HOPS' Sanne De Leeuw on Upcoming Beer Fest

If you haven’t marked your calendars yet, we suggest you do so now. The multi-day, beer-soaked HOPS 2016 International Premium Beer Festival will be held in Beijing from July 1-3 at MGM Beach.  

There's still a month to go, so in order to tide us over, we speak to Event Manager at HOPS Magazine, Sanne De Leeuw, about what to expect.

How did the idea for the International Premium Beer Festival come about?
HOPS has always been a magazine that promotes beer. And with beer festivals gaining popularity in China over the past few years, we wanted to get involved in a more interactive way. The focus for most festivals here has usually been more about locally brewed beer. What we wanted to do with our festival was promote great beers from all over the world and increase awareness about all the great beer and beer brands that are out there. For us, introducing people to some of the finest beer brands across the world is what gets us up in the morning! Having so many of them in one place is going to be something special.

Are there any stand-out beers that will be making an appearance at the festival? 
There’s really so much to choose from that it’s impossible to pick a favorite. There’s a beer for everybody, and with the event lasting three days, there’s enough time to try a bit of everything. We’re excited to be premiering some amazing draught beer for the very first time in China, but we’d prefer to keep this a secret until the actual festival!

How did you guys go about picking out which beers to feature at the event? 
Our mindset when creating this event was really to have every type of beer from every corner of the globe. We wanted to bring premium brands whilst making sure there was something for every taste, every country and every price point.

READ MORE: A Closer Look at HOPS International Beer Fest: Part I

READ MORE: A Closer Look at HOPS International Beer Fest: Part II

In your opinion what is the perfect food and beer pairing to be found at the festival?
I think it’s really a case of finding the right beer for the right food, rather than any one perfect pairing. We’re going to have good ol’ American burgers and hotdogs, British classic fish and chips, flavorful Mexican burritos and tasty pizza. I’d recommend getting a beer or two in first and thinking about what food it would go with.

Can you tell us a bit about HOPS?  
HOPS is an independent magazine looking to promote beer culture in China. We focus on imported beers. We don’t only look at what’s in fashion, with the craft movement, but at all good beers around the world. We talk about beer ingredients, how to brew beer, the creative advertisement of beers, beer events all over the world, do interviews with brewery owners and more. In a word, we do our best to collect and publish all beer-related information for Chinese beer geeks.

Tell us a bit about what to expect at the event?  
A huge range of beer, tasty food, great music and a good time!

What makes this beer festival different than other beer fests that take place in Beijing?
Most other beer festivals around Beijing place a big focus on the local brews. We’re more about bringing premium international brands to China, and introducing them to consumers here. We also want to represent different beer styles from all over the world, bringing a wider range of tastes than is usually available. We want to bring the culture and philosophy of the brands at the festival, and that’s why we’re bringing in some owners and brewers from the actual breweries to discuss beer with the guests. 

Why is that a must-be-at event of the summer?
Well, that depends. If you like good beer, good food and fun, then this event is made for you! Not to mention the location of this event is perfect; bang in the middle of Gongti, where everything is happening and where taxis are abound! No need to worry about finding a black cab from the 6th ring.

What makes the people at HOPS such beer enthusiasts?
We’re firm believers in the idea that if you want to do something well you have to be passionate about it. Here at HOPS we’re all beer lovers, and the magazine has started from a desire not only to see more great beer in China, but to educate, promote and share our love for it with everybody we can. Beer for us is not just a great drink but a big part of who we are.

Anything else you’d like to add?
Don’t be shy, come and try all the beers. As a wise man once told me “Beer won’t drink itself!”

Tickets:

You can buy your presale tickets here priced at RMB50 per day, which includes one free premium beer. Miss out on your presale tickets and you'll be charged RMB80 (also includes one free beer) at the door so we suggest you get on it!

Contact:

Have a question about the festival or buying tickets? Message us on WeChat (Thats_Beijing). Alternatively you can call 84477603 or email bjmarketing@urbanatomy.com

That's Beijing is the official media partner and ticket seller for this event. Make sure you follow us on WeChat (Thats_Beijing) or visit us here at Thatsmags.com/beijing for exclusive updates and giveaways in the run-up to the beer fest.

Fri July 1, 6pm-midnight; Sat July 2, 2pm-midnight; Sun July 3, 2pm-midnight; RMB50 (presale), RMB80 (door), both include 1 free beer; MGM Beach, 3rd Floor, 88, South Gate, inside Worker's Stadium, Chaoyang District 美高美酒吧顶层露台 北京市朝阳区工人体育场内88号楼 (6552-5556)

See event listing for details.