Beer. The world’s oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage. In fact, in the overall beverage rankings, beer comes in third, right after water and tea! Expat beer drinkers in China (which is probably most of us) have limited choices when it comes to beer selection. You can either fork out western prices for European beers – when you can find them – or you can go local. Unfortunately, Chinese beer culture still has some ways to go. Although Chinese were drinking and sacrificing beer with an 11% alcohol content way back in the Shang Dynasty (1600-1050 BC), and probably brewing beer 9000 years ago, beer lost out to huangjiu – grain alcohol – way back in the Han dynasty and didn’t reappear in any significant way until the 19th century when Russians established a brewery in Harbin.

Photo: harryalverson

Snow Beer [雪花啤酒 | Xu?huā píji?] is now the most popular beer in the world, but for many, Tsingtao [青岛啤酒 | Qīngdǎo píji?], which traces its roots back to the German bases erected in Qingdao during the first world war is still the beer beverage of choice. Yanjing, [燕京啤酒| Yānjīng píji?], which was Beijing’s original name, is also very popular. 107 years after it was awarded the ‘blue ribbon’ certifying it as America’s best beer in the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, Pabst Blue Ribbon, known locally as China Blue Ribbon [蓝带啤酒 | Lándài píji?] started production in China in1990, and has been making inroads with Chinese consumers since.

Microbrews and craft beers have yet to take off in China although there are no doubt many expats who dream of starting one, and many more expats who wish they would.

In the meantime, we asked you…

What's your favorite Chinese beer and why?

Perspectives seeks to promote dialogue and cross-cultural understanding by featuring Chinese and foreign responses to a single question. Email us to be added to our weekly question mailing list or to suggest questions of your own and feel free to add your perspective in the comments section below.

For everyday drinking I like Snow Beer ...well I used to like it but the new version isn't as good as the stronger one from about 2 years ago. Otherwise Tsingdao Dark Stout is good but hard to get hold of. Microbreweries are always the best though, but still there isn't a real demand for craft beer outside of the western community.
H / UK

Photo: hirotomo

Not really a beer person, but when out with friends and social duties called for a swig it is usually Tsingtao.
S / UK

Yanjing, it has a smoother flavor than Qingdao and doesn’t give me so much of a headache the next day if I drink too much!
T / China

Harbin, bar none!
C / Singapore

We don't get much mainland beer over here because of Taiwan Beer is the big company. Taiwan beer is pretty good, there are a couple kinds, but I can only distinguish them by their cans or labels. I wouldn't say it’s watery, it's basically a no frills lager.
J / US

Photo: poeloq

Harbin beer... it’s a bit hard to find, but it’s the oldest in China and tastes awesome and smooth. It’s a bit hard to find though.
D / India

Qingdao, absolutely. It`s very light at first, then it gets really heavy.
G / China

Dali beer.
T / Israel

I don't really like Tsingtao, but it's cheap. Chinese beer is light and watery and good when it's hot. As a beer drinker, I prefer fuller bodied beers like Warsteiner but Chinese beer is cheap and will do. I’m not picky.
G / US

Harbin beer. Cause it cheap and tasty, but unfortunately, it’s only cheap and tasty IN Harbin.
J / US

Photo: Wootang1

Honestly... I’m not willing to pay triple the price for European beers so I go for Tsingtao and it's good: I have actually visited the brewery in Qingdao. It is an amateur-friendly beer to drink; it can suit anyone's taste I think, in contrast to (for instance) Guinness, Kilkenny etc...
S / France　

My favorite Chinese beer is Blue Diamond Stout.
N / China
 

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