As the Founder of Great State Aleworks, Nakul Bhonsle has pioneered a production-only craft brewery in Pune, driven by a philosophy of fearless experimentation and community collaboration. Nakul’s passion for brewing was sparked while he was working in finance in New York City and living in the USA, a global hub for craft beer. Walking past a homebrewing store on his daily commute in Brooklyn in 2012, he walked in one day, picked up a homebrewing kit and instantly became hooked to home brewing. He furthered his exposure and knowledge by visiting more than 40 craft breweries across the US. Returning to India, he launched Great State, a bootstrapped venture. His decision to focus on a production brewery, rather than a brewpub, was a strategic move rooted in his background as a homebrewer, allowing him to concentrate expertise and capital entirely on developing bold, quality-driven, and experimental flavours that constantly push India’s beer palate.

The core of Great State Aleworks’ success is its commitment to innovation and locality. Nakul’s vision is to make Great State a true and authentic Indian craft brewery that scales with purpose and deliberation, with strong presence in west India and as the first Indian craft brewery to hit global shores. This commitment goes beyond geography, driving the brewery’s focus on local and indigenous ingredients, such as using coconut, tamarind, and gooseberries in their seasonal brews, and leading the groundbreaking Millet Beer Project to brew beer with 100% Indian unmalted millets like Bajra and Jowar, sourced directly from local farmers. This dedication to local sourcing, coupled with their unique 200-litre pilot system, ensures an environment where the team can constantly iterate and collaborate on new recipes without commercial risk, such as the specialty beers they created for O’Pedro.

Nakul’s belief in the power of the craft beer community is central to Great State’s identity. The brewery’s frequent, no-boundaries collaboration brews, many of which defy preconceived beer styles, demonstrate a commitment to working with other breweries and having fun in the process. He champions a DIY approach, having designed and fabricated the entire brewery equipment locally in Nashik, a process that involved openly sharing notes with other emerging microbrewers in Maharashtra. For Nakul, the industry’s strength lies in its openness; he believes all craft brewers are united in the mission of “enlightening the customer about what beer is,” together expanding the sub-culture across multiple markets across Maharashtra, Goa and Taiwan. This blend of technical innovation, deep local engagement, and community spirit defines Nakul Bhonsle’s leadership in the Indian craft beverage space.