There are drinks you order out of habit, and then there are drinks that feel like a small act of self-care. At Brook & Pines, perched at 5,000 feet above sea level in the pine-scented hills of Kasauli, we take our beverage menu as seriously as our food. Two offerings, in particular, have developed a cult following: our Antivirus Cocktail and our Signature Hazelnut Coffee. Together, they tell a story about what it means to drink mindfully in the mountains.
The altitude at Kasauli changes things. The air is cleaner and colder, your body craves warmth and nourishment, and ordinary drinks somehow taste more vivid. Visitors often remark that their coffee at Brook & Pines tasted better than any they have had in a city. Part of that is the setting — there is no arguing with a valley view — but part of it is genuinely in the cup.
Our Antivirus Cocktail was born out of a very specific intention: to create a drink that is fun, beautiful, and quietly good for you. It is not a green juice masquerading as a cocktail, nor is it a sugary concoction with a wellness label slapped on. It sits comfortably in the middle — a craft beverage that uses ingredients known for their immunity-supporting and anti-inflammatory properties, assembled with the same care we give to our microbrewery ales.
The base of the Antivirus Cocktail is fresh ginger, which has been used in Himalayan cooking for centuries precisely because it works. Ginger warms from the inside out, supports digestion, and brings a fiery brightness that makes every sip feel intentional. To this we add turmeric, the golden spice that has moved from Ayurvedic medicine to global superfood status for good reason. Its earthy depth grounds the drink. A squeeze of fresh lime cuts through the richness, and a touch of honey — local, raw, harvested from beekeepers in the surrounding hills — rounds everything off with floral sweetness.
For guests who want a spirit, the cocktail marries beautifully with our house-crafted pale ale or a clean vodka base. For those who prefer something non-alcoholic, the mocktail version is equally celebrated. Either way, the Antivirus Cocktail is less a party drink and more a moment — something you sip slowly while the mist rolls through the valley below.
Now, for coffee drinkers, our Signature Hazelnut Coffee has become something of a pilgrimage item. People have driven from Chandigarh and Delhi specifically to have it on our terrace. We understand why. Coffee culture in India has evolved rapidly, but finding a truly exceptional cup in a hill station used to require real luck. At Brook & Pines, we have made it a point to never take coffee for granted.
The Signature Hazelnut Coffee begins with single-origin beans sourced from estates that take their craft seriously. We grind fresh for every cup. The espresso is pulled with precision — strong, aromatic, with that faint caramel bitterness that coffee lovers chase. Then comes the hazelnut: not a flavoured syrup of the artificial variety, but a real hazelnut reduction made in-house, sweet and nutty and subtly toasted.
The combination is poured over steamed whole milk, creating a layered cup where each flavour arrives in sequence. First the roast, then the nut, then the warmth of the milk. It is finished with a dusting of fine cocoa, which adds depth without overpowering. On a cold Kasauli morning, or in the quiet hour after a long hike, it is difficult to imagine wanting anything else.
Served in generously sized ceramic mugs that feel solid and warm in your hands, the Hazelnut Coffee is also a feast for the eyes. Our baristas take pride in the pour, and many guests have photographed their cups before touching them — which we consider the highest compliment.
What connects the Antivirus Cocktail and the Signature Hazelnut Coffee is a philosophy we hold across the entire Brook & Pines menu: that what you put into your body should feel like a gift, not an afterthought. At 5,000 feet, far from the noise of the plains, your senses sharpen. Taste becomes more vivid. Smell becomes more acute. A well-made drink does not just quench thirst — it marks a moment in time.
We have watched guests arrive stressed, shoulders tight from the drive up the winding mountain road, order one of these drinks, and visibly soften over the course of twenty minutes. That is what good food and drink can do. It is not magic, but it is close.
Whether you are beginning your day with a hazelnut coffee and a valley view, or winding down a long evening with an Antivirus Cocktail as the pine trees sway in the evening breeze, we want every sip at Brook & Pines to feel like exactly the right choice.
Come for the mountains. Stay for the coffee. Leave feeling better than when you arrived. That, in the simplest terms, is what Brook & Pines is all about.
