What’s Up in Beer: Burger Festival, Father’s Day Deals, and New Brews Galore

Tracy Wang, Senior Editor | Jun 15, 2018 2:45 pm | Add a comment | 2131 reads

If there was ever a time to shout "TGIF!" this would be it. Not only have we weathered a wet and wild week – with brutal downpours and hair-raising thunder – we've also arrived at a weekend chock full of fun happenings like the Burger Festival, a slew of World Cup screenings at bars across town, a number of Father's Day deals, and more.

Let's start with our most anticipated event, the 2018 Beijing Burger Fest, at Galaxy Soho (Jun 16-17). We know you can't wait to join the 20,000 hungry and thirsty attendees gulping down all manner of goodies provided by 40 burger vendors and 20 drink purveyors. If brews are more your bag than burgers, then here’s a list of some of the suds slingers on hand.

  • Great Leap Brewing
  • De Refter
  • Slow Boat
  • NBeer Pub
  • Peiping Machine
  • The Great Outdoors
  • QS
  • Homeplate
  • 3 Little Pigs
  • Boxing Cat
  • Regain Element
  • Brewonly
  • Urbräu
  • Hot Beer Brewing
  • Panda Brew
  • Q Mex

If you don't know how to get there, check these handy directions to Galaxy Soho).

Once you've had your fill of burgers, you can satiate your appetite for football at one of the many Beijing bars and restaurants screening the 2018 World Cup (check our list for locations and food and drink deals).

Jing-A’s Beijing Bikini Watermelon Wheat returns today (Jun 15). We've been eagerly awaiting this one for quite some time. After all, nothing says summer like this sweet, refreshing brew. As always, they use the local watermelons from Daxing to create a crisp summer beer with a sparkling finish and 4.5 percent ABV.

For Father's Day on Sunday, Jing-A has partnered up with Hulu in Sanlitun to offer some deals:

  • Having Brewer's Brunch or dinner at Jing-A Xingfucun Brewpub on Sunday will get you an RMB 100 voucher for drinks on the rooftop terrace of Hulu (including bottles of Flying Fist IPA and Worker's Pale Ale, along with Dongbei IPA on tap)
  • Dads who dine at Hulu on Sunday will get a gift card to redeem a free beer at Jing-A Brewpub

Call 6416-5195 to book a table at Jing-A Brewpub, or 6512-5701 to book at Hulu.

Jing-A will also have a pop-up throughout the summer at Damei Central Plaza with 72 outdoor seats daily from 5pm-late. You can find six of their brews here: Flying Fist IPA, Mandarin Wheat, Worker's Pale Ale, and Tuhao Gold Pilsner, plus two seasonal beers. Weekday happy hours start from 5-7pm with RMB 10 off each beer. Call 183 1001 9871 if you are aiming to stop by for World Cup screenings at the wee hours with a group of 10 or more.

And the treats for football fans don't stop there. Pitchers of Jing-A beer can be found at the following bars and restaurants showing the matches:

  • At Café (4 Jiuxianqiao Lu)
  • Peppers Carnival (inside Tangla Hotel, 19 Fuxingmen Wai Dajie)
  • Aviator (Shop 10-7A, Bldg 10, Qilin Xintiandi, Wangjing)
  • Miss Deer's Bar (16 Xinyuan Nanlu, Shop 116)
  • Yao Coffee (6/F, Xinhuicheng Center, Wangjing)
  • Burst Bloom (114, Bldg 27, 8 Wenhuayan West Rd, Yizhuang)

After the sad closure of Great Leap Brewing #12, they have revamped the menu at #45, serving up old favorites like their spicy fried chicken sandwich, grilled chicken sandwich, pork belly sandwich, bacon cheeseburger, and their regular cheeseburger. There will also be three new dishes on offer – fried okra and pickled peppers, crispy fried oyster mushrooms, and the BBQ chicken salad.

And if you're looking for a taste of GLB elsewhere, be sure to order up their Allied Series which is now available at Home Plate, Bloom Burst, Great Friend Outdoors Club, 4 Corners, 3 Little Pigs, Dao Brewpub, Rootpop, O’Steak, DDC, Shinya Shokudo, Mi Parlor, Jingmi Taproom, Hulu, Dada, Xian, Hot Date, and Grinders.

Over in the CBD, Beersmith is launching its Double Gold this week. It's a golden ale with 9 percent ABV and uses hops and malts from New Zealand. This one goes down smoothly and gently, and also features fruity and honey notes.

This evening (June 15), Side Street will host a Meet the Brewers session with a deal on its Jiandan/chicken/veggie burger. You can enjoy a choice of four beers for RMB 80, starting from 7pm. Brews on offer include Tiny Gangsta American Pale Ale, Telstar Transatlantic IPA, Truth Serum Rye Saison, and Cherry-picked Red Sour Cherry Saison, all brewed by Crafters. Show up and grab a beer while chatting with the founders of Crafters – two expats that have been brewing a variety of ciders and beers since 2016.

Over at Slow Boat's Sanlitun brewpub they'll be offering weekly specials on food as well as select pints for RMB 25. If you're a night owl you can watch the games live from Jun 14- Jul 15, or catch replays the next day.

Dao Taphouse has Lupulingus imperial IPA by New Zealand brewery Epic on tap. It's a hefty 9 percent ABV and 101 IBU brew and features a mix of fruity, citrusy, and hoppy flavors that'll tickle your throat to the very last drop.

We'll finish with a bit of sad news: Jianguo’er, the small but popular beer bar nestled deep within the hutongs, has officially closed. No further news about when they’ll reopen again, though our fingers are crossed that they'll return in some form before long (ala the reborn El Nido at its soon to be opened Beiluogu Xiang location).

We hope to see everyone at our Burger Festival this weekend, and enjoy some beefy eats and balmy weather together!

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photos courtesy of venues, Tracy Wang