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38-819: Harbin has increased its annual beer production capacity to over 1 million tons and has become a giant in China's beer industry after its successful reform and listing on the Hong Kong stock market . In comparison to Tsingtao Beer or Zhujiang Beer , however, Harbin's share in European and American markets is minor. In the North American market, Harbin beer was first sold in ethnic Chinese supermarkets (which remain its primary point of sales today), and gradually begun to expand to other Asian supermarkets . The history of Harbin beer dates back to 1900, when Jan Wróblewski,

76-814: A Pole from Tarczyn , then located in the Russian Partition of Poland , founded a brewery in Northeast China (then called Manchuria ), which he named after himself. The initial objective of the Brewery was to supply Russians working on the Trans-Manchurian Railway project started in 1898. In 1908, the company was renamed Gloria. In 1932, the brewery was renamed Harbin Brewery Factory, when it went into joint control of Chinese and Czech nationals. Later, in 1946, after

114-723: A brewery in Harbin , with another three following (also in Harbin ), set up by Germans , Czechoslovaks and Poles respectively. Japanese also established in 1934 in Mukden Manchurian Beer , which later became Shenyang Snow Beer and then acquired in 1994 by China Resources Enterprises . The emergence of craft beer in China started in the large metro areas including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Once primarily of interest to expat drinkers, local consumer interest in premium brands and local and imported craft beers

152-527: A few exceptions in more remote locations like Bad Monkey Brewery in Dali Old Town, Yunnan . Shanghai Brewery, Boxing Cat Brewery, The BREW and Dr. Beer are some of the more prominent craft breweries in Shanghai. In Beijing, several craft breweries such as Great Leap Brewing , Jing-A Brewing, Panda Brew Pub, and Slow Boat Brewery have become staples in the local nightlife scene. Another popular brewpub

190-563: A higher proportion of magnesium and calcium ions as part of its total mineral content. The fermentation starter , known in Chinese as Jiuqu or simply as Qu, is usually a dried cake of flour cultured with various molds , yeasts and bacteria . In the production of huangjiu it is crushed and added to inoculate the cereal substrate to initiate fermentation into liquor. The various molds and filamentous yeasts found in Qu exude enzymes that digest

228-620: Is Kaiwei Beer House, a chain based in Wuhan . Craft beer festivals have been popularized since the early 2010s in Beijing and Shanghai. Two popular beer festivals in Shanghai, Shanghai International Beer Festival and Shanghai Beer Week, were both started in 2012. In 2015 market share of imported beer reached 1.14% and volume increased by 58.9% to 538.5 million litres. Note: This is a partial list of China's major breweries. The vast majority of China's breweries serve only their local vicinity. There

266-624: Is a 4.8% abv pale lager . It uses European and Chinese “Qindao Dahua” hops, two-row malt, and German yeast. Hapi and Golden Hapi . Harbin Heart and Harbin Premium Lager . One of Harbin's beers is a wheat beer . Beer in China Beer in China was the dominant alcoholic beverage through the Han dynasty , after which it was eclipsed by rice wine . Modern brewing appeared in

304-430: Is a growing consumer inclination towards less strong beer in China as health conscious individuals are seeking wholesome and lower caloric options in their choice of beer, and consumers who want low alcohol and healthier drinks are noted to be mainly young women. According to a study by market intelligence agency Mintel , China has the highest amount of product launches of low or zero alcohol beer (below 3.5 percent ABV) in

342-569: Is currently on the rise. However, Chinese government regulations have been cited as an obstacle facing new breweries or those wishing to expand bottling distribution. Chinese beers often contain rice , sorghum and sometimes rye in addition to barley . Some beer is produced that uses bitter melon instead of hops as the bittering agent . Chinese media reported in 2001 that as many as 95% of all Chinese beers contained formaldehyde , to prevent sedimentation in bottles and cans while in storage. This practice has now been made illegal. Despite

380-508: Is pounded on the sides of the pots. Similar to the production of Japanese sake , saccharification and fermentation usually happen in the same mash concurrently, as the seed mash and starter act on the cooked rice. The mixture is then left to mature in earthenware jars for a length of time from several months to several decades before being bottled and sold. Northern breweries often use three big starters, rather than an initial little starter. Large factories typically employ air blowers to cool

418-425: Is produced widely throughout China, in a variety of styles, which reflect the wine's sugar content, the starter/innoculent (or qu ) used, and its production method. This is the formal classification for all Chinese wines. There are five categories: dry , semi-dry , semi-sweet , sweet , and extra-sweet . Some of the most popular huangjiu include: The three main ingredients of Chinese alcoholic beverages are

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456-931: Is the brand most widely exported to other countries. Tsingtao Beer is brewed in the city of Qingdao (formerly spelled Tsingtao in EFEO Chinese transcription ) which was a German base in the time of unequal treaties and late-colonial western influence in China. The Germans needed beer for their sailors, soldiers and traders, and production continued after they lost the city to the Japanese in World War I . Apart from Tsingtao, other major Chinese brewing groups include China Pabst Blue Ribbon , Yanjing, Sie-Tang Lio and Zhujiang Beer . Many major international brewers now have interests in, or joint ventures with, Chinese breweries, and popular international brands such as Carlsberg are now produced in China. This gives them access to

494-521: The Jiangnan area. Huangjiu is brewed by mixing steamed grains including rice , glutinous rice or millet with qū as starter culture, followed by saccharification and fermentation at around 13–18 °C (55–64 °F) for fortnights. Its alcohol content is typically 8% to 20%. Huangjiu is usually pasteurized , aged , and filtered before its final bottling for sale to consumers. The maturation process can be complicated but important for

532-620: The Mid-Autumn Festival ) and realgar wine (dosed with a small amount of arsenic sulfide and consumed during the Dragon Boat Festival ). The earliest grains domesticated in China were millet in the north and rice in the south. Both are still employed in production of alcohol. Modern production also employs wheat , barley , sorghum , and coixseed . For huangjiu , the grains are de germed and polished of their bran . They are then soaked and acidified with

570-602: The Soviet Red Army captured Manchuria , the company was controlled by Soviet nationals, who called it Quilin Stock Company Limited. This situation prevailed until 1950 when Stalin ordered the return of Chinese assets, and ownership was returned to the Chinese government. The Chinese renamed it Harbin Brewery and operated it as a state-owned entity. Driven by the famine the company became the first to brew beer with corn instead of rice, in 1959. Through

608-613: The 1960s, the company focused on investing to improve its technology, and in 1973 it installed its first sterilization machine in Heilongjiang Province . In June 2003, SABMiller acquired a 29.6% equity stake in Harbin. In 2004 it was taken over by Anheuser-Busch after a bitter takeover battle with SABMiller . Harbin Beer ( simplified Chinese : 哈尔滨啤酒 ; traditional Chinese : 哈爾濱啤酒 ; pinyin : Hā'ěrbīn Píjiǔ )

646-547: The Asia Pacific region in 2016, and over one in four (29 percent) beers launched in China in that year, were of low or non alcoholic beers. Qingdao Beers launched the first non-alcoholic beer in China in 2012 with its product, 'Qingdao 0.00', that is brewed from Czech hops and Australian barley. Jonny Forsyth, a global drinks analyst of Mintel firm, stated "..(the) research indicates that Chinese consumers, in general, prefer less strong beer in terms of ABV, compared to

684-560: The Chinese market while providing capital and expertise to help upgrade local brewing standards, albeit at the cost of variety. Beer is brewed in Hong Kong , which has a large brewery owned by San Miguel Corporation of the Philippines, as well as a microbrewery producing several beers for the local market. Brewpubs are gaining popularity in China, primarily in major cities which have a resident western community, though there are

722-450: The Chinese population. Production and consumption of beer in China has occurred for around nine thousand years, with recent archaeological findings showing that Chinese villagers were brewing beer-type alcoholic drinks as far back as 7000 BC on small and individual scales. Made with rice, honey, grape, and hawthorn fruits, this early beer seems to have been produced similarly to that of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Ancient Chinese beer

760-453: The aid of lactobacillus or through the addition of lactic acid into the soaking liquid. (Acidification is done to discourage the growth of other microbes on the grains, which can spoil the resulting liquor by creating undesired flavors in it or rendering it poisonous.) This process produces a taste and mouth-feel distinct from other forms of rice wine . Water hydrates the grains and enables fermentation . The pH and mineral content of

798-402: The development of the layers of flavours and fragrance. A few brands of premium grade huangjiu could have been aged for up to 20 years. Although as huangjiu' s name may suggest, its colour is typically light yellow and orange, but it can in fact range from clear to brown. Many famous huangjiu brands promote the quality of water used in brewing in their advertising, and some consider it to be

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836-546: The fact that estimates say between one-third to half of East Asian people, including Chinese people, have Asian flush syndrome , which influences the ability to process alcohol, China is deemed the world's largest beer market in terms of global consumption, followed by the United States and Brazil. Snow Beer, produced by CR Snow is the best-selling beer in China, holding 21.7% market share, having recently overtaken Tsingtao Beer, produced by Tsingtao Brewery , which

874-421: The global market". Consumers in china tend to gravitate towards tried and trusted brands for their purchases in low or non alcoholic beers, with big companies like Heineken and Qingdao enjoying massive support from consumers based on sales and annual profits. Huangjiu Huangjiu ( Chinese : 黃酒 ; lit. 'yellow wine') is a type of Chinese rice wine ( mijiu ) most popular in

912-476: The grain, water, and qu. Other ingredients may also be added to alter the color, taste, or medicinal properties of the final product. During their creation, storage, or presentation, Chinese alcoholic beverages may be flavored or seasoned. Use of fruit is rare, particularly compared with Korean wines , but medicinal herbs, flowers, and spices are much more common. Well-known examples include cassia wine (flavored with sweet osmanthus blossoms and consumed during

950-400: The grains and converts their starch into a gelatinized form that is more easily utilized by the starter culture. The inoculation temperature of the steamed grains is tightly controlled as it alters the flavor character. This is usually done when the grain has been doused with cold water and cooled to between 23 and 28 °C, which is considered the optimal initial fermentation temperature for

988-399: The late 1800s, brought to China by Europeans who brewed pale lagers , such as Tsingtao . Both beer production and consumption of local and imported brands grew increasingly popular in the 20th century. In the 21st century, China became the world's largest consumer of beer, commercial scale brewing expanded, and craft beer began to spread beyond expatriate communities and make inroads amongst

1026-507: The main mash. More soaked and acidified rice is prepared in the same fashion as in the seed mash. The grain is then either cooled with cold water or left out on a flat surface, depending on the type of huangjiu being produced, as the cooling method alters the flavor and mouth-feel of the resulting drink. The seed mash, an additional big starter, and fresh water is then mixed into this grain in large, glazed earthenware pots up to 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) in diameter and height. The mixture

1064-401: The mixture, as well as to maintain an even temperature throughout the fermenting mass. The slurry is periodically stirred over the course of a week. The stirred slurry is then allowed to go through a more thorough fermentation for approximately one month, following which the pH drops to around 3.4 and the alcohol content rises to approximately 15%. This is the seed mash that will be used to brew

1102-404: The mold Aspergillus oryzae or molds of the genus Rhizopus and certain strains of Lactobacillus . When mixed into the mash, the molds cultivate the mixture and convert the starch in the grains into sugar and lactic acid . This sweet and slightly sour liquid is drained and reserved, while additional water (and sometimes also malt ) is added to the mixture. The process is repeated until

1140-450: The most important ingredient. Huany Juang is commonly consumed warm, as the richness from the flavour compounds are released better when warm. In summer, it is popular to drink sweet huangjiu chilled or on ice. Liaojiu (料酒) is a type of huangjiu used in cooking, an example of this being the liaojiu -type of Shaoxing rice wine . Major producers of huangjiu include China and Taiwan . Huangjiu in Chinese society had perhaps

1178-571: The reign of Shaokang of the Xia . Dukang was subsequently deified as the Chinese god of wine . His son Heita is sometimes said to have accidentally invented Zhenjiang vinegar when his forgetfulness allowed a vat to spoil. Today, huangjiu has a great presence throughout China, especially in the Jiangnan area. Most well-known huangjiu varieties include Guyue longshan , Kuaijishan and Tapai from Shaoxing , Huiquan jiu from Wuxi . Huangjiu

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1216-446: The same level of influence as beer in the European societies throughout history. Archaeology has established that ancient Chinese people once brewed some form of alcohol similar to beer in China , however with the invention of the brewing method utilising qu, huangjiu rapidly replaced the prototypic beer in ancient China and beer-like beverages fell out of fashion as the ancient Chinese drinkers preferred tastes of huangjiu. As beer

1254-419: The second batch of grain rather than using cold water or leaving it out to cool. The brewery may also separate the saccharification and fermentation of the grain, similar to brewing . If this is desired, the seed mash is typically not used, since a main mash will never be produced. Instead, a mash of water, steamed glutinous rice, and other grains is inoculated with rice that has already been cultivated with

1292-452: The seed mash. After the little starter is added, it is allowed around two days to begin the saccharification , acidification, and fermentation of the grains. Inoculation with the first starter partially liquifies the steamed grains, which is the signal to add the big starter as well as more water to form a thick slurry . This slurry is carefully stirred by a brewmaster to aerate and maintain an optimal level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in

1330-425: The substrate into sugars that are in turn, fermented into alcohol by other yeasts and bacteria. There are three main types of starters: Prior to the actual brewing of the liquor, another small batch of grain is prepared to produce the "seed mash" ( 酒母 , jiǔmǔ ). Seed mash is produced by soaking and acidifying glutinous rice and other grains, then steaming them on frames or screens for several minutes. This cooks

1368-418: The water also contribute to the flavor and quality of the drink. Many regions are famous not only for their alcoholic beverages but also for the flavor and quality of their water sources. Emphasis is placed on gathering the cleanest water directly from springs or streams or from the center of lakes, where the water has been exposed to the least amount of pollutants. Water should be low in iron and sodium , with

1406-513: Was completely forgotten in China until the 19th century, when the Germans reintroduced a brewery in Qingdao which later became the producer of today's famous Tsingtao beer , huangjiu has always been the nation's favourite type of brewed alcoholic beverage (whereas baijiu has been the nation's favourite spirit or liquor). The earliest form of huangjiu was supposedly devised by Du Kang during

1444-429: Was important in ancestral worship, funeral and other rituals of Xia , Shang and Zhou dynasties, and the beer was called as Lao Li (醪醴 in oracle bone script ). However, after the Han dynasty , Chinese beer faded from prominence in favor of huangjiu , which remained the case for the next two millennia. Modern beer brewing was not introduced into China until the end of 19th century, when Polish people established

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