Most lists of top beer brands in India rank bottles by popularity and bury the beer price somewhere in a paragraph. That’s backwards if you’re actually standing in a wine shop trying to decide what to buy. This beer price list India guide flips the order: it’s sorted by what you’ll pay first, brand second — and for every brand, you’ll also get a plain-language taste description, the sizes it actually comes in, and a short backstory of where the brand came from.
All prices below are approximate MRP for a 650ml bottle (unless stated) and are pulled together from retail listings across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Noida, and Goa in July 2026. Beer price in India is set state-by-state through excise duty, so the same bottle can cost 1.5–3x more or less depending on which state you’re in — always check the shelf tag before assuming a price from this list.
How Beer Price in India Actually Works (State-Wise Excise, Explained)
Unlike packaged food or electronics, beer doesn’t have one fixed MRP across the country. Each state charges its own excise duty, VAT, and license fee on alcohol, and several states also run their own retail markup through government-owned liquor corporations. That’s why a Kingfisher Strong might cost ₹120 in Goa and ₹220 in a neighbouring state for the same 650ml bottle. Restaurant and bar pricing adds a further 40–90% on top of retail shop price because of service licenses and GST on the F&B bill.
With that in mind, here are the four practical beer price ranges in India you’ll run into while shopping, followed by all 30 beer brands sorted into them.
Budget Beer Brands
The cheapest beer in India — strong lagers made for volume, not tasting notes.
Mid-Range Beer Brands
The everyday-drinking zone — familiar national beer brands and Indian craft lagers.
Premium Beer Brands
Stronger or export-style beer variants from big international names.
Import & Craft Beer Brands
Belgian wheat beers, German wheat lagers, and small-batch craft beer styles.
Budget Beer Brands in India: ₹90 – ₹180 (650ml)
These are the strong lagers you’ll find in almost every wine shop in the country, usually 5–8% ABV. They’re priced for volume and a quick buzz rather than tasting notes, and most of them trace back to India’s “strong beer” boom of the 1970s–90s, when high-ABV lagers became the default choice for value-conscious drinkers.
1. Haywards 5000
One of the most recognisable names on any Indian beer shelf. It’s a strong, malty lager with a sharp, slightly sweet edge from honey and grain notes, finished off with a noticeable alcohol bite — built for strength rather than subtlety.
Available in: 325ml and 500ml cans, 650ml bottle
Backstory: Launched in 1983 by Shaw Wallace, a company with deep roots in colonial-era India, as demand grew for stronger beers than the standard 5% lagers of the time. It later passed to SABMiller in 2005 and is now part of the global AB InBev portfolio.
2. Knock Out
Blunt by name and by taste — a no-frills strong lager with a sharp, straightforward finish and minimal malt complexity. It’s usually the cheapest strong beer on the shelf in states with lower excise duty.
Available in: 325ml can, 650ml bottle
Backstory: Originally brewed by Mysore Breweries, one of many Indian brewers that jumped into the strong-beer segment during the 1980s–90s “strength race.” SABMiller (now AB InBev) acquired Mysore Breweries in 2001.
3. Godfather
Known for being smoother than most strong lagers in its category, with a malty sweetness up front and a gentler bitterness on the finish. Comes in several strengths, from an easy-drinking Lite to the 8% Super 8 variant.
Available in: 325ml and 500ml cans, 650ml bottle; variants include Lite (4.5%), Lager (5%), Legendary Strong (7.5%), and Super 8 (8%)
Backstory: Made by DeVANS Modern Breweries, a Jammu-based company founded in 1961. The beer was originally launched as “Rajguru” in 1983, then renamed Godfather in 1984 after a trademark dispute with a similarly named rival brand.
4. Royal Challenge
A straightforward strong lager aimed at drinkers who want a bigger kick at a low price — bold, slightly bitter, and built for a fast pour rather than sipping.
Available in: 325ml can, 650ml bottle
Backstory: Originally one of Shaw Wallace’s beer brands before it, along with Haywards 5000, moved to SABMiller’s Indian portfolio in 2003 — the same corporate lineage that now sits under AB InBev.
5. Foster’s Lager
A noticeably lighter option in this tier — a crisp, clean pale lager with mild bitterness and none of the heavy strong-beer punch of its shelf neighbours. Good pick if you want a mellow, easy-drinking budget beer.
Available in: 330ml and 500ml cans, 650ml bottle
Backstory: Founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 1888 by American brothers William and Ralph Foster. It has changed hands several times globally — through SABMiller, then AB InBev, and now Asahi Group — and is brewed under license for the Indian market.
6. Kingfisher Premium
The milder, more sessionable version of India’s best-known beer name — a light, easy-drinking lager with a clean malt flavour and low bitterness, closer to an everyday lager than a strong beer.
Available in: 325ml and 500ml cans, 650ml bottle, on draught at most bars
Backstory: Made by Bengaluru-based United Breweries Group, which traces its roots to 1857. The modern Kingfisher brand was relaunched in 1978 by Vijay Mallya and has since become India’s largest-selling beer, with Dutch brewer Heineken now holding a majority stake in the company.
7. Thunderbolt
A sharp, high-alcohol lager popular across North India, with a straightforward malty taste and a strong finish typical of the region’s budget strong-beer segment.
Available in: 325ml can, 650ml bottle
Backstory: Brewed by Mount Shivalik Breweries, one of the regional Indian brewers that entered the strong-beer category during the country’s 1980s–90s wave of high-ABV lagers.
8. Power Strong Lager
A regional strong lager with wide distribution in North India — bold, high-alcohol, and priced squarely for value drinkers rather than flavour explorers.
Available in: 500ml can, 650ml bottle
Backstory: A newer entrant in India’s crowded budget strong-lager segment; like most brands in this space, it competes primarily on price and alcohol strength rather than brand heritage.
Mid-Range Beer Brands in India: ₹135 – ₹275 (650ml)
This is where most everyday drinking actually happens — international lager names in their standard strength, alongside the Indian craft beer brands that have scaled up distribution over the last decade.
9. Kingfisher Strong
India’s largest-selling beer variant — a full-bodied, high-alcohol lager with a robust malt character, aimed at drinkers who want more strength without switching to a budget brand.
Available in: 325ml and 500ml cans, 650ml bottle, on draught
Backstory: Launched in 1999 by United Breweries Group as a strong-beer extension of the original Kingfisher line, once it became clear how much of the Indian market preferred higher-ABV beers.
10. Tuborg (Green / Strong)
A crisp, refreshing pilsner-style lager (Tuborg Green) with a clean, slightly hoppy finish, alongside a higher-ABV Tuborg Strong for those who want more punch. It’s become India’s fastest-growing beer brand over the past several years.
Available in: 330ml and 500ml cans, 650ml bottle, on draught
Backstory: Founded in 1873 in Hellerup, Denmark, by a group of Danish industrialists. Tuborg’s Green Label pilsner launched in 1880 and became hugely popular; the brand formally merged with Carlsberg in 1970 and now sells in over 70 countries, including India.
11. Budweiser
A smooth, light American-style lager with a mild malt sweetness and low bitterness — an easy, crowd-pleasing choice that’s become a fixture in Indian bars and restaurants.
Available in: 330ml and 500ml cans/bottles, 650ml bottle, on draught
Backstory: Originally created by Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, USA, in the 1870s. The brand is now part of AB InBev’s global portfolio and is brewed and distributed across Asia-Pacific, including India, through the group’s regional arm.
12. Carlsberg (Smooth / Green)
A well-balanced Danish lager with a smooth, mellow malt flavour and a clean finish — less aggressive than most Indian strong beers, positioned as an everyday premium option.
Available in: 330ml and 500ml cans, 650ml bottle, on draught
Backstory: Founded in 1847 in Copenhagen by J.C. Jacobsen, who was obsessed with brewing science and named the beer after his son, Carl. Carlsberg later merged with Tuborg in 1970 to form the Carlsberg Group, one of the world’s largest brewers today.
13. Bira 91 White
India’s best-known craft beer — a Belgian-style witbier made with wheat, giving it a soft, slightly cloudy body with light citrus and spice notes rather than a typical sharp lager bite.
Available in: 330ml and 500ml bottles, 500ml cans, 650ml bottle, on draught
Backstory: Founded in 2015 by Ankur Jain under B9 Beverages, at a time when India’s beer market was still dominated by Kingfisher and a handful of strong lagers. Early batches were brewed in Belgium before production shifted to India; the name blends the Hindi word for “brother” with India’s country code, 91.
14. Simba
A Bengaluru-born craft label offering several distinct styles under one name — a light, sessionable Wit, a smooth White wheat beer, and a rich, dark Stout with coffee and chocolate notes.
Available in: 330ml and 500ml bottles, 650ml bottle, on draught
Backstory: Launched in 2016, part of the same wave of Indian craft breweries — alongside Bira 91 and White Rhino — that introduced wheat beers, stouts, and other non-lager styles to a market that had previously been almost entirely strong lagers.
15. Bee Young
A budget-friendly strong lager aimed at younger drinkers, with a smooth, easy-finish taste that’s less harsh than many other beers in this price range.
Available in: 500ml can, 650ml bottle
Backstory: A newer regional entrant competing in India’s crowded value strong-lager space, where affordability and easy availability matter more than brand pedigree.
16. Medusa
A bold-branded lager and ale popular with younger city drinkers — a balanced, easy-drinking taste that sits between a standard lager and a full strong beer.
Available in: 500ml can/bottle
Backstory: One of the newer Indian regional beer labels focused on eye-catching branding to stand out on crowded store shelves and bar menus, rather than on a long brewing history.
17. Six Fields
A craft label sold under one name but covering several distinct styles — a hoppy, bitter IPA, a soft Wheat Beer, and a crisp Pilsner — giving drinkers more variety than a typical single-style brand.
Available in: 500ml bottle, 650ml bottle, on draught at select outlets
Backstory: Part of India’s growing craft beer scene that emerged through the 2010s, positioning itself around style variety rather than competing purely on price or alcohol strength.
18. Bro Code
A newer craft-style lager gaining shelf space in metro cities, with a smoother, more rounded flavour profile than typical mass-market lagers, aimed at a younger urban crowd.
Available in: 330ml bottle, 750ml bottle, on draught at select bars
Backstory: A recent addition to India’s expanding craft and semi-premium beer segment, competing for the same younger, urban drinkers that brands like Bira 91 and Simba first attracted.
19. Miller
A light, crisp American-style lager with a clean, mildly malty taste — similar in profile to Budweiser, and increasingly common on bar taps and menus in Indian metro cities.
Available in: 330ml and 500ml cans/bottles, 650ml bottle, on draught
Backstory: Originally founded in 1855 by Frederick Miller in Milwaukee, USA. The brand is now part of the global Molson Coors portfolio and is distributed and served in India mainly through bars and premium retail outlets.
Premium Beer Brands in India: ₹160 – ₹280 (650ml)
Export-style and higher-strength variants from established international beer brands. You’re paying for a smoother finish and brand positioning, not just alcohol content.
20. Kingfisher Ultra / Ultra Max
Kingfisher’s premium, export-style line — a smoother, less bitter lager positioned for nights out and lifestyle marketing, with the Ultra Max variant offering a stronger 8% ABV option.
Available in: 330ml and 500ml bottles/cans, 650ml bottle, on draught
Backstory: Introduced by United Breweries as a premium extension of the Kingfisher family, aimed at drinkers willing to pay more for smoother taste and upscale branding rather than pure strength or price.
21. Carlsberg Elephant
One of the strongest widely available beers in India — a full-bodied, malty lager with a noticeable alcoholic warmth, sold under Carlsberg’s high-strength “Elephant” line.
Available in: 500ml can, 650ml bottle
Backstory: Part of the Carlsberg Group’s portfolio, which traces back to J.C. Jacobsen’s 1847 Copenhagen brewery; the Elephant variant was developed as a stronger, more premium option under the same Danish brewing heritage.
22. Budweiser Magnum
A higher-strength version of standard Budweiser, built specifically for India’s strong-beer market — same smooth base lager, with more alcohol and a slightly bolder finish.
Available in: 500ml can, 650ml bottle
Backstory: Developed by AB InBev to give the globally known Budweiser name a foothold in India’s large strong-beer segment, where standard 5% ABV beers make up a smaller share of sales than in Western markets.
23. Corona Extra
A light, crisp Mexican lager traditionally served with a wedge of lime, giving it a subtle citrus edge alongside its clean, mild malt flavour.
Available in: 355ml bottle (the standard size sold in India)
Backstory: Corona was first brewed in 1925 by Cervecería Modelo in Mexico City to mark the company’s 10th anniversary. It’s now one of the world’s best-selling beer brands, owned by AB InBev outside the United States.
24. Heineken
A pale, crisp Dutch lager with a distinctive light hop bitterness and a clean, dry finish — widely considered a benchmark “premium international lager” in Indian bars.
Available in: 330ml and 500ml cans/bottles, on draught
Backstory: Founded in Amsterdam in the 1860s by Gerard Adriaan Heineken. The company has a direct India connection — Heineken has held a majority stake in United Breweries Group, the maker of Kingfisher, since 2009.
25. Bira 91 Boom Strong
Bira 91’s answer to the strong-beer segment — a bolder, higher-ABV lager with more body than Bira’s lighter White variant, for drinkers who want the brand’s craft positioning with more strength.
Available in: 500ml can, 650ml bottle
Backstory: Developed by B9 Beverages as an extension of the original Bira 91 brand (founded 2015) to compete directly in India’s large strong-beer market, which the brand’s original witbier didn’t address.
Import & Craft Beer Brands in India: ₹200 – ₹550
Belgian and German wheat styles, plus small-batch craft beer brands usually poured at brewpubs rather than sold widely in retail shops. Prices swing the most in this tier depending on city and outlet.
26. Blue Moon Belgian White
A Belgian-style wheat ale with a soft, cloudy body and gentle citrus and coriander notes — usually served with an orange slice, which brightens the flavour further.
Available in: 500ml bottle, on draught at select bars
Backstory: Created in 1995 by brewer Keith Villa at a Colorado craft brewery under the Coors umbrella, designed to bring a Belgian witbier style to American drinkers. It’s now sold internationally, including at premium bars in India.
27. Hoegaarden
A classic Belgian witbier — cloudy, pale, and refreshing, with soft wheat body and light orange peel and coriander spice notes rather than a typical beer bitterness.
Available in: 330ml bottle
Backstory: Named after the small Belgian town of Hoegaarden, once home to dozens of breweries producing this style until the tradition nearly died out by 1960. Brewer Pierre Celis revived it in 1966, and it’s now brewed on a much larger scale but still follows the same wheat-beer style.
28. Erdinger Weissbier
A German wheat beer (Weissbier) with a fuller, breadier body than Belgian witbiers, along with subtle banana and clove notes that come from its traditional wheat-beer yeast.
Available in: 500ml bottle (imported)
Backstory: Founded in 1886 in the Bavarian town of Erding, Germany. It remains one of the largest privately owned wheat-beer breweries in the world and is imported into India rather than brewed locally, which explains its higher price.
29. Brooklyn Lager
An American craft lager with a firmer hop bitterness and a more amber, malt-forward body than typical pale lagers — closer to a European-style pilsner in strength of flavour.
Available in: 500ml bottle, on draught at select craft brewpubs
Backstory: Founded in 1988 by Steve Hindy and Tom Potter in Brooklyn, New York, at a time when American craft brewing was still a small, emerging movement. It’s now sold internationally and appears mainly at craft-focused bars in Indian metros.
30. White Rhino / White Owl
Indian craft brands offering wheat beers and IPA-style options with more hop character and fruitiness than standard lagers — mostly poured fresh on tap rather than sold in sealed bottles.
Available in: Primarily on draught at brewpubs; limited bottled availability
Backstory: Part of the same 2015–2016 wave of Indian craft breweries as Bira 91 and Simba, built around brewpub-style tasting rooms in cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Gurugram rather than nationwide retail distribution.
FAQs: Beer Brands in India with Price
Which is the No. 1 beer brand in India?
Kingfisher remains India’s largest beer brand by both volume and revenue, holding close to half the market. Tuborg has become the strongest number-two brand over the past several years.
What is the cheapest beer available in India?
Haywards 5000 and Knock Out are usually the least expensive strong beers on the market, starting around ₹90 for a 650ml bottle in lower-tax states like Goa and Chhattisgarh.
Why does the same beer cost differently in different states?
Alcohol excise duty, VAT, and retail licensing are set by each state government individually, not centrally. That’s why identical bottles can differ in price by 1.5 to 3 times depending on where you buy them.
What is the strongest beer sold in India?
Kingfisher Ultra Max and Carlsberg Elephant are among the strongest widely distributed beers, both above 7% ABV, with several regional strong lagers reaching 8%.
Are bar and restaurant prices the same as retail shop prices?
No. Bars and restaurants typically charge 40-90% more than a retail wine shop for the same bottle, due to service licenses and GST added to the food and beverage bill.
Beer price in India changes every few months as states revise excise duty — bookmark this beer brands price list and check back before your next big purchase.