Sumit Gulati is an IT Professional turned Entrepreneur. After working several years in the Automobile and IT sector, he started his entrepreneurship journey a decade back and launched two successful startups. He has extensively travelled across the globe in his professional career and developed a strong sense for Craft Beer and World Cuisine, which inspired him to get into Food & Beverage space.
With microbreweries mushrooming, a network of backyard brewers rising, Bangalore has gained the position of India’s craft-beer capital. Together with his Co-Founder, Dinesh Arora, they founded Aurum Brew Works in Bangalore and it was launched in April 2019. It aims to curate beers with best-in-class international malts and hops to ensure the finest quality of the brew.
In Conversation With Sumit Gulati of Aurum Brew Works
In an exclusive conversation with The Restaurant Times, Sumit Gulati talks of his journey in the industry, the story behind Aurum Brew Works, special Karnataka cuisine, range of beers served and a lot more.
Special Karnataka Cuisine At Aurum Brew Works
At Aurum Brew Works, they offer Karnataka food with a twist. There are many regions in Karnataka and every place has something unique to offer.
Gulati tells that the food at Aurum Brew Works is inspired by the neighbouring states, people, culture, and availability. They have dishes from different parts of Karnataka on the menu – for starters, main course and desserts.
Kori Roti and Chicken Curry from Mangalore, the Beary Muslim cuisine’s Kalthappam and Biryani, the Catholic cuisine’s Pork Bafat, Kaleez Ankiti. Menthya Soppina Pappu, Batti Chutney, Mutton Pundi Palya from the Hyderabad Karnataka region. Girmit and Menasinakai Bajji from Dharwad, Sauji/ Savji cuisine from North Karnataka, the famous Pandi Curry from Coorg, Sungat Song (Prawn dish) from the coastal region of Ankola and many more in the list.
All the dishes that are featured in the Karnataka menu are true to its style, presentation-wise the chef at Aurum Brew Works, Suresh Venkataramana, has made few changes. Banana Halwa is one such dish in which he added his twist. This dish was influenced by the Prasada that was served at the Malnad temple.
Range of Beers Served
In less than a decade, over 60 brewpubs with microbreweries have mushroomed in Bangalore. Aurum Brew Works provides a range of beers for you to indulge in! Starting with one of the most popular beers, the Belgian Witbier has the usual Orange and Coriander character with their own little twist using a secret spice.
‘We’ve tried beers to keep things recognizable for our customers while also giving our Brewmaster, George Jacob, the freedom to have a little fun,’ says Gulati.
Hefeweizen is a very traditional beer with prominent Banana and Clove, with a hint of Bubblegum on the palate.
They serve an Amber Lager that’s malty, yet grainy, crisp and dry with high effervescence. It is perfect for a summer afternoon.
“Our Indian Pale Ale (IPA), unlike most others, is an English style beer. English IPA’s are malt forward with a sweetness lent from speciality malts imported from England. The hop character is Floral, Earthy and slightly fruity,” says Gulati.
At Aurum Brew Works, they have been constantly experimenting with their stouts on every batch. They have served Chocolate Orange Stout, Belgian Dark chocolate stout and our latest which is a tribute to Bounty chocolate – a Coconut Chocolate stout.
Their in-house special beer, aka the Brewer’s pint, is currently a Belgian Dark Strong Ale. This beer is high on ABV at 7.9% with a large amount of dark Fruit character contributed by the malt and yeast. The high alcohol gives the beer a very warming sensation as it trickles down your throat.
Choosing The Perfect Location For Aurum Brew Works
Aurum is set amidst 23,000 sq. ft. of space in Sarjapur Road. Contemporary, yet classy, the venue is spread across multiple zones across two floors, which is an eye-catcher for the Bangalore folks.
‘We always wanted to choose a location which can cater to different palates of people from all over India,’ says Gulati.
According to Gulati, Sarjapur being an IT hub, there are a lot of IT companies around, people working there are well-travelled and have a great inclination towards Craft Beer and Modern Food. The housing societies are very well-developed inhabiting people from all over India, from North to South and East to West. This is the perfect location for them to serve the customers something unique with a great dining experience.
Marketing Mix At Aurum Brew Works
Gulati tells that the customers are their biggest brand ambassadors. The entire concept of Aurum is ‘Eat, Drink, Be’.
At Aurum, they have created spaces that suit the customer’s need of the hour – spaces for a private date, just boisterous with the boys or girls, corporate outings, family scenes, or just you. With all the greens around the area and the perfect beers, Aurum provides a very serene dining experience blend in with nice music.
At Aurum, there are a lot of live events that keep happening. They have a lot of live bands performing and games for their guests that add to the overall experience of the place.
‘We are not just another place that sells craft beer, we provide the perfect ambience for you to relax and have the best drink & dine experience, and maybe dance to our super amazing bands,’ says Gulati.
Secret Sauce To Success
Besides the quality offerings, one needs to turn their restaurant business into a brand that people can trust. It is essential for the restaurateurs to understand the needs of the customers, to provide them with quality food and service.
“We always strive for excellent customer experience by being customer-centric, experimentative and innovative in all aspects, from product to service and everything under the roof. Also, building the right team and creating a joyful working environment, is our mantra for a successful venture,” says Gulati.
