As we settle into spring weather and brunches, entertaining at home means becoming a mixologist, gourmand and setting a Pinterest-worthy table. The pandemic has forced most partygoers to get imaginative with planning around limited resources. This included preparing spirits forward of drinks that were available on hand. Just about to lift the fog of the two-year pandemic, the second edition of the Vault Home Bar Festival is set to take place on February 25 and 26 and will bring the best in the spirits business to the city.
Conceived by Keshav Prakash, founder of Vault Fine Spirits, the inaugural edition of the fair took place in 2019. The event, which was initially scheduled for a couple of years, will now be held every year. The idea behind the two-day event is to create a space for spirits connoisseurs to engage with world-class distillers, mixologists, industry experts, while sampling some of the best spirits from around the world. , and have meaningful conversations around fun. .
Beverages
Premium is the word.
Keshav Prakash has carefully curated premium whiskeys and rums for his exclusive whiskey and rum parlour, which with a ticket allows guests to taste never-before-seen spirits in India. He enthusiastically explains on a call: “Since 2019, household consumption of fine spirits has grown exponentially, with a large number of 21-25-year-olds willing to try premium spirits. With the pandemic, a whole market has resurfaced, and now more people are entertaining at home. In India, brand discovery is key, and we’re bringing some of the best spirits in every category to India this year. ” More than 100 craft distillers will share their stories, talk about their terroir, and handpick spirits from more than 12 categories — whiskey, rum, gin, cognac, tequila, mezcal, vodka, armagnac, cachaça, sherry, Vermouth and Calvados — will be on offer. .
A festival pass (₹3,900) or season pass (₹6,900) by day allows visitors to experience spirits and gourmet food, while the mixology special requires a separate ticket (₹4,900). Keshav is excited about the mixology event, bringing Paradiso, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar from Barcelona, which won the top spot in the World’s 50 Best Bars 2022, to Mumbai. “We have an Indulge segment, where we have mixologists from Paradiso, Lost & Found Drinkery, Cyprus and Le Club, Matsuyama, Japan, each bringing their own unique style and essence to the event, with three exclusive cocktails for attendees. There are tails,” he explains.
Keshav Prakash
Passionate conversation
It’s not just about sampling spirits. Mela is a conversationalist. Speakers on the food and beverage scene in India and abroad ‘What is alcohol consumption in India and the world?’ will provide insight on topics such as ‘The home bar is the new fancy car’, with architects and designers discussing the aesthetic and functional aspects of setting up a bar space. ‘Gourmet Bar Snacks’ with chefs from renowned kitchens across the country; Speaker at ‘The Envious Whiskey Closet — Build One Without Breaking The Bank’ — Whiskey and Single Malt Clubs of India and ‘The Mad Gin Party – How to Keep It Cool’, featuring Distilleries, DJs, and The Gin Explorers Club There are speakers. .
Beverages
Mumbai-based Rahul Reddy, founder, Subco Specialty Coffee Roasters, will talk about coffee as a must-have in a bar, and how the bean lends itself to great spiritual collaboration.
“When it comes to specialty coffee, there is a lot of scope for crossover, which can happen with coffee and different alcoholic beverages. We teamed up with Pune’s Great State Ale Works a year ago to create a coffee dark lager. We’ve also aged green, unroasted coffee in Moonshine meads (Pune-based meads), then roasted that mead-aged coffee, and re-meaded it, and blended again. He created this meta-coffee mead. This year, we’re getting grainy about aged coffee with spirits,” says Rahul, adding that he’s created the ‘Spirits Series’, which Primarily involves sourcing green, unroasted specialty coffee from the Kalidivarpura estate in Chikmagalur, Karnataka. “We use the specific process of using coffee beans in whiskey barrels, infusion and aging or Indian gin, Indian rum and aging with beer. After three months of age, we use this coffee. roast and offer a uniquely flavorful, naturally flavored coffee, which is exciting in both iced and hot forms,” he adds.
With chocolate
For those with a sweet tooth, the event features a spirit and chocolate pairing event with Ether Atelier Chocolate, and an ice cream lab with Mumbai-based Sucres Des Terres (Sugres of the Earth). Yohan Dattobhai and his wife Kunali Chandraya-Dattobhai founded Sucres Des Terres to offer Mumbai artisanal ice cream made with local, natural ingredients. After a successful outing at the last event with dirty martinis, Negroni ice cream and juniper-toned popsicles, Kunali says, she is excited to offer delicious chilled experiences with Indian brands.
“It’s these types of events that allow us to push our boundaries and work with mixologists and distillers. We start our R&D two months before the event with different iterations and tastings with brand partners. Their tastings Apart from the note, we do our own, and this year we have collaborated with an Indian dark rum and gin brand that will be showcased at the event.” After selling nearly 5,000 scopes at the 2019 event, Kunali is excited about this new collaboration with Keshav Prakash.
Keshu is excited about taking this event across the country. “Indians are now interested in interacting in this space, and focusing on premium world spirits in addition to domestic brands. The concept of ‘less, but better’ has also gained momentum, and I love this one-of-a-kind event in India.” I am happy to bring you the best of the world.
