The Qingdao International Beer Festival will kick off this Friday, a 16-day carnival that draws legions of beer lovers from around the world. The Tsingtao Brewery has also opened a museum in its centuries-old factory, highlighting the history and culture of the beer and showcasing brewing equipment and techniques.
Snow beer has more recently overtaken Tsingtao as the most popular-selling beer in China. It's produced by CR Snow, a joint venture between SABMiller and China Resources Enterprises. It was first released to the market in 1993.
Beijing Yanjing Brewery, founded in 1980, is the third-largest in China. In 1995, its famous Yanjing Beer was designated as the official beer to be served at state banquets in the Great Hall of the People.
Beer in Shanghai
As beer grew in popularity in China, breweries opened in many cities, including Shanghai. But many of the early local breweries didn't survive.
The first brewery in Shanghai was Shanghai Beer Co, the predecessor of a brewery founded by Germans in 1912 that marketed beer under the UB brand. In 1935, the company changed to its later name but kept the UB brand logo after being acquired by a English company. It became the largest brewery in the Far East at the time. The Shanghai Beer Co sold its products under the Shanghai Beer label. At 11 percent alcohol, it was a stronger beer than most. The factory site on 130 Yichang Road was designed by renowned Hungarian architect László Hudec.
In 1987, the first joint venture beer brand called Reeb (立波) was created. The beer was made at the then Shanghai Asia Pacific Brewery and was mostly sold in the local market.
Donghai Pijiu was also a very popular brand in Shanghai, for at least one generation. The brand was later acquired by Suntory. Other local beer brands included Guangming Pijiu, EWO Breweries, Seagull Beer and Jiangnan Pijiu. Though the products no longer exist on the market, the old labels can strike a chord for a older Shanghai residents.
Pineapple beer
Fruity beer flavors have been developed to appeal to different tastes. Most of the pineapple beers on Chinese supermarket shelves are carbonated drinks containing very little alcohol, often only 1 or 2 percent.
The sweet, very fruity pineapple beer is produced by combining the tropical fruit with the malty taste of beer. It's popular in the summertime, especially with late night snacks.
Many children in China also drink pineapple beers, despite its alcohol content. Alcohol-free pineapple beers are also available.
Beer tips
1. Add some beer to water to soak the dark-colored clothing. It helps soften the fabric and restore faded colors.
2. If you have leftover or old beer in the fridge, don't throw it away. Beer can be used to clean windows.
3. Beer can be substituted for yeast when making bread.
4. Beer can kill some of the insects that grow in flowerpots. Many gardeners use it to attract and kill slugs.
5. Using beer instead of water in stewed dishes makes the meats more tender and fragrant.
