Brothers-in-law, Vishal Patel and Sajag Patel, were born in the UK and raised on Indian cooking. They know how much passion and flavour goes into Indian food. They love the cuisine: it’s vibrant, flavoursome and varied. But they feel the choice of drinks to accompany it isn’t. It’s dominated by mass-produced lagers and white wine shoehorned into a ‘pairing’. They believe Indian cuisine deserves a delicious drink that authentically matches it. So they decided to create their own…

They partnered with leading chefs, mixologists and food scientists to develop the recipe for a drink that perfectly complements Indian cuisine.

● First of all, they worked with food scientists to better understand the complex structure of Indian food: from taste and texture to flavour and feel. They immersed themselves in a foodie trail from Punjab to Kerala.
● Next, they got together with the UK’s leading chefs in Indian cuisine. They told Vishal and Sajag exactly what the optimal balance of sweet, sour and bitter is for a drink to pair perfectly with Indian food.
● Finally, they spoke with eminent restaurant groups and mixologists. With their expertise, Vishal and Sajag developed a recipe that ticked all the boxes for consumer appeal.

Their greatest source of inspiration, and the root of the name, is ‘Manasollasa’. It’s an encyclopaedic 12th century Sanskrit text, which is considered the first Indian recipe book. The text expounds the importance of taste and flavour in food and drink; and the power of their ingredients, preparation and styling to bring joy.

This principle is at their core. They believe a well crafted drink cannot only taste delicious on its own, but also enhance the food it accompanies, elevating the cuisine experience and unlocking a new level of joy. That is their goal for Sollasa.