F**k Smog, F**k Working Saturdays, Get Thyself to the Autumn Beer Fest

With the AQI soaring and a ridiculous working Saturday scheduled by the authorities-that-be, it's enough to drive one to drink. And don’t Slow Boat know it, which is why they have gone to great lengths to get your hard-working ass out of the office into EAST Beijing’s grounds where there will be a bountiful supply of craft beer and grub to make all of your problems disappear at the inaugural Beijing Autumn Beer Festival. For tonight and tomorrow at least.

Come this evening (Oct 10), running from 5-10pm, and tomorrow (Oct 11), noon-10pm, some of this city’s finest purveyors of ale and aliment come together to end your unending hunger for all things craft.

You want a craft sausage? Done. You want some craft hummus? Done. You want to stick a craft sausage in some craft hummus and use it as garnish in your craft stout? Bloody go for it! You’re the wizard in this town, breaking the rules and making grown men cry with your incorrigible insolence, mashing the concoction into your face mask as women and children run for cover.

Ok, ok, keep your pants on, here comes the nitty gritty. Around ten food slingers and 12 alcohol obsessives will be present, boasting an incredible variety of food from the likes of Andy's Craft Sausages, Cuju, Biteapitta, Home Plate Bar-B-Que, Palms LA kitchen, Hagaki, Shi Cheng Ji Shao Bing, VAI Milano, Two Guys and a Pie, and Xian as well as over 50 different beers from seven different regions within China. If you don’t believe me, just head over to this swanky little website which seemingly reads your mind as you scroll down, answering all the questions to your insatiable needs.

If things go exactly according to plan and you get so sloshed you can't even make it out of the designated imbibe-a-zone then EAST are offering 35 percent off of rooms and breakfast if you quote that you're there for the festival but you probably won't have to as they'll see it all down your front.

Sounds like as good a reason as any to start plotting why you can't make it in to work tomorrow ...

More stories by this author here.

Email: tomarnstein@thebeijinger.com
Wechat: tenglish_
Instagram: @tenglish__

Photo: Courtesy of the organizers

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Or you can re-read: "craft beers in this town typically fetch at least 35 yuan for a U.S. liquid pint"

How many definitions of emerging vendor are there? I think you need to re-read and comprehending properly what was being said.

Unless you are some sort of hipster desperate to keep the hoi polloi away from you precious craft beer world then it is strange you would take such a defensive attitude.

To reiterate, usually the point of these Beijinger pimped events is to introduce new and semi established vendors to the ever-changing gaggle of expats based here. This seemed to be more focused on making cash from people than enticing new future customers.

You dissected my comment on cost without actually answering the question. Any particular reason for that?

The good news is there were helluh good beers on hand and the choice is improving. Some of the breweries were exposed to Beijingers for the first time ever -- beer lovers and craft supporters don't argue whether this is a good thing or not. What's more, the out of towners were treated to some serious food options (not just a few styles (aka, western)).

@ Deva: you will need to elaborate on your definition of what makes an "emerging vendor." The oldest brewery at the festival was a ripe old 6.5 years; an overwhelming majority are less than 4 years old. Even more, a significant portion of space was provided to BJ Homebrewers Society (aka peeps who don't pay rent via beer sales). The restaurant (and one gelato) vendors, they are about as down home one can get. Regarding the same measures, it helps the emphasis stay on the beer (beer was in the event name, afterall) and the idea "the moment of truth's in the glass." Your complaint about price is perplexing; why would someone who doesn't know the price of a domestic craft beer in this town be complaining about price? You caught me in a good mood: yes, craft beers in this town typically fetch at least 35 yuan for a U.S. liquid pint. The cups at the festival seemed to be 12 fl oz to me (so that would be less than a U.S. liquid pt), not 8 (aka a half-pint as you referenced). A full imperial or U.S. liquid pint would not be ideal at a beer festival, with people curious to try "new" beers and hence not wanting to commit too much stomach space.

@thorejul: lots of festivals do as you mentioned, but plenty also do it like this festival did (and everything in between). IMHO, in China (where the craft beer market is even less known than it is in the U.S., UK or Belgium), it makes sense to NOT charge cover. This prevents those with only passing interest from being scared off. Several other beer festivals in China and Beijing (including the BJ Craft Beer Festival this past June, hosted by GLB) don't charge cover. The problem with small cups is it leads to longer lines. The more quick one has to come back, the more they're standing in line. Big cups lead to complaints as people aren't able to taste as many different beers. 12 fl oz is the sweet spot. (The BJ Craft Beer Fest had same sized cups and also charged 35 yuan per.)

@txchick: samplers aren't ubiquitous at beer festivals. There is not agreement on samplers from beer enthusiasts or brewers. (I noticed one vendor at this fest was offering such, but priced per oz. it was actually more expensive than getting a regular cup.) Glad to hear a fellow enthusiast got her fill!

@tom: the cups were the same size I've seen at beer festivals up, down, and all around this city and country. Which craft beer festival in China have you seen larger cups used? Actually, word on the street is plenty of vendors like a uniform festival cup vs. their own -- it just makes it easier for the out-of-towners who have limited space to haul their goods, takes the guestimating out. (Everyone knows festival pros double fist!:) ) Commercial beers can be found in larger sizes because they tend to not be a mystery -- everyone knows what they're getting with a Carlsberg, Bud, or Yanjing. With local craft beer there is a ton of curiousity -- that's half the fun!

BICBF - https://yoopay.cn/event/BICBF2014

It just so happens, Great Leap Brewing is hosting an event exactly like what you describe. The first Beijing Invitational Craft Beer Festival will be held November 14, 15, and 16 inside East Beijing Hotel at Indigo.

There will be nine sessions over 3 days, and you pay an entry fee for a free-flow 5oz tasting from 20-25 craft breweries, most of which have never been in China. You must buy tickets in advance though, but you can enter the discount code "earlybird" to 10% off before October 20th.

Check out complete details here: https://yoopay.cn/event/BICBF2014

Great Leap Brewing

I agree, those cups were next-level small. Capitalism kind of ironed over the community aspect of the event and personality was reduced because of it. Saying that, I will rarely pass up a beer fest and it's always good to get an idea of what is happening in the scene across the country and people were well represented (minus the branded cups).

Managing Editor, the Beijinger

The very first beer fest a few years ago was an entry fee type system where you paid for a punchcard that gave you a lot of samples, but they were small cups, more like what Master Gao used in his flights last night. You could also pay for more pints if you wanted too.

Since then the festivals have been set up where you buy what you want from who you want. I liked that you were able to try beers from so many places in one fell swoop. Most tents were happy to give small samples for free so you could decide which of their offerings to try.

However it is set up, I sure enjoyed myself and definitely drank enough to forget about the pollution.

I had a great time and enjoyed fun people and fantastic beer...although I agree with Beijing Deva - I thought these sort of things were more or less marketing events where the idea is for publicity and not profit. Was not too happy about paying the same pint prices for smaller beers. In the states most of these brew reviews usually have an entry fee to cover the operating cost of the event and then its a multitude of small samples from many brewers. Does anything else like that happen in Beijing/Hebei/Tianjin area?

Bit of a damp squib this one sadly. I usually enjoy these sort of events where I get to people watch and inwardly mock the ill advised assortment of facial hair and skinny jeans on show.

I'm sure a lot of effort went into organising this but it's the first time I felt one of these events was wholly commercialised rather than aimed at emerging vendors having the chance to pimp their wares to those who may be inclined to frequent them in the future.

It appeared that all the vendors had agreed, or been signed up to an agreement where they would all serve the same measures. I'm not a craft beer fan to be honest but do these beers usually sell for 30-40rmb for a half pint glass in their own bars, or bars where they are served?

Great idea but just a bit of a rip off if I'm being harsh. If any organisers wish to correct me on my criticisms then I am all for retraction.

Great to see Xian/east being used for these sort of events though and Lido in general being recognised as an altogether better location than sanli for a nice day out on the ale.

@#$% it!, we're all in!

My plan is to drink enough so I no longer notice the pollution. I wonder if Jing A will have their Airpocalypse on tap tonight...