Say hello to Merak: JW Marriott opens its own microbrewery in BengaluruA pint of bliss

The city that loves its microbreweries got yet another one for ales and lagers as Merak JW Marriott Bengaluru opened in early February

A little higher up from the glitz of the hotel lobby, tucked away by the pool, JW Marriott now has a microbrewery, which launched early February. And even as they touch up on the finer details, the beers are good to go. 

Called Merak (Serbian for bliss), this casual space is dressed up to look like a beer garden, which, according to Karthik Singh, Merak’s brewmaster, adds to the relaxed vibe of the environment. 

The menu at the moment is simple; it includes a Belgian Whitbier, an IPA, a Kolsch and the Winter Warmer (a spiced beer). “We wanted to go with traditional flavours to begin with. Witbier, for instance, is popular across the world. An IPA too. But as we go forward, we will throw in other flavours, get experimental with seasonal ingredients,” Singh explains. 

Now here is an interesting bit. In 2019, JW Marriott Bengaluru had launched the original version of Merak in the same space. Labelled an ‘urban oasis’, it was meant to give guests a comfortable space to unwind, bringing in the outdoorsy feeling, indoors. 

While the new version of Merak looks quite similar, if not identical, the feel is a lot different, probably due to the large tanks of beer one gets to see as they walk in. 

What’s even better, these delicious crafts are priced fairly competitively. At ₹350 for a 500ml serving, it matches almost any decent microbrewery in the city. “We wanted to keep it that way, especially to encourage the brewery frequenters. You may not always want to go to a five-star hotel to eat an expensive meal, but the microbrewery becomes an attractive proposition, more so for the younger crowd. It’s not expensive and yet they get to go to a luxury hotel, whether for a casual night out or to celebrate an occasion ,” Singh adds. 

The food menu at Merak is a combination of Asian dishes and brewhouse grub, but served in style. From sharing platters that include baguettes, lavache and crudites served with housedips and tempura and gyozas to sliders and cheese and/or charcuterie boards, prices range from ₹350 to ₹650.