If beer were a conversation, Singh wanted Medusa to be the one people remember not just for what it said, but for how it made them feel.
Beer Cheer (Source: AI Image)
When Avneet Singh started ideating Medusa Beverages back in 2017, India’s beer market looked like a crowded stage with only a few dominant performers. A handful of MNCs and scattered regional brands dictated the scene, and the consumer’s choice was binary: either sip a fiery super-strong beer (7% ABV and above) or settle for a mild 4.5% option. For Singh, that landscape felt like a play with missing characters.
“We saw a wide space in between,” Singh recalls. “So, we thought of launching a beer at 5.9% ABV, what we call the premium strong category.”
That single decision of creating a brew that balanced strength with smooth drinkability was Medusa’s opening act. It was the first brand in India to launch a strong beer at 5.9%, winning converts from both ends of the spectrum: those who found super-strong beers harsh, and those who craved more punch than mild lagers could offer.
Since then, many brands have followed Medusa’s path, but Singh proudly points out, “We created this niche in the market.” And the numbers agree: while India’s beer industry grows at about 8%, Medusa has clocked a striking 51–52% CAGR, making it one of the fastest-growing beer brands in the country.
For Singh, Medusa’s philosophy rests on four pillars, each crafted to resonate with millennials and younger drinkers.
Packaging as the first hook – “Before taste comes into play, you have to convince the customer to pick your product from the shelf,” Singh says. Medusa invested in bold, new-age designs when the industry was still playing safe.
Drinkability and smoothness – Striking a fine balance between strength and ease of consumption.
Aftertaste – Ensuring a finish that lingers pleasantly, not harshly.
Brand vibe – Youthful, vibrant, and rooted in urban cool.
If beer were a conversation, Singh wanted Medusa to be the one people remember not just for what it said, but for how it made them feel.
The younger Indian drinker is not seeking intoxication alone; they want an experience. Global trends show a tilt towards low-alcohol beverages, and Singh confirms that shift is visible in India too. “Younger demographics are moving towards lesser strong beers — not the mild, not the extreme — but the niche in between. And that’s exactly where Medusa operates.”
This shift explains why Medusa’s variants from the crisp Lager Strong to the smooth Medusa Air and the fiery Medusa X House of the Dragon (made with roasted barley malt) are designed to cater to evolving palates.
Beer pricing in India is less a brand’s decision and more a state’s decree, set by excise departments. Singh points at the irony: “The price is uniform across tier-1, tier-2, and tier-3 cities within a state, but the marketing strategy changes.”
Despite these controls, Medusa has positioned itself smartly: premium in feel, but pocket-friendly in price. Medusa Air, for instance, competes with Budweiser Light, while the Dragon collaboration squares off against Budweiser Magnum, yet both remain accessible.
The brand is already present in over 10,000 retail outlets and 700 HoReCa outlets, with plans to expand aggressively. After a stronghold in the north, Medusa has just launched in Haryana and is gearing up to enter Karnataka, Kerala, and Pondicherry this year, followed by western markets next fiscal.
In FY24, Medusa clocked INR 155 crore in revenues. For FY26, Singh expects this to climb to around INR 225 crore; no small feat in an industry where regulatory hurdles often trip even seasoned players.
On the product side, Medusa is brewing a new session beer: lighter, designed for long drinking sessions though Singh stresses the focus remains firmly on beer, not diversifying into other alcohol categories just yet.
“We are not moving out of beer,” he says with conviction. “We are just creating more and better brews.”
Operating in India’s highly regulated alcohol sector is like walking a tightrope, but Singh insists Medusa has mastered the rhythm. A dedicated compliance team ensures every state’s label registration and regulatory requirement is in order. For him, it’s simply “part of the business.”
Medusa’s story so far is that of a challenger brand reshaping its category with clever positioning, consumer insight, and a willingness to break away from binaries. From the shelf to the sip, Singh’s philosophy is clear: make beer not just a drink, but a vibe.
And if its trajectory continues, Medusa may well prove that India’s next big beer revolution won’t come from global giants, but from a homegrown disruptor that started by filling a forgotten gap.
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