Siqera is the first craft cidery for the nation and has thus launched the category for others to follow! And it helps that their produce is exceptionally yummy!
As team Siqera says, “We won’t bottle what we don’t enjoy!” So here is a brief virtual one-on-one with the trio behind the fermented apple (and mango flavoured) beverages themselves.
What inspired you to create ciders?
We discovered the absence of ciders in India as compared to the rest of the world where the cider market is growing rapidly. We wanted to promote the cider segment in the market, using our knowledge of understanding the whole process from Farm to Table. We believe that there’s more than one way to spin a bottle; of fruit pulp that is. And for us cider it is!
How do you plan to bridge the gap between beer and cider drinkers?
Our aim at Siqera is to create a new category and intoduce the Indian market to ciders. Sure, we’ve recived a lot of comments and queries — Is it flavored beer? and for that we are constantly using our social media platform and other channels to educate the consumers about ciders and Siqera.
According to you what is the future of craft beverages in India?
We feel the future is as bright and clear as Siqera Mango cider, Haha.
Craft industry in India has grown rapidly over the last few years and has opened up multiple categories all together for a lot of new and existing players. These days people are interested in trying out new and craft alcoholic beverages as compared to a decade back. We think/know that the Craft alcoholic beverages are here to stay and hope that they keep growing to capture a significant share of the market.
You have created a Mango and an Apple cider, what other ingredients do you look forward most to?
We want to experiment more with local fruits and promote the farm to table movement by building a strong back-end support with communities at the rural level.
How do you explain cider to a person who has never tried it before?
We explain our ciders as ‘Apple/Mango Champagne’ to people who have never heard of ciders before for a quick recognition as to what they should expect. And after their first sip we dive into the whole cidermaking process and styles to give people a deeper understanding of what Ciders are and how they are a category of beverage by themselves.
What’s your favourite tipple at the end of a busy day?
On a hot day we end it with a chilled pint of Siqera Mango Cider and sometimes Apple. Besides Siqera, we all love to call it a night with a glass of single malt.
What is your advice to young professionals seeking a career in this field?
Like any other field, this field is also about hardwork & dedication. The good part is that there’s no monotony, you get to meet new people very often, try out different brands, attend events and get to work with some of the finest out there. But all that will only come in play when you actually have your heart in it.