Talking Pints: Apocalyptic Parties and a Craft Beer Festival (if we survive)

Tick, tock, tick, tock; are you making the most of your final hours on Earth? No, me neither, but when we skip out of work tonight there's plenty going on to celebrate that we all could be set to perish.

Of course, we have details of a full gamut of events going down tonight that you can check here in our events section, but let us pick out a couple of highlights for you:

  • We like the sound of "A Sparkling Apocalypse" at Más where they'll be specializing in 50 kuai champagne cocktails.
  • We also admire the attitude of the good folks over at Cafe de la Poste who will hold an "Everything Must Go" party where intriguingly you'll be given the opportunity to trade all your earthly possessions.
  • If you're looking to dance away your final night, Lantern could be the place for you as they hold a "Dooms Night" party where they'll be giving away shots. DJ Peter van Hoesen was set to preside over that bash, but due to visa complications he can't make it. Never fear, a fine stable of top class local spinners will fill that gap.
  • Dada are letting the Black Eyeliner boys provide their soundtrack to the end of the world. That's the place to be for goth techno, pagan synth pop and grinch wave tonight.
  • Haze will host an "End of the World" party with DJs Donald Summer, Pancake Lee, Max Feelgood, Kaize and Zhi Qi giving up their final night in this mortal coil to entertain the Guanghua Lu crew.

No sooner have we safely negotiated the apocalypse, than we've Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to overcome. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Details of the Scottish anniversary of Burns Night have arrived. One Burns Night soiree will be held in the China World Summit Wing on Jan 26 at 7pm. Tickets get you a night of fun and frivolity including pre-dinner drinks, a buffet dinner, whisky (of course), wine, dancing, midnight snacks and a celebration of Robert Burns' poetry. Not too bad at all for RMB 900.

The First Beijing Homebrewing Festival is to be held this weekend. From midday till 4pm you've the chance to sample up to 40 lovingly prepared brews from 20 homebrewers. The event will be held at Pass By Bar.

On craft beer, Slow Boat Brewery Taproom held its opening party last weekend. We were there, and it seemed to have been a big hit among those who made the effort to get along in the blistering cold conditions. Unfortunately we heard from Slow Boat supremo Chandler Jurinka yesterday telling us that the cold hutong conditions are playing merry havoc with his attempts to dry the newly laid floor. As a result, they've had to postpone the official opening until "late next week in preparation for [their] first "Brew Year's Eve Party". We're confident it'll be worth the wait, but if you want in on the New Year's bash, you have to email and reserve a cranny for the hootenanny.

That's all for now. Look out for our definitive guide to the city's New Year's Eve parties next week, but in the meantime don't forget to check out our events section to help you navigate the weekend.

Wherever you get to this weekend, or over the holidays, Merry Christmas and have fun.

Photo: Two glasses of beer image from Bigstock