Lord Karan Bilimoria founded Cobra Beer in 1989 having realised that Britain deserved a better, smoother, less gassy lager. Using the finest natural ingredients and a traditional Indian blend of barley malt and yeast, with maize, hops, and rice, he created an extra smooth and less gassy beer, quite unlike any other. Originally planned to be called Panther, the beer was ready to go, but the name wasn't popular with customers and was changed to Cobra at the eleventh hour.