What's Up in Beer: Charcoal is Now Koli's Camp, Beer and Brunch at Arrow Factory, Slow Boat Does Peanut Butter Brew
Since Charcoal restaurant experienced a bitter break-up with Arrow Factory (with Arrow Factory moving all its brewing equipment out last November), an ambitious new team took over the Shunyi venue in January, renaming it Koli’s Camp. Koli's owner Yang Shaojun, a veteran of the IT industry, told the Beijinger, “it’s my first time to use a 1,000-liter brewing facility, but I’m confident that my beers are above average.” This week, three of Koli's beers are ready to ship under the brand Y’RNEST: a lager, a weissbier, and a lager IPA. An ale is still under fermentation.
Throughout March the space will be home to a series of events and deals, including 20 percent off all day Monday to Thursday. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will feature happy hours that give patrons a chance to try one select beer completely free, with taps stocked with up to 100 liters of the stuff.
On March 8, International Women’s Day, ladies drink for free. Utilizing the former F&B team, management have adjusted the menu a little to suit “employees who work around here,” serving salmon hand rolls, Koli’s Classic 250 Burger, and lemon-thyme roast chicken and shrimp salad.
Arrow Factory has opened their new taproom by the Liangma River and started serving brunch from 11.30am to 3pm on Saturday and Sundays. Apart from the full English breakfast, there are two new dishes on the menu: a croque monsieur with mornay sauce eggs benedict and huevos rancheros, which can be supplemented with an additional RMB 35 for a Bloody Mary or RMB 25 for an Arrow Factory beer.
Slow Boat's three newest offerings – Peanut Butter Cookie Pale Ale, Rope’s End Rye IPA, and a funky West Flanders Pacific Coast IPA – round out the taproom's beers up to an even 20 on tap. The origin story of the Peanut Butter Cookie Pale Ale is that two Slow Boat brewers bumped into one other; one was holding peanut butter and other a pale ale, leading to the two materials getting mixed, creating a hybrid with an extra biscuity aftertaste. We think we've seen this TV commercial, but it sounds good.
And finally, a reminder that the Kuding-Ta IPA, a beer co-brewed by Empire Brewing Co. and Panda Brew, remains on tap at the latter's venue. Pan Dinghao, partner and brewer at Panda Brew, described to us how he achieves the beer's distinctive flavor: “Instead of hops, Kuding tea supplies the bitterness in this beer, and a finish that is a little sweet. We dry hopped local chinook hops from New York State, providing an earthy aroma.”
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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
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Photos courtesy of Koli's Camp, Slow Boat, baronsmarket.com
