SourTower Adds a Unique Flavor To Beijing's Craft Beer Scene
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From the people who brought you RMB 68 jianbings comes a brand new adventure in expensive artisanal versions of otherwise cheap things: beer! Late last year, Peiping Machine quietly took over the adjoining space of their Fangjia Hutong location and turned it into SourTower, a dedicated sour beer joint. It’s a classy little alcove and relatively unassuming, with the first signage that greets you placed inside the space and well below anyone’s sightline.
Behold, the Sour Tower!
Nevertheless, when we visited last Friday (Mar 12) the place was packed – that is, if such a word can be used for a spot that comfortably sits no more than 15 or 20 people. Three tables for roughly eight sour beer enthusiasts take up the bottom space, while the second floor houses a large fireplace flanked by booths, plus additional space for a couple of stools up a smaller flight of stairs hanging over the main dining room.
It's not the biggest bar in Beijing, but honestly, we're okay with that
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The most visually striking part of the bar (other than some of the prices on the menu) is the literal tower of sour beers that stands in its center, meaning the bartender gets to ride a tiny elevator to retrieve bottles. It is a truly impressive feat of alcohol-related engineering, or whatever the opposite of a wine cellar is.
Each bottle comes chilled in a cute little bag
All joking aside, however, if you have a taste for sour beers and a wallet that doesn’t wince at the sight of RMB 1,480 bottles, then SourTower is actually a beautiful spot for a date night. Those fireplace digs are particularly romantic. And in fairness, RMB 1,480 is definitely on the more expensive side of things.
Romantic fireplace digs
Most of the bottles come in 375ml or 750ml options, and average around RMB 400 to RMB 700 (save for one page that ranges from RMB 1,320 to RMB 1,580). Likewise, there are a few beers on draft that run from a 300ml glass for RMB 53 to a 500ml glass for RMB 223. In addition to the beers, SourTower also offers a series of natural wines from Simple Drinks, as well as food from Peiping’s menu.
Supplementing the bottle menu are a number of beers by the glass
While at first glance the prices are about as eye-watering as sucking on a lemon, given that a 750ml bottle can easily be split four ways, it doesn’t end up being that much more expensive than a night spent at the neighboring Tiki Bungalow & Cocktail Bar. And given that sour brews aren’t necessarily meant for slinging back or getting rip-roaring drunk off of, we’re willing to give credit where credit’s due and say SourTower is a unique addition to the city’s ever-growing craft beer scene.
SourTowerE101, 46 Fangjia Hutong (walk past the main Peiping entrance and turn left down the alley)
东城区方家胡同46号院南门
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Images: Drew Pittock, Dianping
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