What's Up in Beer: Great Leap Chili Cook-Off, New Jing-A Sours, Slow Boat Saison, Craft Beer in Tianjin

Happy Hump Day! Celebrate halfway with a pint and a gander at what’s happening in Beijing's beer scene.

Great Leap Brewing’s Back Alley Chili Cook-Off rapidly approaches. On April 16, at Great Leap Brewing #6 (the hutong spot), teams will be battling it out to create the best 15 liters of chili using a tried and tested recipe plus one foreign ingredient. In return, the winners, decided by an official crew of judges (including the Beijinger's Managing Editor Steven Schwankert), stand to win RMB 888 worth of GLB food and drink, or RMB 388 for the People's Choice, voted for by you. Show up at 2pm and with RMB 150 for an afternoon of stuffing your face with samples from each of the chili contestants and two glasses of beer.

Over at Jing-A the team is pushing their new sour beer, Pomegranate Beijinger-Weisse, the product of a three-way collaboration with Elysian and 10 Barrel Brewing, infused with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice, making it light, refreshing, and perfect for the sunshine. Their second brew, Suan Ge Pi, is a milder version, brewed with Belgian yeast and dry hopped with Motueka and Nelson Sauvin.

Slow Boat is all set to launch their Sailmaker’s Saison on Thursday, April 14, a traditional springtime beer. This year they’ve blended ale and Belgian yeasts to produce a spicy and refreshing beer with lemon peel notes, perfect for Beijing’s encroaching warm days and nights. The brew is highly carbonated for an extra crisp finish and weighs in with a 6.6 percent ABV and 25 IBU.

Rolling Rolling Craft Brewing have also released a session IPA, with 4.5 percent ABV and 30 IBU, and subtle aromas of pine and white wine, a clear and fast finish, and is slightly bitter, making it an easy drinker for summer.

El Nido have imported LIVE Viola from Italy. If that doesn't tickle your fancy then there are also 11 other beers on tap and of course plenty of bottled options waiting to comfort you.

If you have a chance to visit Tianjin over the weekend but think the beer scene is boring, head to Brasserie FLO Tianjin's terrace to enjoy imported craft options such as Harviestoun Scheihallion, Oil Engine Oil, and Bitter & Twisted.

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photos courtesy of Great Leap Brewing, Jing-A, Rolling Rolling, Tracy Wang