New Delhi: Delhiites have broken up with ice cream, and their new love affair is brewing in the narrow lanes of Majnu Ka Tila. The spotlight is on ‘beer gelato’—a dessert made with just milk, sugar, cream and a litre of beer. It’s become a bona fide Instagram sensation.
It is one of the 24 gelato offerings at Wongdhen Gelato, run by Rinchen Wongdhen. Beer gelato is sitting well with Delhi’s palate, quickly climbing the popularity charts. Even other chefs are experimenting with the flavour.
“I hate beer, but this beer gelato is amazing,” said Prathna Kothari, a 21-year-old college student who was at Majnu Ka Tila just for this much-hyped treat.
“It’s all over Instagram. We planned this trip for weeks, and after tasting it, I’d say it’s totally worth the journey,” she added.
Gelato, Italy’s sweet gift to the world, shares roots with ice cream but stands out in its own league.
Gelato is fresher and lighter on calories. With roughly half the fat content of traditional ice cream, gelato offers indulgence without the guilt.
A single scoop of beer gelato at Wongdhen Gelato is priced at Rs 220. But, Kothari and her friends are willing to put in the money.
“It’s about quality over quantity for us. And, gelato has more variety,” they said.
Despite big players like Dolce Gelato and Big Chill Creamery, it is Wongdhen’s new start-up that is steering this movement with its innovations. Previously, he introduced masala nimbu gelato, protein gelato and masala chai gelato which are also unheard of in Delhi.
“There are many gelato players in Delhi already,” the 30-year-old said. “The goal behind experimenting with unique flavours alongside the classics is simple—to carve a niche and make my brand stand out in a crowded market.”
And now MKT, known for its Tibetan, and more recently, Korean delicacies, has a new Italian crowdpleaser.
Also read: Beef flavour to celebrity ads—what it takes to stand out in Kerala’s ice cream market
Churning gelato
At the heart of Wongdhen Gelato lies a humble laboratory operated by 62-year-old Mahar Singh, a veteran with nearly four decades of experience in ice cream plants. Singh operates the parlour’s prized gelato machine with expertise.
The process begins with blending ingredients—minus the beer. It is then heated to 80°C in the gelato machine. The secret to gelato’s dense, velvety texture is slow churning. It minimises air, incorporating just 25-30 per cent, compared to ice cream’s fluffier 50 per cent.
Once cooled to -4°C, beer is loaded in, and the mixture is churned again. And, voilà! Beer gelato is ready.
“Youngsters are very fond of this flavour,” he stated, as a group of college students walked into the parlour. The ‘beer gelato’ tag—first in the row of flavours—caught their eyes.
After an intense tasting and discussion about calories and flavours, they ended up buying five cups of the beer gelato.
“The beer flavour is coming through but isn’t overpowering,” one of them said. Another chimed in: “The texture is velvety.” The boys, giggling among themselves, said the dessert had space for “a little more beer”.
Chef Nishant Choubey describes “hops of beer and creaminess of gelato” as a wonderful combination, which is growing popular among Delhi restaurants and clubs.
However, none have officially put the dessert on their menus. The chef has tasted a fair share of beer-based gelatos in different parts of the world, with the most recent being in Italy.
“There was also a hint of fresh vanilla, which added to its character. Saffron beer is also an incredible gelato flavour,” he said.
Pastry chef Avijit Ghosh said he tried beer gelato for the first time during a trip to Brussels.
“I liked the malty taste that beer lent to the dessert,” he said.
According to Choubey, slightly sweeter beers like sweet Stout and Porter can add depth to the gelatos. Add-ins of nuts, chocolates, activated charcoal or liquorice can also elevate the flavour of beer gelatos. For Ghosh, the Irish dark beer Guinness is the best beer to get a malty taste in gelato.
Ghosh said that gelato can be made at home as long as one has an ice cream machine. Choubey lists down some pressure points that can make or break the dessert.
“Finding the right ingredients is very important. Please use high-fat cream. Also, country yolks will work better. Make sure you look at the temperature while churning since it’s an emulsion. And, add beer in the end and incorporate it slowly,” he explained.
Also read: Black pepper & cardamom, palm jaggery — ‘artisanal’ ice cream brands tickle Delhi taste buds
An expensive affair
Adjacent to the gelato parlour is a café under the same name. It serves an array of dishes including Korean milk sandwiches, Korean buns, croissants, pizza, sushi, and doughnuts. The cafe is also owned and run by Wongdhen.
Setting up the gelato parlour, right after investing big bucks in the Wongdhen Cafe, wasn’t easy.
“The gelato machine alone cost me Rs 30 lakh, and the entire setup cost about Rs 1 crore,” said Wongdhen, who completed a two-week gelato course at Italy’s Gelato Naturale Academy in April 2024.
His mentors from the academy travelled to New Delhi to help him set up the gelateria, curate the gelato flavours, and provide a hands-on demonstration of the equipment.
Wongdhen’s social media team has masterfully leveraged the platform to chart their journey and draw in the crowds. Their Instagram strategy is spot-on. Despite having just 5,800 followers, several of their videos have gone viral, racking up views in millions.
Their product launches are delightfully creative—take the green matcha cheesecake debut, for instance. A playful video shows CCTV footage of a ‘customer’ snatching a bag from another table and sprinting away. He’s later ‘caught green-handed,’ revealing the launch of their matcha cheesecake.
“Instagram has been a game-changer,” Wongdhen said. “It’s brought us the attention of younger audiences.”
While customers savour the 24 flavours at Wongdhen Gelato, he is busy crafting his next big offerings—rum and whiskey gelatos.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)