What’s Up in Beer: Jing-A's Watermelon Madness, New Yizhuang Nbeer, De Refter Opening Party, Yanjing Beer Fest
Hey beer lovers, the weekend is finally here! I know you've been itching all week to get out onto a terrace or to one of the numerous outdoor parties happening around town so as to enjoy the blue skies and sunshine and knock back a few cold ones. It’s also the season for departures and reunions, so get out there and just enjoy the moment.
First on our list: after launching their annual Beijing Bikini Watermelon Wheat last week, Jing-A now warms up for their Watermelon Madness party on Jun 30 at Xian Bar, East Hotel from 4pm onwards. In order to take advantage of the free beer and watermelon rolls provided by Hagaki, you will have to do a one-hour circle training session with Heyrobics (which involves lifting watermelons) before diving into the fierce watermelon eating contest. If you'd rather skip the hard work, the watermelon wheat beer will be flowing for RMB 25 after the competition.
It's suanmeitang season, folks, and the sour plum, time-honored local antidote to hot summer days is also coming to Jing-A’s taps (albeit an alcoholic version) as of today. The initial batch of this beer was made in 2014 as a collaboration between Jing-A and Moonzen Brewery in Hong Kong under the name “One Beer Two Systems.” Brewed using all the usual ingredients of suanmeitang – hibiscus, hawthorn berries, and dried orange peel – this bright-purple and tart beer comes with 5.8 percent ABV.
Seeing as good things come in pairs, Slow Boat is also releasing a suanmeitang flavored beer. Dubbed the Huaweimei Suanmeitang Saison, it also features plums that they boiled for over 12 hours, resulting in 30kg of freshly boiled plum juice that was added to the beer in its final stages. Fresh hibiscus, orange peel, and licorice root were also added to this unique seasonal brew, making it cooling summer sipper.
The Aggressor is about to make a comeback over at Great Leap Brewing this Saturday. Named after Cao Cao, the Three Kingdoms general who fought against fellow luminaries such as Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, take on Scotch ale is full-bodied and bold with mildly sweet undernotes that give way to a warm, roasted finish. The team says that they've tweaked the recipe this year so expect something a little different to years past.
Heaven in Earth Kölsch, another seasonal brew designed for mid-summer days, will hit GLB taps on Saturday too. While technically an ale, kölsch drinks like a lager and is a hat-tip to Cologne, Germany’s proudest beer creation. With light citrus notes, a mild bitterness, and gentle hop flavors, Heaven in Earth Kölsch assembles a refreshing mix of flavors into one very drinkable glass. You can enjoy a special deal (RMB 25 per pint) on Jun 30 at both GLB locations to mark the end of June.
Good news for Beijingers dwelling in the southeast: NBeer Pub will open a new location in Yizhuang this Sunday, the party running from 5.58-9.58pm (how auspicious). This marks the brewery's third location. You can mark the occasion by paying RMB 100 for three pints of draft or a selection of three bottles from Omnipollo IPAs. The address is F1-43, S4 Area, Han's Plaza, 2 Ronghua Nanlu, Daxing District (6401 3336).
De Refter, our new favorite spot for bao and beer in Sanlitun's Courtyard 4, officially opens on this weekend with a three-day celebration and a plethora of drink and food deals, including:
- Jun 29, 5-9pm: Selected Belgian draft for RMB 30 per glass (and DJ Yadong and Johnnyz on the decks)
- Jun 30, 3-7pm: Buy-one-get-one-free Jing-A’s Full Moon Farmhouse Ale and Ping Dynasty’s Cider; buy-one-get-one-free on all bao from 3-9pm
- Jul 1, 3-7pm: RMB 48 for all cocktails (with DJ Yadong and Johnnyz back on the decks)
On Friday (Jun 29, 7.30pm), Arcade by Hatchery teams up with popular Sichuan restaurant Zhang Mama to create a special Sichuan-fused Mexican menu. RMB 129 gets you four fusion dishes, and an extra RMB 88 will get you free-flow on Jing-A’s Mandarin Wheat for two hours. Scan the QR code in the poster to book a seat.
When Side Street aren't working their way up the rankings in this year's Burger Cup, they're concocting deals to get you through the door to their Jiaodaokou establishment. If you head over on Thursdays between 8-11pm, you can now get buy-one-get-one-free on select Crafters beers.
And finally: for those of you who think craft beer lovers are snobs, here’s an event for you! Yanjing kick off their 27th Beijing Yanjing Beer International Festival today, Jun 29, through to Jul 9, 4-10pm. The event costs RMB 20 to get in and takes place at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park. Expect ungodly amounts of Yanjing IPA, stout, and ale, as well as favorite drinking snacks like chuan’r, crawfish, burgers, and pizza, as well as live music and a light show at the 150,000sqm park.
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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
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Photos courtesy of venues, bendibao
