American Craft Beers Take Over Great Leap, Chili Cook-Off Set for April 16

Steven Schwankert | Mar 31, 2016 5:30 pm | Add a comment | 2698 reads

The upcoming three-day holiday could become a lost weekend, as three top American craft breweries take over half the taps at Great Leap Brewing #45 Brewpub (the pizza one) April 2-3.

Allagash Brewery of Maine, Victory Brewing of Pennsylvania, and Crazy Mountain of Colorado will offer a total of nine beers, as a follow-up to Great Leap's Beijing International Craft Beer Festival (BICBF) earlier this year. Some of that fine beer didn't arrive in time for the festival, so it will finally be available to Beijing consumers.  Great Leap says that BICBF passport holders will be eligible for two pints or two tasting flights for free. All nine beers are RMB 35 per standard serving. See a list of what's on tap and more information about the event here.

April also heralds what has become the unofficial start of the hutong spring, the annual Back Alley Chili Cook-Off, set for April 16 at Great Leap Brewing Original #6 (the hutong one).

Aspiring chili chefs who believe they have what it takes to win the grand prize need a chili recipe made with no more than one foreign ingredient (all else must be local) and makes enough for 15 liters to feed a capacity crowd. Cooks receive a 20-liter pot, a ladle, and two aprons, plus free-flow beers during the event, from 2-6pm. Judges' Choice is a RMB 888 Great Leap voucher, the People's Choice Award is a RMB 388 Great Leap Brewing voucher. For the rest of us, it's RMB 150 for admission, which includes two full beers and as many chili samples as the contestants are willing to provide to win your vote. For more information about entering or just attending, see the listing in our Events section.

More stories by this author here.

Email: stevenschwankert@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @greatwriteshark
Weibo:​ @SinoScuba潜水

Photos: The Stranger, courtesy of Great Leap Brewing