Where to drink this weekend in Pune: Belgian wit

Witbier is the easy, bright beer for a Pune weekend

Witbier means white beer, named for its pale, cloudy look. It comes from the farm breweries east of Brussels, around Hoegaarden. It nearly died out in the 1950s before a milkman named Pierre Celis brought it back in the 1960s.

The recipe is unusual. A big share of raw, unmalted wheat, often with some oats, gives a silky body and a haze that never settles. Dried orange peel and crushed coriander seed go into the kettle at the end of the boil. That timing is the floor detail that matters: the coriander should taste citrusy and floral, never like a curry. Getting there takes fresh seed and a light hand. Belgian yeast adds a peppery, slightly fruity note. A gentle tartness keeps it refreshing.

Bitterness is low and the finish is dry and bubbly. It smells of two things every Indian kitchen knows, dhania and citrus peel. Ask for it at 3 to 6 °C in a goblet. The Belgian witbier style page has the full profile.

Six places to try one, from Balewadi to Kharadi

All six are listed as open in our brewery directory, which we last checked in September 2026. Taps rotate, so call ahead.

• Toit, Kalyani Nagar. Open since 2019. The wit is called Tint-In-Wit, with Basmati Blonde and Toit Hefeweizen on the same list.
• Independence Brewing Company, Kalyani Nagar and Balewadi. Both outlets list Band Wit. German Weissbier and Nitro Stout are the other two to try.
• 24K Kraft Brewzz, Balewadi. A Belgian Witbier, alongside an Ambemohar Rice Lager and a German Dunkelweizen.
• Doolally Taproom, Koregaon Park Annexe, Ghorpadi. Belgian Witbier on the list, plus Bohemian Pilsner and a Rauch Bier if you want to go somewhere smoky after.
• Big Little Brew Pub, Kharadi. Its wit goes by Modern Classic. Fool's Gold and Safe Bet are also on the list.
• Babylon Craft Brewery, Erandwane. A Belgian Wit, with a Puneri Lager and an Oatmeal Stout.

Taste two of these in a row and the spice will sit differently. One may lead with orange, another with coriander or pepper from the yeast. Telling which is which and why is a trained skill. Most people never get past "it's nice" until someone shows them what to look for.

Freshness is the other thing to watch. The orange and spice fade quickly in Indian heat, which is a good reason to drink it on tap where it was brewed rather than from a can that has sat in a warm shop. If a glass tastes flat or papery rather than bright, it is fair to ask when the keg went on.

Prawn balchao, dhokla and dosa all suit it

A wit cools heat without fighting it, which makes it one of the friendliest beers on an Indian table.

• Goan prawn balchao. Red chilli heat and a tangy masala. The bright, spiced beer cools the chilli. The orange peel cuts through the vinegar tang.
• Dhokla with green chutney. Light, airy and a little tart, much like the beer itself. Coriander in the chutney meets coriander in the glass.
• Masala dosa. Potato, mustard seed and curry leaf sit happily with the coriander spice. The bubbles lift the ghee off your palate.

If you have room for something sweet, shrikhand works too: sweet, sour hung curd with cardamom against a beer with its own gentle tartness.

Kalyani Nagar or Balewadi makes a two-stop evening

Toit and Independence both have outlets in Kalyani Nagar, so you can put Tint-In-Wit next to Band Wit without a long ride in between. On the other side of the plan, Balewadi has Independence and 24K Kraft Brewzz, which gives you Band Wit against 24K's Belgian Witbier.

Pick one pair, not both. Order tasters rather than full glasses, eat at the first stop and drink water between beers. Book a cab or take the metro home. Nobody in the group drives after drinking.

Read the style page before you go

Open the witbier style page and note the aromas to look for: orange peel, fresh coriander, light pepper. Then read our witbier guide for how the beer is brewed. If you want to take the food side further, Indian food and beer pairing has more ideas.