Saurabh Kumar, Winemaker-SIQERA

1. What was your first brew?

I did my graduation and post graduation in wine. I made many wines, ciders and meads during my college days but the wine I made as a winemaker was Strawberry wine.

2. How did you get in to this job?

During my post graduation I participated in a wine fest as a volunteer for Wildberry Beverages. I made wine during my graduation and the Wildberry team really liked it. They offered my a job as a winemaker and I joined them after college. I worked there for 2 years and then joined Siqera in 2019.

3. What’s your favourite beer that you have brewed?

 I have 2 favourites, one is Siqera Mango Cider and the other one is 2017 Vintage Strawberry wine from Wildberry, which won Silver Medal in Drink outside grape competition in U.S.A.

4. What’s your favourite beer brewed by other?

Karwanda Cider by Doolally.

5. Which beer would you like to brew?

I would like to experiment with as many fruits as I can find in different styles of cider, mead and wine.

6. What name would you really like to give to a beer, and what type of beer would it be?

It would be Braggot and I would name it Belgian mead.

7. What’s your favourite beer style?

I love IPA. Since I’m a Cider maker, I love Scrumpy.

8. What’s your favourite hop variety?

Chinook and Citra. I have tried them in mead and cider and it turned out pretty good. 
I want to keep experimenting with more hop varieties.

9. What’s your favourite malt variety?

Instead of malt, I can tell you my favourite fruits, which are Kingston Black Apple and Northern Spy Apple.

10.  What do you prefer? Draught, bottle or cans?

I think its difficult to choose one, it depends on the style of wine, cider or mead.