Beer in China: history, traditions and breweries
China is the largest beer market in the world. Its best-selling brand, Snow, is drunk almost only at home and is still considered the best-selling beer in the world.
History
Some 5,000 years ago people in Mijiaya, in today’s Xi’an, were already brewing a beer from millet and barley, among other things. Even earlier, around 7000 BC, villagers fermented drinks from rice, honey and fruit.
In the Shang and Zhou periods over 3,000 years ago people drank “li”, a sweetish, mildly alcoholic drink made from sprouted grain – a kind of early beer. Later, drinks fermented with moulds, such as rice wine, displaced li.
Modern brewing came to the country with foreigners around 1900: in 1900 the Pole Jan Wróblewski founded a brewery in Harbin, and in 1903 German and British merchants built the Germania brewery, today’s Tsingtao, in the German leased territory of Kiautschou.
In the 21st century China became the largest beer market in the world. Since the 2010s a craft beer scene has also been growing in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Traditions and drinking culture
At meals people toast with “Gānbēi!”, literally “dry glass” – and the glass is often emptied in one go. In Qingdao many people buy draught beer in plastic bags and drink it at home or straight away through a straw.
Since 1991 Qingdao has held a big international beer festival every summer.
Fun facts
- Tsingtao is the best-known Chinese beer brand abroad and is exported to many countries.
- Harbin, the city of ice sculptures in the north-east, is considered home to China’s oldest beer brand, thanks to its brewery from 1900.
- Since the early 2000s China has brewed more beer than any other country in the world.
- In Qingdao a beer museum in the old buildings of the Germania brewery tells the story of Tsingtao.
Typical beer styles
- Lager
- Craft beer of all styles
Beer cities and their stories
Qingdao
In 1903 German and British merchants founded the Germania brewery here. Its old brick buildings now house a beer museum, and the International Beer Festival takes place every summer.
Harbin
The Pole Jan Wróblewski founded a brewery here in 1900; further breweries by Germans, Czechs and Poles soon followed.
Beijing
The big Yanjing brewery is based here, and craft beer bars have opened in the hutongs, the old alleys.
Xi’an
At the Mijiaya site researchers found traces of a beer around 5,000 years old.
Shanghai
In the 1930s foreign companies set up breweries in this port city. Today Shanghai is one of the centres of China’s craft beer scene.
Breweries and their stories
Tsingtao
Founded on 15 August 1903 as the Germania brewery of the Anglo-German Brewery Company. Tsingtao is now the best-known Chinese beer brand in the world.
Known for: Tsingtao
Harbin
Founded by Jan Wróblewski; considered China’s oldest beer brand and now part of AB InBev.
Known for: Harbin
Snow
China’s best-selling beer brand and, by volume, the world’s.
Known for: Snow
Yanjing
One of China’s largest brewing groups.
Known for: Yanjing
Timeline
- about 5,000 years agoXi’an
In Mijiaya, in today’s Xi’an, people brew a beer from millet and barley, among other things.
- 1900Harbin
The Pole Jan Wróblewski founds a brewery in Harbin – the home of China’s oldest beer brand.
- 1903Qingdao
German and British merchants found the Germania brewery on 15 August – today’s Tsingtao.
- 1980Beijing
The Yanjing brewery is founded in Beijing, today one of the largest in China.
- 1991Qingdao
Qingdao celebrates its first International Beer Festival – every summer since.
- 1994Shenyang
The Snow brand is created. Today it is the best-selling beer brand in China and, by volume, in the world.
- 2010sBeijing
Craft beer bars open in the hutongs, Beijing’s old alleys.
- todaywhole country
China is the world’s largest beer market.