Combining a passion for making beer with an outlet for selling the stuff, Bionic Brew exudes a clear rawness that’s proving popular with expats and Chinese looking for somewhere a bit different, offering as it does a bit more creativity than Shenzhen’s usual generic gloss.
Tucked away in a Baishizhou alley behind the weathered facade of an unassuming one-storey building, the microbrewery is the brainchild of American Joe Finkenbinder. The single-room venue comprises a central bar area surrounded by stools and tables, overlooked by walls adorned with some impressive graffiti art.
There’s an implicit underground feel yielded by the decor, consolidated by the fact that it’s quite hard to find. Bionic Brew’s existence is largely promulgated via word of mouth, suggesting a tighter-knit clientele base.
Currently, the brewery offers a selection of beers based on a core five: pale ale, porter (black beer), wheat, IPA and Kolsch. Aiming for lighter but more alcohol-heavy beers to reflect Shenzhen's climate, the bar’s signature is Bionic Pale Ale (RMB30), a light but strong beer at 5.4 percent AB and 32 IBU (international bitterness units). Packing more of a punch and slightly more bitter at 6 percent AVB and 40 IBU, the Sabotage White IPA (RMB40) is a heavy hitter that's popular with foreigners. Wheat IPO (RMB30) is perhaps more accessible to those who infrequently indulge in a pint, with a smooth wheaty taste and a low IBU of 14 keeping things sweeter.
Personal favorites will vary according to taste, but we favored the dark beers, such as Diaosi (‘Everyman’) Porter at RMB30 and a guest stout (RMB40) with a stumble-inducing 8 percent ABV. Solid and quaffable efforts this early in the game and the promise of seasonal brews like pumpkin and lychee give Bionic Brew a firm footing.
Though it might resemble a dive to some, for others its rough-around-the-edges ambience will no doubt add a bit of charm and pared-down appeal, especially as it’s located in the heart of one of Shenzhen’s few remaining villages.
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