Get Ginned Up at Beijing’s First Major Gin Festival, Sep 15

Just like a freshly readied gin and tonic, Beijing’s bustling festival season is about to get stirred up before inspiring some serious thirst. Yes, capital party people looking for a fresh and somewhat more upscale take on such outdoor boozing and nibbling events should make their way to Beijing’s first Gin Jubilee from Sep 15 at the terrace of Equis bar in the Four Seasons hotel. The venue will be decked out as a boozy and bustling "Gin Lane" for the occasion meant to evoke Bourbon Street and other celebratory bar streets.

The event is put on by East Imperial, a company that got its start in tonic water but has since branched out into a variety of spirits. Gin and tonics and other cocktails will be sold at booths by bartenders from some of Beijing's most popular lounges and cocktail joints. There will also be platters of tasty bites readied by Equis' kitchen. What's more: attendees will be able to vote and bestow their favorite purveyor with "Beijing's best gin and tonic" award, and a handful of masterclasses will be put on some of those barkeeps.

And while this marks the festival’s Beijing debut, the annual event has already been held in other Asian locales like Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Phnom Penh, Hong Kong, and Singapore, with thousands of people attending in each city (the Singapore fest holding the record for most gin and tonics sold in one night, at 5,500).

Among the Beijing bars slinging gin-based cocktails will be the recently opened Pickering's Gin & Seafood Bar (aptly enough), Janes & Hooch (an old favorite that was the only Beijing spot to make it on the Asia Top 50 Bars list this year), Scandal and Catail (hot lounges that opened earlier this year), established favorites like The Black Moth, Fannou House, Mokihi, Shangye Courtyard, along with Bottega restaurant, and of course the hosts, Equis.

While some Beijingers might rather make their way to a more tried and true food or beer festival, and scoff at cocktail joints for being too uppity, Pickerings manager Zax Wu says there is plenty of demand for a festival like the Gin Jubilee. "Gin is very trendy and fashionable these days. The young generation all loves gin, while other spirits like whiskey or brandy are kind of old fashioned," he says with no pun intended. Mokihi owner Moto Uchiyama, meanwhile, says the event will be a great chance for attendees and barkeeps alike to learn more about cocktail culture, leaving plenty of potential for new inspirations and breakthroughs in the local bar scene. Meanwhile, Equis head bartender Keith Motsi says the event will "bring together a whole host of fantastic brands and bars under one roof to showcase the creativity coming out of Beijing."

The East Imperial Gin Jubilee Gin Lane will be held at Equis bar in the Four Seasons Hotel on Sep 15 from 3pm-9pm, and entry is RMB 50. From Sep 12-14 the Beijing bars listed above will be hosting events and discounts related to the fest at their own locations. For more information, click here.

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Images courtesy of the organizers