Among Shenzhen beer drinkers, old timers speak of long ago (2010) when they had the option of either Tsingtao or Snow. Fast forward to now: with Shenzhen-based craft breweries such as Bionic, Evil Duck, E.T. Brewery, FuBar, Peko, and Taps, good beer is available at a level not previously possible.
That’s not to mention other parts of China, where local brews have taken off thanks to the original Chinese craft brewer Master Gao and great breweries based in Beijing, among other cities. (Full disclosure: I love Beijing’s Jing-A beer so much that I pestered them until they hired me to do part-time work.)
Finding a variety of good craft beer is not always easy, though. A large number of beer taps in the city are held by foreign-owned breweries that can offer cheaper prices to bar owners than many smaller, local brewers.
For fellow drinkers who enjoy exploring the wide variety of flavors out there, here’s a list (made with the help of Shenzhen Beer Club members such as Zukee) of local bars where you can get started, up to date as of May 16. To find a bar's address and more details, simply click on its name.
But first, a warning: it takes a while for imported beer to get to China, so beer brewed in-country without preservatives will be the freshest. Also, be sure to check the dates on the bottles.
622 Beer Warehouse
Bottles and draft beer
Neighborhood-style bar
Domestic craft beer on tap
Baia Burger Concept (Shopping Park, Shekou)
Beers, burgers, and cocktails
Food available
Beer 798
Bar and bottle shop
Beer Corner
Beer brewed on-site
Domestic craft beer on tap
Beer Man
Bar and bottle shop
Unique and hard-to-find beer
Mostly in Chinese
Domestic craft beer on tap
Beer Nuts U.
Five taps plus bottle selection
Food available
Domestic craft beer on tap
Bionic Brew
Brewery taproom featuring own beer plus guest taps
Shares venue with NYPD Pizza for American-style food
Domestic craft beer on tap
The Brew
Wide selection of drinks
Food available
Domestic craft beer on tap
Brew Magic Pub
Beer and food available
Dolores
20 taps (11 currently available)
Food available
Domestic craft beer on tap
E.T. Brewery
Beer brewed on-site featuring own beer plus guest taps
Domestic craft beer on tap
Evil Duck
Food available
Featuring own beer plus guest taps and cocktails
Domestic craft beer on tap
Foam Heaven
Bottle shop
Very large selection of bottles
Frankie's (Futian, Nanshan)
American bar with lots of beer on tap
Food available
Domestic craft beer on tap
FuBar
Beer brewed on-site plus guest taps
Food available
Domestic craft beer on tap
Fury Brewing
Beer brewed on-site
20 taps
Godfather Bistro
Food available
Little Date Brewed Beer
Eight taps + selection of bottles
Pretty much everything in Chinese
Lonfood
Café and bar
Lucky BBQ & Bar
Bar and grill
Lucky House Bar
Bottled beer and some taps available
Mash Gastropub
Burger restaurant with taps
McCawley's (Futian, Seaworld)
Irish-style bar with many beers on tap
Full menu available
MOD Bar
Juice, beer, and cocktails
Paninis and other snacks available
Domestic craft beer on tap
New Orleans Kitchen
Beer on tap
Full menu available
The Paradise Store
12 taps plus a large selection of bottles
Peko Brewing Co
Beer brewed on-site
Menu includes homemade burritos
Features own beer plus guest taps
Domestic craft beer on tap
Providence
Cocktail bar with some beers
The Pub
32 taps of mostly Chinese craft
Food available
Domestic craft beer on tap
Rucker Bar
Western-themed bar
Full menu available
Domestic craft beer on tap
Season
6 taps
Large selection of bottles
Snake Pit
Full menu available
German beer + BrewDog (Great Britain)
Taps (Shopping Park, Nanshan)
Beer brewed on-site
Large selection of food and beer
46 taps of beer and cocktails at Coco Park
Domestic craft beer on tap
Xpats Bar
Bar and grill
Yi Tang Taproom (Luohu, Nanshan)
28 taps at Luohu location
Wide selection of bottles in Nanshan
Domestic craft beer on tap
Zhenker Craft Beer
Featuring own beer
Domestic craft beer on tap
[Image via Phillymag.com, Giphy, Ethan Barnowsky]
0 User Comments