Tsingtao Opens Its Own Bar in Galaxy Soho With IPA (Occasionally) on Tap and Export Quality Bottles

As the second largest and well-known mass-produced brewery in China, Tsingtao is obviously no longer satisfied just to sell bottles far and wide to domestic and overseas audiences, expanding its empire to include 18 bars in Qingdao where the beer giant's headquarters are located, as well as opening its first bar in Beijing Galaxy Soho in May of this year.

The name, Tsingtao 1903 Zone, implies that it was founded in 1903 by the same German settlers that gave rise to the brewery. Located in what is otherwise an office building, several barrels and all kinds of beers adorn the brick walls, while wooden tables and metal chairs fill the space. The catchiest thing in view is a bronze tank that has been cut in half, the upper part hanging above the bar. We also enjoyed the retro posters, one displaying a Chinese lady in a cheongsam, proudly announcing “Please drink Tsingtao beer; it is the purest beverage in the world.”

Thirty to 40 people can be seated comfortably and the atmosphere was pleasant, although conspicuously empty on a Saturday evening. Also, if you're expecting five kuai Tsingtao beers, you might be in the wrong place.

There are two beers on tap, Tsingtao's original beer (RMB 58, 原浆 Yuán jiāng) and draft beer (RMB 28, 生啤 Shēng pí). Unfortunately, the IPA that we had come to try had run out. A member of the staff informing us that, “the production of our IPA is so limited that we normally only get one keg a month.” However, there are plenty of bottled beers to fill the void, including Tsingtao's stout, wheat beer, export-quality bottles, and Tsingtao 1903, with a price range of RMB 15-25. We tried the stout, with 6.7 percent ABV, which was not bad, notable for being the very first beer Tsingtao brewed when operations started in the early 20th century.

We also tried their UK export bottle, which is stronger than your average Tsingtao found in every shop, restaurant, and curbside. The “stout” features a light body similar to that of a lager and with its caramel aromas. I felt it had been mislabelled, as this beer is more like a schwarzbier in every aspect, similar to other German exports like Köstritzer or Mönchshof Schwarzbier.

From the beers on tap we tried the "original beer,"  which proved quite drinkable and refreshing, with more flavors than the bottled variety. According to the staff, the difference between their original beer (原浆 Yuán jiāng) and draft beer (生啤 Shēng pí) is that, “the original beer isn’t filtered, adding more flavors and aromas to that of the the draft beer.”

While it's far from an exceptional bar, there’s nothing much to complain about here; the beer mugs are kept in the fridge and the staff seem to have ample knowledge about suds. The place isn't crowded, which is good for those looking to avoid a rowdy pint. This bar will also suit anyone looking to enjoy some better versions of Tsingtao beers on tap. Similar to what Warren Buffett had to say about marriage, set your expectations low so that you won’t be disappointed.

Tsingtao 1903 Zone
1F Galaxy Soho (south side), 7 Paifang Hutong, Chaoyang District
朝阳区牌坊胡同甲7号银河Soho C座1F南侧

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Photos: Tracy Wang