Yanjing's New Beer With "Beautifying Effects" Falls Flat

Beijing’s very own Yanjing Beer recently debuted a new brew aimed at female consumers that it – until recently – claimed has “beautifying and moisturizing effects”. Thus far, though, it appears this new product isn’t making the splash Yanjing expected.

Released as part of Yanjing's LionK beer line and dubbed "Glassy Light Rose Grape Beer”, the beer is a weissbier (a German-style wheat beer) that, as the title suggest, is brewed with rose and grape. Its biggest draw, and the selling point Yanjing hoped would get consumers clambering to get some, is the addition of hyaluronic acid.

Hyalurionic acid is an ingredient used in many skincare products for its moisturizing effect. It’s also prized for its alleged ability to help mitigate arthritis and other ailments. The catch? This is only the case when it’s applied on the skin, not consumed orally.

Consumers have been quick to call this marketing attempt by Yanjing as an “intelligence tax”, pretty much Chinese internet slang for banking on people being dumb enough to buy into the hype. Plus they’re not all too keen on the Glassy Light Beer’s price tag: a six pack of 330ml bottles comes in at RMB 299, or RMB 50 a bottle.

Interestingly, Yanjing's attempts at being more crafty with their products isn't entirely new. In 2019 and 2020, the brewery debuted a range of beers including a stout, strong ale, and a session IPA. The LionK brand is their current mainstay "craft beer" line, which features a Witbier, Kolsh, Brut IPA, and a West Coast IPA, among others.

As tantilizing as these specialty beers sound, it doesn’t seem to have made much of a splash, though, as most Chinese folks we spoke with said they only know Yanjing’s flagship beer – which is pretty much your run of the mill light Chinese-style lager.

Have you tried any of Yanjing’s Lion King beers or do you just stick to their normal brew? Would you be willing to try this rose grape concoction? Let us know in the comments!

READ: Great Leap Brewing Plans Massive Expansion Across China

Images: Taobao, Wikimedia Commons