First Glance: 京A Taproom in Sanlitun

京A has the pop-up concept down, no contest. When one of their crew told me he drove over a pothole in the Keg Egg en route to a party, thus ejecting loads of beer to the street and forcing them to bring Tsingtao instead, I momentarily believed him because with all that zipping here and there in a questionably sturdy three-wheeler, something nuts was bound to happen eventually. But of course, it hadn't.

That conversation took place on April Fools' Day, during one of their "experiment" keg dinners. They had slyly filled Tsingtao bottles with their own experimental brew.

The 京A team has taken their creativity and knack for DIY to a longterm pop-up venue to a whole new level of impressive. It's a taproom located in the former Bar Veloce in 1949: The Hidden City, with not only beers, but a menu of crafty food to pair them with. If you didn't manage to make it on the list for a tasting this weekend, you can still come and bask under trendy exposed bulbs with drinks during their afterparty tonight (Sep 19) and tomorrow, (Sep 20), 9pm-midnight.

Here's the scene you're in for:

Seating is nicely varied in the open space. Booths give way to tables for four, which give way to a long, high table with bar stools, bar seating, and a private table. The latter seats eight and comes with its own keg (!!!).

The acoustics in the building are ideal for large groups, and we can't resist giving kudos for bartender/host Chang Qian for one of the best indie-electro bar playlists we've heard in a long time. Think Todd Terje and Javelin.

On the menu is their usual selection of beers, plus a few newbies, including a powerful Guizhou Smoked Chili Porter, made in collaboration with Huo Li of the Beijing Homebrewing Society. It features beechwood smoked malt and Guizhou hot chili peppers, and boy, does it have a kick. You'll have to try it to believe just how smoky a beer can get.

京A also extended an arm to The Brew in Shanghai, putting their Skinny Green, an organic pilsner, on the menu for RMB 45 / 400ml.

All of the beers are RMB 40-190 for a range of sizes (400ml, 1L, 2L. The last size is made for sharing out of a vintage thermos). Happy hour gets you RMB 10 off all beers from 5-7pm, Tue-Fri. In the near future, 京A will be getting a nitro tap for special beers and beer cocktails. Here's more exciting news: They say Douglas Williams from BBC gave them a tip or two on the cocktail side of things.

A minimal food menu complements the drinks. First is a choice of two bratwursts from Andy's Craft Sausages. One is a traditional version with spicy mustard and a healthy serving of sauerkraut on a baguette, and the other uses ghost pepper and Flying Fist IPA. It's a fiery one, but pairs nicely with its grilled onion and pepper topping. Both come with deliciously crispy sweet potato fries and homemade aioli.

Is it just me, or is grilled cheese the next big thing in Beijing? It certainly seems to be appearing in various forms around the city, and at 京A, it's a buttered, seeded Wekipedia bread, black pepper Gouda, and a touch of dry, fried kale, an in-house recipe for RMB 40. Alongside it is a basic tomato soup (for dipping or enjoying alone, for those of you not familiar with the classic Campbell's pairing). Best part? You can add strips of thick, juicy bacon made by Chef Max Levy at Okra for RMB 10.

As they're still in their soft opening phase, they promise more will be revealed in the coming weeks. We're hearing whispers of chili nights, live performances, and of course, 京A is always drumming up new beers.

Jing A
Mon-Thur 5pm-midnight, Fri 5pm-2am, Sat 2pm-2am, Sun 2pm-midnight. Building B, 1949 The Hidden City, Courtyard 4, Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang District (6501 8883)
朝阳区工体北路4号院

Photos: Jessica Rapp