Craft Beer in Hangzhou

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WHERE TO GET YOUR FILL OF CRAFT BEER IN HANGZHOU

Midtown Brewery

� 8159-0265

� 6 Changshou Lu, 1F of Midtown Shangri-La Hotel 长寿路 6 号嘉里

中心城中香格里拉大酒店 1 楼 11:30-late

Setting a very high bar for craft beer in Hangzhou, Midtown brewery have won a number of awards for their outstanding beer. An on-sight experienced brewmaster (Eric) toils night and day to provide an outstanding finished product.

Hops 喜啤

� 182 6800-6936 � 9 Wulin Lu 武林路 9 号

16:00-02:00

A wide selection of various types and strengths of on-tap beers as well as bottled beers. Good service, with knowledgeable staff. Outdoor seating and a location nearby the Westlake.

Taste Room

� 8690-7226 � 73 Wener Xi Lu 文二西路 73 号

20:00-02:00

The beer here is produced nearby in Thousand Island Lake ( 千岛湖 ) and sold to a number of bars around Hangzhou – but best drank at the source. Both bottled and draft beers available.

East River Tap Room 东河

� 8576-9199 � 238 Zhongshan Zhong Lu 中山中路 238-1 号

18:00-00:30

Quiet, personal surroundings with a continuously changing list of brews, all great tasting and poured by the resident beer expert Weiwei. If you are unsure, ask for recommendations.

One Pint 一品脱酒馆

� 8603-3042

� 257 Tiyuchang Lu 体育场路 257 号天合写 字楼 302 室 18:30-01:30

A huge selection of beer, all ordered at the touch of a button via their iPad-style ordering system. Calm, relaxed vibes and over 1000 types of bottled beer.

Peers Bar 啤客

� 8683-9917 � 2-3 Baoshu Bei Lu 保俶北路 3-2 号

18:00-03:00

Beer supermarket-style bar with imported beers from all over the world. Self-service means not waiting for staff at busy times and reduces cost to make prices very reasonable.

Aishang Beer

House 艾尚啤酒层

� 8702-5715 � 266 Zhongshan Bei Lu 中山北路 266 号

10:00-00:00

With a number of stores located all over Hangzhou, Aishang have become a synonymous with providing bottled imported and craft beer to the people of Hangzhou for a number of years. Drink in or takeaway to enjoy later.

CraftBeer Buyer 精酿买手

� 177 4680-1730

� Binjiang Powerlong Square, 5F (Roof) 滨江 宝龙广场 5F 露台 17:30-01:00

The most extensive selection of imported craft beer you will get the East side of the river. A mix of tap and bottle means there is something for everyone.

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HANGZHOU

MEET CRAFT BEER

While the number of food and beverage institutes in Hangzhou is growing rapidly, the subject of craft beer in recent years has been a difficult topic of conversation. The debate usually moves towards a rather negative conclusion: “There are no places for craft beer in Hangzhou…need to go to Shanghai for something like that.”

WHAT IS CRAFT BEER?Put simply, ‘craft beer’ is anything that is not mass-produced. It is made on a smaller scale, by a smaller brewer, usually independent from any name-brand breweries. Also, this means the methods that are used are usually more traditional.

Y ou will be pleased to know that this is no longer the case, as craft beer culture in China is gaining popularity with both locals and foreigners alike. Hangzhou alone boasts well over 30 establishments that deal exclusively in craft beer - that is to say, places that offer craft bottled beers, whether domestic or imported, as well as ‘micro-brewery’ bars that brew their stuff on sight or at a nearby location.

For those unsure of whether or not to dive into the world of craft beer, the opportunity do to do so is getting bigger and easier. Try saying ‘no’ to those ‘industrial beers’ that you probably drink far too often, such as Carlsberg, Heineken, Asahi, Budweiser and China’s very own Tsingtao and drink something more unique, something that has been, well, crafted. A huge selection of beers, each with their own unique combination of taste, texture, smell, colour and clarity is waiting for you to try – the next one might be the one the converts you to a craft beer fan.

For those already versed in the art of craft beer, Hangzhou will not disappoint. Whether your penchant be for Porter, IPA, Stout, Wheat Beer, Lager, Pilsner or something more obscure, news locations and new unique brews are appearing every day, so the list of beers to try is endless!

A Word of Warning: In the same way that not all ‘industrial beer’ is bad, not all craft beer is good. As the number of craft beer places increases, a lot of people have noticed its financial potential and decided to jump on the band wagon to try and make a fast buck. Sometimes the beer is mass produced in a remote part of China and transported all over the country, losing its freshness and taste appeal.

Fear not! REDSTAR have given you a handful of the tried-and-trusted beer establishments in Hangzhou for you to either begin, or continue, your craft beer journey.

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BEER...WHAT IS IT?

Beer is one of the oldest and most widely-consumed alcoholic drinks, and the third most popular drink in the world (only water and tea are ahead).

Beer is made from four basic ingredients: WATER | YEAST | HOPS | BARLEY

BEER

SNOBBERY

101

By Christina Lee

WHAT TYPES OF IMPORTED BEER DO WE HAVE IN HANGZHOU?

LAGERS

TYPES OF BEER

LAGERS

Have a crisper taste due to their fermentation process. They are fermented for a longer time period at lower temperatures, which mellows the beer and creates a smoother taste.

Types:

• Pilsner - low in alcohol, straw colored, highly carbonated.

• Bock - sweet and dark, assorted flavors.

• American lager - light and crisp, golden colored.

• Dunkel - dark amber with smooth flavors, similar to coffee.

ALES

They are sweet, full-bodied and vary in color depending on the grains used during brewing. Many ales contain hops, which add a bitter flavor to counteract sweetness.

Types:

• Porter - notes of chocolate with mild roast in the finish.

• Stout - coffee, chocolate, molasses and heavily roasted flavors.

• Amber ale - malty with balanced hop bitterness.

• Irish ale - malt accented with caramel sweetness.

• Pale ale -spicy, earthy or aromatic flavor.

• IPA - extremely bitter and amber colored.

ABV: 5.2%

ABV: 5.3%

ABV:

5.5%

Spaten Münich (500ml can) - A Munich Helles Lager style beer. Clear golden, effervescent bubbles and a thin foamy white head. Flavors are bread, sweet cereals and lemon with herbal notes. Medium body, moderate carbonation, soft texture. Served in Lager glass.

Paulaner (Dunkel) - A dark lager with chocolatey flavor. Cloudy brown with a big foamy off-white head. Aroma is caramel and banana, flavour is surprisingly bitter, chocolate, malt and caramel. Served in Weizen or Stein.

Paulaner (Hefe-Weissbier) - A wheat lager from Germany. Pours clear golden with a full, slightly off-white head. Aroma is caramel, light dried fruit and some hops. Taste is caramel and raisin, moving to light orange peel and some herbs. Finish is smooth. Served in Lager glass.

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ABV: 4.9%

ABV: 5.0%

ABV: 4.2%

ABV: 5.1%

ABV: 4.7%

ABV:

4.7%

Pistonhead (Kustom lager) - An American pale lager. Golden color with off-white head. It has caramel, malt, citrus aroma. Taste is malty with somewhat bitter aftertaste. Flavors of citrus, malt, grassy hops. Served in Lager glass.

Apostel Bräu - A German pilsner, clear golden color with some dusty particles floating. Reasonable white head. Aroma of grass, yeast, cardboard and biscuit. Taste is grassy bitter, slightly sweet and with metallic notes. Served in Flute or Footed Pilsner.

Guinness (draught) - A dry stout, draft. Virtually black in the glass with a creamy, tan head. A sticky lacing clings to the glass. Not a lot of aroma: mild toast, roasted grains, chocolate. Taste is mildly bitter, full of roasted flavors Served in English pint or Shaker.

Würenbacher Hefeweissbier - A German hefeweizen. Aroma of banana and malt. Hazy yellow with minimal head. Medium sourness. Midium body, sweet finish. Served in Weizen.

Kaiserdom - A German wheat beer. Cloudy golden, creamy ivory head. Aroma is banana, fruits, sweetness, flour. Taste is fruity, sour, flour, some mango, banana, orange, some sweetness, cream, oily, a bit watery. Served in Weizen.

Vedett (extra white) - A Belgian white beer. Very pale color, definately "extra white".Great yeast and banana aroma. Citrus also. Promised coriander is not very present. Spices, white pepper taste. Citrus. Muscot. Served in Tumbler or Weizen.

ABV: 5.4%

ABV: 4.9%

ABV: 8%

ABV: 3.79%

ABV: 7%

ABV: 10%

ALES

Blue moon (Belgian white) - A Belgian white ale. Appearance - slightly cloudy golden, a halffinger white head. Aroma - corn, cereal, hint of orange, spices, malts. Taste - malts, lemon hints, cereal, cardboard, orange, slight spicy notes. Served in Weizen or Tumbler. Served in Tumbler or Weizen.

Hoegaarden - An unfiltered Belgian white ale. Golden with normal white head. Aroma is spicy phenols, citric with floral and earthy notes and some sweet sugary malt aroma. Very complex and nice. Taste is sweet malts. Served in Tumbler or Weizen.

La Chouffe - This Belgian ale is golden colored, blonde beer. Yeast banana and clove with caramel. Slightly carbonated. Very smooth. Served in Trappist glass or in Tulip.

Leffe (Brune) - A Belgian dark ale. Deep, but clearish brown color. Smell is roasted malt and mahogany. I really like the rich prune taste. It has an almost cola caramel quality that's reinforced by the high degree of carbonation. Very tasty. Served in Trappist glass or in Tulip.

Chimay (Red) - Deep red, big off-white frothy head and heavy lacing. Aromas of malt, plenty of banana yeast, toffee, biscuit. Flavours of cherry, Christmas pudding, biscuit, toffee, prunes, yeast and banana. Served in Trappist glass or in Tulip.

Maredsous 10 Triple - A Belgian abbey ale. Golden body with beige head. Aroma of roasted malts, cereals in general and some aged wood. Taste is malty, sweet at first, a bit alcoholic warmth, yeast and dried or rippen fruits. Some bitterness at the end. Truly wonderful. Served in Trappist glass or Tulip.

ABV:

9.2%

Rochefort Trappist 8 - A Belgian strong ale. Brown color with beige head, aroma is dried frits, caramel, hazelnuts, medium sweetness, lightly bitter, medium body, well hidden alcohol, a very good beer. Served in Trappist glass, Tulip or in Tumbler.

FRUIT BEERS

Lindemans varieties include Kriek (sour cherry), Cassis (black currant), and Pomme (apple). Lindemans Kriek is made using unsweetened cherry juice which is added to a mixture of lambics of different ages. The resulting beer is described

as less sour and more fruity. Served in Flute, Stem glass, Tulip or in Tumbler.ABV: 4%

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