Rupee Beer Launches its First-Ever Draft Offering, Expanding its Basmati Rice Lager to Tap.

The first draft offering marks a major milestone for the Indian-inspired beer brand, bringing its award-winning food-friendly flagship lager to bars and restaurants across Texas via Ben E. Keith.

Portland, Maine – Rupee Beer, the award-winning Indian-inspired beer brand reimagining how America pairs beer with global cuisine, has launched its first-ever draft offering, debuting exclusively in Texas through statewide distribution partner Ben E. Keith.

The launch marks a significant next chapter for Rupee, expanding the brand beyond packaged beer and into the on-premise experience. Initially rolling out across Texas, including Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston and Austin, Rupee's draft program will give restaurants, bars and consumers a new way to experience its distinctive portfolio of food-friendly beers.

Over the past six years, Rupee has built its business around a simple but powerful idea: Indian beer deserves a place at the American table. Through its signature Basmati Rice Lager and broader multicultural portfolio, the brand has established a loyal following among consumers seeking beers that complement the flavor, spice and diversity of global cuisine.

Now, Rupee is bringing that philosophy to the tap.

"Draft is a natural next chapter for Rupee and an important milestone in our growth. We've spent the last six years building a brand around the idea that beer should bring more to the table, particularly when pairing with global food and bold flavors. We've built tremendous loyalty through our packaged portfolio, and draft gives us the opportunity to bring that experience directly into restaurants and bars. We want Rupee to become a beer that consumers actively seek out whenever they're enjoying Indian food, exploring another global cuisine or simply gathering with friends." Van Sharma, Co-Founder, Rupee Beer

Texas: The Launchpad for Rupee's Draft Expansion

Texas was selected as the launch market for its combination of vibrant dining cultures, fast-growing South Asian community and significant opportunities within the independent restaurant and hospitality sectors.

The Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston and Austin markets represent particularly compelling opportunities for Rupee to deepen its relationships with restaurant operators and introduce the brand to new audiences. Through its partnership with Ben E. Keith, one of the country's leading food and beverage distributors, Rupee will have access to established statewide distribution capabilities and local market relationships to support the rollout.

Rupee sees an opportunity that extends well beyond traditional Indian restaurants. While its beers are a natural pairing for Indian cuisine, the brand's food-friendly positioning also creates opportunities across South Asian, East and Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, African and Latin American restaurants and bars.

"Texas is an incredibly important market for Rupee, and we believe it provides the right foundation for our draft business," added Sharma. "We've been investing in the market, building placements, supporting our accounts and developing consumer awareness. Ben E. Keith brings the statewide reach and relationships that will help us take this next step. We see enormous potential across Texas's diverse restaurant landscape, and we're excited to give operators a distinctive, global food-friendly beer they can confidently put on tap."

Building a New Draft Experience for Indian-Inspired Beer

Unlike many beer brands, Rupee has built its business without a traditional taproom footprint. Its draft launch creates a new opportunity to establish a taproom-style experience through the restaurants and bars where consumers already gather.

The move also addresses a broader gap in the U.S. beer market, where consistent access to Indian-inspired draft beer has historically been limited. By expanding into draft, Rupee aims to give operators a dependable, differentiated offering while making Indian-inspired beer more accessible to consumers.

The Texas rollout represents the first phase of a broader strategy to establish Rupee as a recognizable and reliable draft presence across the American hospitality landscape.

For Rupee, this is about more than introducing a new format. It is about building a category, expanding the role of Indian-inspired beer in American dining culture and making the brand an integral part of the global food and social experience.

About Rupee Beer

Rupee Beer is an Indian-inspired beer brand on a mission to reimagine how America pairs beer with global cuisine, flavor and spice. Built around the belief that Indian beer deserves a place at the table, Rupee has developed a distinctive portfolio of food-friendly beers, including its signature Basmati Rice Lager. Over the past six years, the brand has grown its presence across restaurants, retail and hospitality, bringing a fresh perspective to the intersection of beer and multicultural dining. With its expansion into draft, Rupee is continuing to champion global flavors and create new opportunities for consumers to experience Indian-inspired beer.