Bunta Beer wants to bridge the gap between Indian cuisine and beer
Gunikka Ahuja founded Bunta Beer in 2025 with the mission of brewing a beer specifically to pair with Indian cuisine. As the brand celebrates its first draught listing, the New Delhi-native tells db how it’s aiming to close the gap between “how modern Indian food is experienced in the UK and how beer is positioned alongside it.”
The UK’s first non-alcoholic Indian craft beer has announced its first draught listing at Notting Hill-based neighbourhood pub, The Latimer.
The listing is a milestone for Bunta Beer, which was founded in October 2025. The beer brand will be serving its flagship non-alcoholic gluten-free citrus lager, brewed specifically to compliment Indian food, on tap at the neighbourhood pub.
For founder Gunikka Ahuja, the decision to brew a non-alcoholic beer began with a personal shift. “During the pandemic, I significantly reduced my alcohol consumption, and since then it’s been a steady downward trend,” the New Delhi-native tells the drinks business. “I still love going out, I still love the social aspect of drinking but I became much more intentional about it.”
She’s also always been a big foodie, with many of her best childhood memories built around going out for a curry. “That’s really where the frustration started,” she pinpoints. Walking into pubs and restaurants, non-alcoholic options always felt like an afterthought – something overly sweet on a mismatch for the dishes on the table.
“There’s a massive gap between how modern Indian food is experienced in the UK and how beer is positioned alongside it,” Ahuja adds. On the one hand, there are countless high-quality Indian restaurants and curry houses across the country. But on the other hand, “the beer offering hasn’t evolved in over 30 years,” the 27-year-old continues. “It’s either generic lagers or non-alcoholic options that feel completely disconnected from the cuisine.”
And that’s where the idea for Bunta was sparked – a non-alc beer designed to pair with Indian food. Ahuja talks db through the production process: “Indian food is unapologetically bold – spice, fat, acidity, heat – so the beer can’t disappear next to it. We approached it almost like chefs. Instead of just brewing a ‘good beer’, we asked: what does this beer need to do on the palate? It needs to cut through spice, but also stand its ground.”
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This looked like balancing carbonation with malt, acidity and citra hops. Take the Citrus Lager, for example: “It cleans the palate without dulling flavour, which is something a lot of mainstream beers don’t get right with Indian food.” The products also incorporate common Indian cooking ingredients, like coriander seeds and orange peel, and Ahuja works with suppliers closely connected to Indian agriculture.
Nevertheless, she makes clear, “it’s really important for us to keep Bunta rooted in Britain”, with the beers all sourced and brewed locally in the UK.
“We’re positioning ourselves at the intersection of global craft, modern British identity, and the non-alcoholic movement,” Ahuja continues. “If anything, the inspiration comes more from chefs and the way Indian food is evolving globally, rather than traditional beer brands.”
Besides, the idea of having a pint with your curry is “a very British ritual,” she adds. “It’s a unique intersection of cultures that’s evolved here over decades.”
At The Latimer, which is a family-led venue from the Spiteri family, Ahuja suggests pairing the beer with the pub’s Masala haddock with curried tartare sauce.
Looking long-term, however, the entrepreneur has her horizons set outside of the UK: “I want Bunta to be the default beer you think of when you’re eating Indian food anywhere in the world – whether you’re drinking or not,” she adds.
Cheers to that.
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