What’s Up in Beer: Your Chinese New Year Beer Survival Guide

Tracy Wang, Senior Editor | Feb 13, 2018 5:00 pm | Add a comment | 2698 reads

The idea of seven long days of a brew-free Chinese New Year is enough to give anyone the shakes. "What if there's no beer?" you say. Well, fret not, as several of Beijing's brewpubs are embracing the approach of the Year of the Dog with new boozy creations and celebrations. Scroll to the bottom of this post to see exactly which of your favorite bars are open and when.

READ: Beijing Spring Festival Bar and Restaurant Opening Hours

As for new brews, Beersmith launches their Hop Dog IPA (7.5 percent ABV) on Feb 13, using American hops to provide an extra punch of citrus and pine. To celebrate the launch, head over for an hour of free (!) free-flow from 6-7pm on Feb 13 and buy-one-get-one-free afterward.

In case you're too lazy to go out during CNY, Jing-A is motivating you with some good ol' fashioned bribery. Every beer you buy will get you a raffle ticket to win a "Big Hongbao" at Jing-A Xingfucun (Feb 15-22) or Jing-A Taproom (except Feb 16-18). The Big Hongbao winner (announced on Mar 1) can choose a membership for either their 1949 or Xinfucun locations and will receive a free beer every day for a whole year.

Over at Great Leap Brewing, the team has once again collaborated with The Orchid hotel to host a 2018 Chinese New Year’s Party from 9pm till late. Entrance to The Orchid gets you eight kinds of free-flow beer, an Indian-Mediterranean spread (think chicken tagine bao, a sausage platter, and samosas) from their in-house restaurant Toast, and plenty of New Year cheer, of course. Admission is RMB 388, make a reservation by contacting jimmy@greatleapbrewing.com.

Deal Beer near Lama Temple won’t be closed during this CNY, and the following promotions will get you free beers,

Share this link on your WeChat moment, and get 25 likes will get you a free beer and a free snack during Feb 14-25;
Wear something “lucky” (we suggest red), deliver your best wishes to them, and share it on your WeChat moments will get you’re a free pint of wheat beer, and a snack;
You will get 50 percent extra portions on bar food between Feb 14-25.

As for what's open or not, check this handy guide for where to source your brews over the break:

Open

Deal Beer
Great Leap Brewing (all three locations)
Heaven Supermarket
Jing-A Xingfucun Brewpub
Legend Beer
Paddy O'Shea's 4.30pm -late Feb 12-22

Fang Bar

Closed

Arrow Factory Brewing (Liangma River) - closed Feb 10-23; Taproom - closed Feb 13-21
Drunk Bar - closed Feb 15-22
Drunk Begining - closed Feb 13-25
Great Friend Outdoors - closed Feb 15-20
IB - closed Feb 15-17, open 2pm-late Feb 18-23, back to normal on Feb 24
Jing-A Taproom - closed Feb 16-18
Kamehameha - closed Feb 12-21
Naughty Beer - closed Feb 15, Feb 19-21
Nbeer Pub (Huguosi) - closed Feb 15-22; (Wukesong) - closed Feb 15-17
Peiping Machine (Fangjia location) - closed on Feb 15, opened 6pm-12am Feb 16-20; (Gongti location) - closed Feb 15-22
Rolling Rolling - closed Feb 15-20
Steamrhino - closed Feb 15-21
Tiny - closed Feb 13-23
Transmountain - closed Feb 16-17