company. “It is a proud milestone not just for our team, but also for Indian craft beer. This is where tradition meets innovation, and India’s brewing voice finds global recognition. With this win we reaffirm our resolve to elevate India’s brewing legacy, honour home-grown ingredients and expand the horizons of what Indian craft beer can achieve.”
India’s craft beer market is booming, valued at US $4.7 billion in 2024 and projected to reach US $33.3 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 23.4%.* As home-grown brands harness indigenous grains, small-batch brewing and authentic narratives, this win signals that Indian craft brewers are gaining prominence on the global stage.
The Black Rice Lager is currently available in Pune at Oi Brewhouse, Kalyani Nagar, priced at ₹175 for 250 ml and ₹300 for 500 ml and will soon be available at Downpour by Oi, Baner. 
​(Excerpt from a release)

2025 got off to a strong start for Bourgogne wines. In the first three months, exports reached 22 million bottles — the highest level in fifteen years. The second quarter also delivered positive results, though less spectacular than the first. By the end of July, exports totaled more than 57 million bottles, up 5.6% compared to the same period in 2024. This generated record revenue of €951 million, a 2.7% increase year-on-year. Canada played a major role in this growth. During the same seven-month period, French AOC wines overall continued to decline in volume for the fourth year in a row (-1.5% compared to 2024 and -7.7% against the five-year average). In value terms, however, they managed a recovery: +1.3% year-on-year and +5.7% above the five-year average.
Following two generous vintages and a 2024–2025 regional campaign marked by a much smaller 2024 harvest, Bourgogne wine availability will still meet demand, though signs of slowdown are evident. Export markets remain dynamic, with new opportunities to be developed.
- The 2024 harvest, just above 1.2 million hectoliters (over 161.4 million bottles), ranks as the second smallest of the past fifteen years, just ahead of 2021 (1 million hectoliters). It follows two generous vintages, including the exceptional 2023.
- In terms of exports, Bourgogne stands out as one of France’s most dynamic wine regions. Sales rose by +5.6% in volume and +2.7% in value (Jan–Jul 2025 vs. Jan–Jul 2024).
-For the past decade, Bourgogne’s main markets have formed a loyal "Club of 5": United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Belgium. Together, they absorb around 62% of exported volumes and nearly 60% of export revenue (2015–2024). In the first seven months of 2025, while the top three markets retained their spots, the ranking shifted: Sweden, which joined this Club in early 2024, rose to 4th place, while Japan dropped out, replaced by Belgium.
(excerpt from a release)