What’s Up in Beer: Valentine’s Day Beer Deals, CNY Dinners, AB InBev Expands its China Operations
We'll start off this week's What's Up in Beer with a look at the state of the China's corporate beer market. Following Boxing Cat Pop Up Store’s closure, AB InBev has gone on to build its first brewery in Asia in January, not in Beijing, nor Shanghai, but in Wuhan for their share of the craft beer cake. What does that mean to us? That we're likely to see a hell of a lot more beers from AB InBev subsidiary brewer ZX Ventures as well as their Goose Island, Boxing Cat, and Kaiba brands. There are also rumors that the American No. 1 homebrewing supplies company Northern Brewer (which was also acquired by AB InBev) is interested in the Chinese market. Is it spring or winter for the local microbrew market? We’ll leave that up to you to decide. Now, onto the beer!
In order to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Jing-A Brewpub Xingfucun are offering a free jarred dessert for anyone who orders two pints of Black Velvet Vanilla Stout. We say, who needs lovers when you've got yourself four pints and two hulking desserts to much down?
In case you're too lazy to go out during CNY, Jing-A will motivate 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 at either location and will get a free beer every day for a whole year. Lord-o-mighty.
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.
Sadly, Arrow Factory will be shutting their Liangma River location between Feb 10-23 and their Taproom and Stuff’d from Feb 13-21. In order to sink the last of your remaining Arrow beers over the break, head to Liangma River for an all-day happy-hour on all beers on Feb 9. If you can't make it to the party, you better dash to either of their locations to stock up on bottles (of which 30 percent of every case will also go to the Migrant Children’s Foundation).
Failing that, grab a Final Bell Barley Wine (RMB 298 a 750ML bottle) with 11 percent ABV in a nifty wooden box, available at both locations. Contact 189 1116 7986 or WeChat (ID: Edidog) for more info.
NBeer has several new brews on tap, such as Ginger Saison (6.5 percent ABV) with hints of ginger and white pepper; Dry Planet Imperial Stout (10.5 percent ABV) with a roasted and boozy nose and a full body; and Rectification Campaign Belgian Strong (9.8 percent ABV) with a dry finish. We highly recommend you to try the Noa Pecan Mud Cake Imperial Stout from Omnipollo, also on tap, which with 11 percent ABV and an amazing combination of nut, chocolate, cotton candy, and brownie notes, is a pure dessert beer. Also, their Huguosi location will be closed Feb 15-22, and Wukesong will be closed Feb 15-17.
Celebrate the start of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics with a collaboration brew from Gorilla Brewing Co., founded in Busan in 2015, and Slow Boat. Their Gorilla on a Boat Yuja Cream Ale has been brewed using yuzu, a type of citrus fruit (yuja is the Korean variation), as well as lactose and Madagascarian vanilla beans to give it an added creaminess. This beer will be on tap on this Friday (Feb 9), and Slow Boat recommends pairing it with some of their new kimchi fried chicken wings.
You Wangjinginites will want to check out IB, which only opened a week ago. The two-floor brewpub provides nine brews, such as Mayueyue Belgian Wheat, Door-God German Wheat, Elephant King Pilsner, Door-God Ale, The Lion Man IPA, Dream Traditional Stout, Peach Honey, and Pink Cherry, as well as delicious food, and a down-to-earth atmosphere featuring Chinese elements. Stay tuned for our full review soon.
Finally, returning to our initial news this week, the Take Craft Back campaign, which set out to raise USD 213 billion in order to buy AB InBev has failed. Despite that setback, remember that with every independent pint you buy at every independent bar you go to is a representation of your vote for better craft beer. After all, it's in beer we love. Cheers to that, Beijing!
More stories by this author here.
Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure
Photos courtesy of venues, takecraftback
