BackLounge Review | Windmills Craftworks, Whitefield
This microbrewery is also a library and a jazz theatre
Premium
One of the seven floors of Windmills Craftworks in Whitefield, the brainchild of Kamal Sagar, who runs Bangalore’s favourite green builder Total Environment Building Systems Pvt. Ltd, is packed with a microbrewery, jazz theatre, restaurant and design library. Preparations began in March when Ajay Nagarajan, CEO, Total Environment Hospitality, in consultation with brew master Ed Tringali, imported equipment from the US. They started to serve beer in December. The jazz theatre has been curated by musician Rzhude David, known best for being a part of Bangalore band Thermal And A Quarter. There are big plans for the other six floors, including a south Indian restaurant, a departmental store, a music school and recording studio, a bakery and an art gallery.
The good stuff
It’s a jazz theatre, it’s a microbrewery, a restaurant, even a library. The walls are lined with bookshelves (catalogued by Justbooks.in), with books on design and architecture that customers with membership can borrow or just browse through when at the restaurant. The books, they say, also help to acoustically insulate the space. Opting to go American with their brewing philosophy, given that their brew master is from the US, they serve six ales and no lagers. Four of these are mainstays while two are experimental or seasonal. We tried some of the ales.
The India Pale Ale is a very American ale which is slightly bitter despite loud hints of caramel. The most interesting of them all is the Coconut Brown Ale brewed with jaggery and coconut. It’s a sweet beer that is refreshing. All the traditional ales are labelled by the names they are known by across the world.
The music scene is promising too. They plan to have live music shows on Fridays and Saturdays and promise to make an effort to invite international jazz artistes. The food menu (pastas, panini, burgers) has been designed by Manjit Singh, who runs and owns the much loved Herbs and Spices in Bangalore. “It has everything that I loved to eat when I lived in the US," says Nagarajan.
The not-so-good
Whitefield, where the brewery is located, is a long drive for some Bangaloreans. Given that many people will have a long evening planned, a more detailed menu might work better. Perhaps the addition of the south Indian restaurant on the sixth floor will plug that gap. The Hefeweizen ale, which they say is their interpretation of a German wheat beer, is bit weak, weaker than the light wheat beers we love.
Talk plastic
Half a pint of beer costs ₹ 195 and a full comes for ₹ 295. You can also order a tasting set of six for ₹ 300. A plate of Onion Rings is priced at ₹ 175 while the Windmills Burger-Bacon, Beef and Egg costs ₹ 445. An evening of drinks and dinner will cost ₹ 1,500 per person at the least.
For reservations, call 8025692012.
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