Best Beer Brands In India

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Kingfisher tops, Tuborg holds #2 as oligopoly endures regardless of native upstarts

India’s formal beer market stays tightly held by three multinationals at the same time as native labels make inroads, with United Breweries’ Kingfisher retaining the highest spot on volumes and Carlsberg’s Tuborg staying second by measurement. United Breweries (UBL), AB InBev and Carlsberg collectively account for roughly 80–85% of nationwide beer gross sales by quantity.

UBL is the most effective beer model in India by a large margin, anchored by the Kingfisher franchise throughout sturdy and gentle variants. Carlsberg continues to lean on Tuborg Strong within the mass phase, whereas AB InBev balances its mass beers (Haywards 5000, Knock Out) with Budweiser within the premium phase.

Best beer manufacturers in India embody a number of firms which can be both not listed on inventory exchanges or are multinational firms that don’t launch separate income and quantity figures for his or her Indian operations, as an alternative reporting outcomes on a regional foundation. Therefore, these firms have been ranked based mostly on the most effective person rankings supplied by shoppers, as particular beer gross sales income and quantity information for India should not independently accessible for every firm.

Below is the record of the ten finest beer manufacturers in India:

Top 10 Beer Brands in India

1) Kingfisher (United Breweries): #1 in Top 3 Beer Brands in India

India’s largest beer model household by quantity, Kingfisher’s breadth spans Strong, Premium, Ultra and Ultra Max, supported by UBL’s nationwide footprint of personal and contract breweries. UBL continues to push a premium combine (Ultra, Heineken Silver, Amstel Grande) whereas defending scale in core sturdy lager. In FY25, UBL’s beer phase income stands at INR 18,782 crore. In Q1 FY26, UBL cited 11% quantity progress and a 46% surge in premium labels; administration targets premium to type 20–25% of volumes in 4–5 years. Operationally, UBL has been resolving state-level pricing points (notably Telangana) and is including capability, together with a brand new canning line within the state. The Heineken affiliation underpins model investments and distribution.

2) Tuborg (Carlsberg India): One of the Popular Beer Brands in India

Tuborg has been India’s constant No. 2 by quantity for a lot of the previous decade, led by Tuborg Strong. Carlsberg states that Tuborg is the nation’s No. 2 beer model and the No. 1 worldwide model by scale—positioning that displays its strong-beer skew and pricing accessible to mass shoppers. Carlsberg India posted FY24 complete earnings of INR 8,044.9 crore with revenue up 60.5% YoY to INR 323.1 crore, aided by combine and working self-discipline. The group is consolidating its management of the India unit and has signalled continued funding; traditionally, Tuborg volumes have exceeded the eponymous Carlsberg label in India.

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3) Haywards 5000 (AB InBev India)

Among India’s largest strong-beer labels by scale, Haywards 5000 retains deep recall within the North and elements of the West. The model moved from Shaw Wallace to SABMiller after which to AB InBev, and stays a workhorse in AB InBev’s “core” portfolio alongside Knock Out and Royal Challenge. AB InBev India has offered roughly 450 million litres of beer in FY25. While AB InBev’s India technique has pivoted to premium over time, administration nonetheless acknowledges the function of legacy sturdy manufacturers in regional markets. Industry reportage and historic share tendencies place Haywards 5000 among the many largest sturdy lagers, although exact state-wise rankings differ 12 months to 12 months with coverage and pricing.

4) Simba

One of the fastest-scaling craft-led gamers, Simba offered ~3 million circumstances in FY25 and is guiding for ~4 million in FY26, backed by capability of ~4 million circumstances and co-packing tie-ups past its Chhattisgarh base. The model gained India Country Winner medals on the World Beer Awards 2025 (Silver for Simba Wit; Bronze for Simba Stout), boosting credentials in fashionable commerce and on-premise. Presence now spans 15–16 markets with plans so as to add UP and MP; a mild-strong variant is within the pipeline to straddle style and ABV preferences.

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5) Medusa Beer

A brand new-age home label headquartered in Delhi, Medusa positions itself between mild and super-strong with a 5.9% Premium Strong and a 4.5% “Air Mild”. The model offered over 6.8 lakh circumstances in FY24 and, as of October 2025, aimed to almost double volumes to 1.8–2.0 million circumstances and attain ~INR 225 crore income in FY26, with distribution in 9 states. The “mid-ABV” pitch and a co-branded House of the Dragon version have aided trial; availability nonetheless varies by metropolis/state attributable to excise regimes.

6) Carlsberg

The eponymous Carlsberg label sits behind Tuborg on volumes in India and is extra concentrated in premium and powerful niches—Carlsberg Smooth (gentle) and Carlsberg Elephant (sturdy) are key variants. The model advantages from Carlsberg India’s pan-India footprint and the group’s sharpened concentrate on disciplined progress. While Tuborg has traditionally delivered the majority of volumes, Carlsberg’s function is pivotal in premium trade-ups. The group’s determination to take full management of the India enterprise underscores the market’s precedence in its Asia portfolio.

7) Heineken (United Breweries)

Within UBL’s portfolio, Heineken (together with Heineken Silver) is a premium progress engine that, whereas smaller than Kingfisher on absolute quantity, is scaling quick with the class’s premiumisation. UBL reported mid-30s progress in Heineken Silver volumes in current quarters, serving to premium outpace the broader market. Heineken’s world stewardship of UBL additionally helps supply-chain, innovation and advertising capabilities in India. The label’s enlargement in metros and high-on-premise markets is a said focus space.

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8) Godfather (DeVans)

A North-heavy strong-beer franchise, Godfather has scaled via owned breweries (J&Okay, Rajasthan) and contract capability throughout a number of states. Management guided to a pointy uptick in 2024–25 on the again of recent markets (together with Maharashtra) and mentioned premium labels (Six Fields wheat/pilsner/Brute sturdy) are being layered in. Current capability throughout tie-ups exceeds 1.9 lakh KL yearly, with additional enlargement deliberate. In Maharashtra alone, DeVANS is focusing on about 1 million circumstances in its first full 12 months—pointing to significant incremental quantity at the same time as nationwide share stays modest versus the highest three.

9) Lion (Mohan Meakin)

Often cited as Asia’s first beer (roots within the 1840s), Lion is a heritage lager that Mohan Meakin has relaunched past its historic CSD footprint. Volumes are modest and information sparse, however the model’s revival underscores demand for traditional, low-bitterness lagers with a legacy halo—particularly in North India. The firm doesn’t recurrently disclose brand-wise volumes; impartial estimates place its nationwide beer share at low single digits.

10) Bira 91 (B9 Beverages): Best Crafted Beer Brand in India

Among the best-known craft-style beer manufacturers in India, Bira 91 presents White (wheat), Blonde (lager), Strong and IPAs, plus a Light label. FY24 proved troublesome: income fell to INR 638 crore and web loss widened to INR 748 crore as a company title change triggered months of label re-registrations; volumes slipped to an estimated 6–7 million circumstances from about 9 million a 12 months earlier. Auditor notes in FY24 flagged net-worth erosion and liquidity dangers, and H2 CY25 noticed inner governance issues reported; the corporate has since explored asset actions to handle dues. Despite headwinds, the portfolio’s breadth continues to command mindshare in metros.

Rankings of the most effective beer manufacturers in India are additionally formed by state insurance policies and worth resets. Telangana, one in all India’s largest beer markets, allowed worth will increase earlier this 12 months after a stand-off with suppliers; UBL, with a dominant share within the state, rapidly resumed provides—highlighting how government-run distribution and pricing home windows can swing volumes.

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