Millet Tap Takeover

Transforming the open-air bar into a space for millet exploration.
Photo by Sambit Chatterjee.

At The Locavore, we earnestly believe that millets are fun. And that’s what we set out to prove at the Tap Takeover with Great State Aleworks and their delicious millet beer series. 

 

Mid-afternoon, The Locavore team arrived at Bonobo in Bandra, Mumbai, and got to work transforming the open-air bar into a space for millet exploration. After a debrief with the Bonobo team and set-up of the different programs, our guests began to trickle in—and were welcomed with so many surprises.

(L) Nothing says fun quite like a gamified event and free beer. (R) The ‘Brewing with Millets’ guidebook is one of a kind, full of lessons and revelations from Great State Aleworks’ journey of brewing without malt. Photos by Eden Fernandes.

In the spirit of fun, the programming of the day was pulled together with a special tap takeover leaflet, guiding attendees through the itinerary, with an exciting to-do list to check off as they moved through the event. Whoever managed to complete all engagements would win a free beer! That’s plenty incentive, right?

 

The evening started off with the ‘Behind the Label Art’ session, where attendees learned about the art styles and skills that went into making the beautiful label on ‘Salt of the Earth’, a one-of-a-kind jowar cashew sour, the collab beer between The Locavore and Great State Aleworks. The traditional artisans who developed the art for the label are from Sawantwadi, and practise Ganjifa and Lacquerwork.

 

The session was followed by another talk by Nakul Bhonsle, founder and director of Great State Aleworks, who spoke about the time and effort it takes to source locally and use millets to brew beer, and how at the end of it, it’s all worth it. The audience, filled with beer enthusiasts and passionate craft brewers, made avid note of the learnings from Great State’s labour.

 

To their delight, this event was also our platform for celebrating another collaboration between the two organisations: a revelatory ‘Brewing with Millets’ handbook documenting Great State’s journey through brewing with these grains. The session, as well as the handbook, were attempts in privileging the goals behind Great State’s work and the Millet Revival Project: to encourage millet consumption and production and promote new ways of thinking about this food.

(L) At the Millet Experience Grove, attendees learned about millets By reading their dating profiles and playing with the grains. (R) The artwork on the label of ‘Salt of the Earth’ was made by Sawantwadi artists who specialise in Laquerwork. Photos by Eden Fernandes.

Attendees slowly filled the breezy Bonobo terrace and made their way through different parts of the event. Many stopped at the Millet Experience Grove, complete with quirky millet dating profiles we had built for each of our favourite varieties (including finger millet, barnyard, foxtail, little millet, and some more), millet flours and whole grains from our partner producers (OOO Farms, Tillage, Valley Culture, Umrani Farms, and Last Forest), and an interactive board for them to swipe right on their favourite millet with a pick-up line of their choice. Most of the attendees, though, quickly made their way to the taps to pick from their choice of the crisp, delicious millet beers available. On tap was ‘Dryland’, a brut bajra pale ale, ‘Equal Opportunity’, a bajra blonde ale, and of course, ‘Salt of the Earth’, a jowar cashew sour, and more! Guests also took this time to go through and purchase the ornate souvenirs made by the Sawantwadi artists.

(L) Photo By Eden Fernandes (R) ‘Salt of the Earth’ is best with a sliced green chilly—the heat pairs beautifully with the tart beer. Photo by Sambit Chatterjee.

As the sun set and the yellow lights at Bonobo rendered the space aglow, it was time for the most-awaited part of the evening, the Millet Pub Quiz, led by ChefTZac as quizmaster. The attendees split into teams, and each was tasked to come up with a creative name. The quiz featured questions on agriculture and growing millets, Great State’s millet beer series, and Mumbai city, with bonus rounds on whacky recipe development—the craziest and most delicious wins, of course!

 

It goes without saying that the teams got competitive—accusations were thrown around, and coups were planned—and we wouldn’t have it any other way. The winners of the pub quiz walked away with a set of Great State Aleworks millet beers, a range of products from our partner producers, and massive bragging rights.

 

As the games and merry-making continued, well into the night, delicious millet dishes developed and made by the Millet Revival Project’s very own cooking lab filled our tables. From Malvani jowar tacos to barnyard and foxtail millet haleem, the menu displayed the true potential of cooking with these grains beyond the traditional and the usual. And each dish was so delicious.

It was heartwarming and hugely inspiring to see so many people, of different ages and interests, come together to truly enjoy and relish millets. While Bonobo, Great State Aleworks, and The Locavore put in work to showcase the true versatility of millets, none of this would have been any fun without the enthusiasm, love, and trust of our fellow Locavores. As the Millet Revival Project continues with strength and as we learn more new things about these “ancient” grains, we hope to keep alive the joy and fun that should always accompany food.