Best Local Craft Breweries

With the "A Closer Look" series, we raise our glasses in recognition of the Beijinger 2016 Bar & Club Award winners, before giving a toast (in text form, of course) about why they were selected by our readers.

Leap the Dog

In this year’s Best Local Craft Brewery category, Great Leap Brewing took home the prize. Their first location (#6, the hutong one) opened 5 years ago and the brand has seen a growing following since then, growing into a three-location empire. Favorite beers at the location include the beloved Honey Ma Gold, the Pale Ale #6, the Little General AIP, the Cinnamon Rock Ale, the Banana Wheat, and the Edmund Backhouse Pilsner throughout the year, as well as seasonal and limited edition beers.

We also love the Aggressor, the Beat the Landlord Barley Wine, the Leaping the Dog Barley Champagne, and the collaboration beers (Blind Monk Amber Ale, Yunnan Amber, the collaboration beers).

Hutong Clan

Jing-A Taproom and Slow Boat Brewery took home the Outstanding awards in this category. Located in Sanlitun's 1949 courtyard, the Jing-A Taproom is famous in Beijing's food and beverage scene for its endless creative marketing campaigns and parties. Providing Flying Fist IPA, Worker’s Pale Ale, Mandarin Wheat, Koji Red Ale, Black Velvet Vanilla Stout, and Airpocalypse Double IPA, they are also responsible for the popular co-brew Hutong Clan CDA (it has recently come back on tap) and the Nine Rivers Imperial Chestnut Ale.

Main Sail Macchiato Porter

Slow Boat Brewery is another one of our city's success stories, recently opening their second location with three floors in the Sanlitun area. We have also enjoyed their beers, such as the Slutty Mermaid, the First Immortal Double IPA, Monkey’s Fish IPA, the Flying Whale IPA, the Zombie Pirate Pale Ale, and the Sea Anchor Imperial Vanilla Stout.

We believe that Arrow Factory also deserve a mention: both their hutong taproom and the riverside brewpub. We enjoy the beers as much as we like their interesting names. Grab yourself a Two Birds Lager, A New Leaf O.I.P.A, or a pint of Seeing Double IPA, drink it on the rooftop, enjoying what is most certainly Beijing's best season.

Thank you all for taking care of us steadily through all these years, and congrats to the winners!

Did we miss your favorite local craft brewery? Let us know in the comments section below.

On another note, tickets are now on sale for our October 15-16 Pizza Fest at the Zaha Hadid-designed Wangjing SOHO. Tickets are limited so buy ahead to make sure you don't miss out! Click here to purchase.