Chinese beer: 5 brands review + history in brief

Briefly about Chinese beer

啤酒 or pi jiao - this is the Chinese equivalent of beer with a 9-thousand-year history.

In ancient China, the drink was a brew made from honey, hawthorn, rice, and grapes. It was not customary to distill it, and it was used most often during religious ceremonies.

By the nineteenth century, foreign-made foamy drinks familiar to us appeared in the Celestial Empire. Soon local brewers began to produce it.

Distinctive features of Chinese beer:

1. Low alcohol content (no more than 3-4%).

2. Sweet and herbal character due to rice malt.

3. A little foaminess.

4. The flavor may resemble lemonade.

Since 2015, China has had a tradition of holding beer festivals every year, which are visited by tourists from all over the world. It is produced in Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao and other cities.

How to drink Chinese beer?

Before drinking, it is recommended to cool the beer and serve it in a small volume (150 ml is accepted at home). Goes well with spicy dishes.

Tsingtao

The brewery appeared in 1903 in Qingdao thanks to the joint efforts of British and German businessmen. It was one of the first to start producing beer in China and the first to introduce European technologies. Today, more than 100 years later, its products are recognized as one of the best in the country. It accounts for 15% of the domestic beer market. The brand was included in the list of the world's top 500.

The drink has a transparent straw color, fresh and slightly bitter taste. They produce classic beer, draft beer and stouts.

Snow

Relatively young, produced since 1993, but in a few years it has become one of the best-selling brands. It was invented in Shenyang. It occupies 5% of the world and 21% of the local market. A year after its launch, the beer gained the status of a national brand. It is currently produced at 80 breweries.

It got its name due to its lush snowy foamy head and floral aroma. The taste is characterized by sweet malt and rice hints. The beer is characterized by frostiness and tingling of the tongue when consumed.

Yanjing

Appeared in 1980 in Beijing, after which it is named: Yanjing is the old name of the capital. The main competitor of Tsingtao. The purest water for brewing is taken from springs in the Yanshan Mountains. The company's wheat beer is popular in Europe, America, Belgium, the United States and other countries.

Taste properties are quite specific. The composition includes rice and sorghum, a herbaceous cereal plant. Sometimes bitter melon, seaweed and other ingredients unusual for Europeans are added during brewing. Hop bitterness is practically absent.

Harbin

The appearance of one of the oldest breweries in the country dates back to 1900. It is located in the city of Harbin. Now the products are sold all over the country, except for Tibet. It is also exported to more than 30 countries, such as the UK, USA, Russia, Japan, etc. д. The brewery owns the most exported light beer among Chinese brands. In its home country, the company ranks 4th in terms of sales.

Impressions of the drink vary. For some, it is the most tasteless in the world, while others like its delicate aroma and floral notes in the aftertaste. It contains a special kind of rice. The most popular variety is "Wheat King".

Lucky Buddha

The brewery was founded in 1985 in Hangzhou, on the shores of the lake of the same name, and was originally a small regional enterprise. Today it is among the ten most powerful Chinese beer producers. Lake water is used in production. It is famous throughout China as crystal clear, it was even recognized as a national treasure. The company is mainly focused on the production of the Cheerday brand. In addition, it has a license to produce brands of foreign companies.

The beer is distinguished by its design: a smiling Buddha is engraved on the bottle. It symbolizes happiness, enlightenment and long life. The refreshing and rich taste of the lager is characterized by citrus and hop notes.

Update: 30.11.2020

Category: Beer, Cider, Ale