Great Leap Brewery

As a non-Mandarin speaker, I was a bit challenged to order. I was equally surprised to see very few westerners here given the lack of beer in the Chinese culture. Still, this felt like a North American brewpub -- very convivial and relaxed without any pretensions.

There are twenty taps, but five were spent without any replacement. The beers were superb...for China. They were middle of the road for the US or Canada.

 

The first time you try to find this place it seems like a really long walk down a dark alley. At the end of the walk what you find is a cool little courtyard beer garden nestled in one of Beijing's Hutongs. A relaxing place to drink beer hidden away from a jungle of people.

 

Visited January 2014. A surprising find deep within Beijing's hutongs. An absolute beer oasis after a week of industrial lager. Good variety of craft styles, a cozy bar and excellent service from Jose. Enjoyed East City Porter and Hop God 120 (Imperial/DIPA).

 

 

For beer lovers visiting Beijing, Great Leap is a MUST VISIT. The craft beer scene here is pretty young, and finding quality beer is tricky. Tsingtao, Snow, Harbin, and most other Chinese beers taste like little more than soda water and are not worth your time. For a foreigner with fond memories of good beer, Great Leap is an oasis. The Honey Ma Gold, Ghost General Wheat IPA, and Three Door Tripel are solid standouts, but the variety is really impressive. Beers cycle out pretty frequently, so coming back always yields new experiences. Is it pricey? For Beijing, absolutely. Beers run anywhere from 25 to 50 RMB, which is pretty standard pricing for microbrews in America. So considering you are at really the only excellent microbrewery in Beijing, the prices are very reasonable. Even if Great Leap were not essentially the only game in town, I think it would hold up. Put it up against the top tiers of American micros and I think Great Leap holds its own. There are two locations, both of which are worth visiting:

First Location--Hutong
Hutongs are one of the best parts of Beijing, and the first location is hidden deep within one. It might be hard to locate for those who don't have a guide, but that only adds to the mystique. It feels old, authentic, and a peaceful respite from the bustle of the city. The courtyard itself supposedly dates back at least a hundred years. With the trees and bicycles propped up against the stone walls, it is extremely picturesque. There isn't much room inside, but that's fine because you want to sit in the courtyard. There is no food at this location, but you can order tasty 15 RMB fried rice from a nearby restaurant. Or, you know, pizza if that's your thing. The first location is a great place to chill out and wile away the hours in a beautiful setting.

Second Location--Brewpub
The brewpub is as different from the hutong as day is from night. Walking in, you immediately feel like you are in a hip American brewpub, with an exposed stone ceiling, wood tables, and low light. The light is actually a bit too low, but it's atmospheric. They play football on the television, which is a great reminder of home, even if the games aren't live. The beer selection is even more extensive here, and the burgers they serve are very good for Beijing, even if they would not be considered brilliant in America. The second location is often much busier than the first, but is full of helpful staff. You can also get a look at their brewing equipment. There is a bar and club neighborhood nearby if a good beer is only your first stop for the night. Overall, each location is a very different experience, but both are wonderful.

 

This is not an easy place to find, buried in a Hutong (hard to appreicate unless you've been to Beijing) about a mile north of the Forbidden City.

They had about a dozen beers on tap. I tried the Pale (OK), Porter (very, very light) and IPA (good). On one hand, the beers were certainly thinner and lacking body compared to a typical US brewpub. On the other hand, they were a whole bunch better than more Tsingtao. China is not a great place for beer.

My strong advice is to copy the Chinese address from their web site (www.greatleapbrewing.com) and carry it with you in the Hutong. I put it on my iPhone and showed it to locals who pointed me in the right direction.