Craft Beer Scene Takes Off In Shanghai

You’re going to see more of this-a lot more!

Forbes recently reported on the craft beer explosion in Shanghai and it was fascinating. Seems China which already consumes more beer than any other country has developed a taste for “serious” beer. According to Forbes “Craft beer is gaining a following in China–Beijing has two breweries, and the smaller Nanjing has one, but Shanghai is where craft brewing has really taken off.”

Shanghai’s interest in craft beer has grown enormously as Forbes explains:

In the past two years, the city’s number of craft breweries, beer-focused bars and shops has nearly doubled, thanks to Shanghai’s population of expats and the rising interest of Chinese citizens. The increase in craft beer enthusiasts led French shop-owner Cedric Bourlet to open his beer boutique, Cheers In, last year. The shop now has two branches, stocking bottles of craft brews such as Oregon-made Rogue Ales and Scottish Brewdog beers and offering delivery service.

But Shanghai’s not just selling imported craft beers-they’re brewing their own as well! The city now has four craft beer breweries including its newest entrant Dr Beer which opened last year and is already making waves. Other top breweries include Shanghai Brewery which just completed a recent expansion, Boxing Cat Brewery and The Brew. Forbes reports that The Brew which opened in 2011 has been transitioning from serving primarily tourists and expats and now “nearly 40 percent of his customers are Chinese.”

So craft beer is” on” over there as it is over here and we see no end to it. China’s growth rate, though slowing some recently, is still a force of nature. China’s citizens have larger disposable incomes and they’re spending it on craft beer.