Nicholas Clark doesn’t scrimp on anything associated with his bar. Not on his pint glasses and certainly not on his delivery van’s souped-up horn. The New Zealand native built the Shuiwei Village brewpub in the space of a former convenience store, where he now makes his own beer and yogurt. After living in Shuiwei for four years, Clark decided he wanted to make a full-time job out of brewing beer in his own neighborhood.
Long ago, Shuiwei was known as ‘Mistress Village’ to locals. Now it’s cleaned up, a beggar ring and rambling drunks being the only questionable characters around. Sit at one of Craft Head’s high tables, and you’re more likely to hear urban village legends involving the duck ride across the street than illicit activities. (Craft Head’s patrons frequently ride it, much to the chagrin of children up past their bedtimes.)
Though it’s only roughly a RMB20 cab ride from Coco Park, Craft Head isn’t easy to find and even less easy to leave once you’ve arrived – it’s got the biggest selection of local microbrews around. The night we went, 10 were listed on the chalkboard menu. Customer favorites include V Plates (RMB30), a creamy, barely bitter hybrid ale made like a pilsner but with ale yeast. The Problem Solver IPA (RMB40) is a ‘hop forward’ American West-style pale ale, with a mild but persistent hoppy taste from first to last sip. All of the above are Clark’s own Kia Kaha brand brews.
Craft Head caters to cider lovers, too, and constantly rotates their menu to include straight apple and pear ciders, a raspberry blackcurrant-infused number and, our favorite, the fruit salad cider (RMB35). This apple-based beverage contains notes of pear, pineapple, guava, and a touch of orange, along with an alcohol proof of 3.5 percent.
In addition to the extensive drink selection, the quantity is also better than most Shenzhen bars. Craft Head uses 550-milliliter pint glasses instead of the standard 500 milliliters or less. Clark does creative quirky things like spray painting his own non-smoking signs with kiwi birds and hosting Learn to Brew days now and then. He’s also pondering how to pull off a surprise happy hour he wants to call “Surprise Hour.” Until then, sit back, order a plate of Auntie Jane’s cheese rolls (RMB30) and enjoy a bar not just with craft beer but character.
Price: RMB30-40 a pint
Who’s going: Craft beer and cider lovers, Kiwis
Good for: Real beer, late-night birthday parties, duck riding
// Listing.
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