Craft Beer in China!

After living in Ningbo for over a year, in craft-beer poverty, I was walking down the aisle of the Metro Grocery store, and saw a young female clerk with a case of Samual Adams Boston Lager. She thought she was under attack as I rushed her inquiring as to where I could find more. For the next several months, I enjoyed my "Sammies," but then Metro stopped carrying them. Perhaps I was the only person in Ningbo drinking them! (Those of you in ShangHai and Beijing, I know, have a huge variety of beer to choose from. Enjoy it, and please do ask your friends living in smaller cities if you can bring them some when you visit!).

All is not lost, according to this piece. China may see a craft-beer craze after all!!

What is your favorite Chinese beer?

Since it's Saturday, let's talk about something near and dear to my heart -- beer!

I'm a beer fan. I brew it, drink it, savor it, and am also a bit picky about what I drink. That also means I'm not really a fan of most Chinese beer. Very light, bodyless, strangely-flavored pilser is available in the US, so no reason to go to China to find it. That said, on a hot Chinese afternoon, an ice cold Tsingtao tastes awfully nice!!

Wherever I go, I try the beer. My favorite in China, so far, is Harbin Beer. It's not so different from the rest, and I'm not sure really why I like it. My impression was just that it was crisper an fresher, maybe a little maltier than others, but it's been awhile since I had it.

What's your favorite? Take the poll on the right sidebar! If I haven't listed your favorite, please comment. If you comment, feel free to tell me your favorite all time beer, regardless of the origin!