A small town amidst the scenic beauty of Himachal Pradesh, Kasauli is an offbeat colonial-era hill station that is yet to gain popularity like other famous hill stations like Manali, Shimla, and others. This hill station is a perfect place for those who are looking for some alluring places where they can spend some peaceful time in summers and can escape from the heat. The serene ambiance and well-built roads among tall trees add to the charm of this destination. Besides, Kasauli is an ideal place for liquor lovers. The place houses one of the oldest and largest breweries in India i.e. Kasauli Brewery.
History Of Kasauli Brewery, Kasauli:
Established in the late 1820s by Edward Abraham Dyer, Kasauli Brewery is Asia’s oldest distillery located in Kasauli. This distillery is famous for producing Scotch whiskey. The tools of brewing and distilling were brought from Scotland and England by Edward in the early 19th century. One can find some of the old equipment with copper pot stills that are still in use now. Edward Abraham Dyer chose Kasauli as the perfect place for his brewery and distillery because of its pleasant weather just like Scotland and the natural pure spring water that was available there. With the aim to produce a malt whiskey as fine as Scotch whiskey, Edward started this brewery. One of the most important factors that made Kasauli as a preferred location for establishing Kasauli Brewery was its nearby market that was sponsored by civilians and British. The Indian Pale Ale was the first product that was produced in the Kasauli Brewery.
With the passing years, when the place began to expand and a lot of people started to settle down here, the utilization of spring water has increased. And due to the shortage of spring water, the brewery was moved to Solan where it is still situated today. The brewery & distillery that remains in Kasauli is now considered to be the oldest operating distillery in India and Asia. This is even considered to be one of the oldest operating whiskey-producing distilleries in the world.
In the year 1855, Edward Abraham Dyer established his company. This company was created as Dyer Breweries Limited and later it got associated with Meakin Breweries Limited. After the collaboration, the company operated in the name of Dyer Meakin Breweries Ltd. Today, this company still operates under the name Mohan Meakin Limited.
Things To Do Here:
• Visitors can go round the place and observe the manufacturing process of one of the finest malt whiskeys.
• Visitors can observe the old techniques used to produce ale in this plant.
• Visitors can taste and enjoy the flavor of the malt whiskey while exploring the serenity of the tiny hill station of Kasauli.
• One can interact with the workers and know more about the heritage and the enthusiasm that led this plant to become one of the finest distillery and brewery in the world.
Best Time To Visit Here:
Kasauli Brewery remains open all year-round. Hence, visitors can visit here any time during the year to enjoy the freshly brewed drinks while enjoying the breath-taking beauty of the place.
Traveler Tips:
• Visitors need to wear comfortable shoes and need to avoid open-toed shoes or high heels while visiting Kasauli Brewery.
• One needs to avoid taking their children to the plant.
How To Reach Here:
Kasauli Brewery is situated just a few minutes away from the old bus stand and other nearby bus stands. Once you reach Kasauli you can board the bus to reach Kasauli Brewery very conveniently. You can even hire a taxi or a cab to reach the place.
Nearby Attractions:
While visiting Kasauli Brewery, tourists can explore some of the places of interest in the Kasauli town such as the Monkey Point, The Mall, Gurudwara, Christ Church, Baptist Church, Fruit Orchards, Shri Baba Balak Nath Temple, Gurkha Fort and many more.
Additional Information For Visitors:
The brewery is open all day in the week and the visiting time is from 7 am to 7 pm. No entry fee is required to visit Kasauli Brewery.