DESI - Basmati Rice Lager 4.2% | Curry Smugglers

A clean, light-bodied lager brewed with basmati rice. Lime zest up front, a subtle green chilli note at the end, and none of the usual gassy filler.

Rice in beer is usually a cost-cutting move. Here it is the point - beer was being brewed across India with locally grown rice long before the IPA story took over, and DESI is built on that rather than on elephants-and-palaces packaging. The rice keeps the body light and the finish crisp, which is what you actually want alongside food with heat in it.

Vegan, gluten-free and considerably more interesting than the lager that usually turns up with a curry.

• Brewed in the UK by a Margate brand with proper brewing history behind it
• Style: Rice lager
• ABV: 4.2%
• Flavour: Lime zest, clean malt, light green chilli finish
• Format: 440ml can
• Dietary: Vegan, gluten-free

Allergens

No declarable allergens. Brewed with basmati rice and declared gluten-free by the brewery.

FAQs

What does rice do to a lager?
It ferments cleanly and leaves very little body behind, so the beer ends up lighter and crisper than an all-malt lager. It also keeps the palate clear, which is why it works so well with spice.

Is there actually chilli in it?
The green chilli note is a flavour character rather than heat you need to worry about. It sits right at the end and is closer to fresh pepper than to burn.

Does it go with curry?
Of course it does - the brewery just objects to that being the only thing anyone ever says about Indian beer. Drink it with anything you would drink a pilsner with.

Curry Smugglers is a Margate brand built by Steve and Ruby Dass, better known here for their Desi snacks. Steve co-founded Nirvana Brewery and spent years in the UK alcohol-free beer scene before this, and the beers are a deliberate swipe at the tired "goes well with curry" line that Indian lager has been sold on for decades.