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    First Annual Shanghai Beer Week Celebrates China's Burgeoning Craft Beer Scene

    Running from May 14-19, Shanghai, arguably the epicenter of China's burgeoning premium beer scene, is set to hold China's first-ever craft beer week.
    The BREW (Image: PR)
    Jing DailyAuthor
      Published   in Finance

    China's First-Ever Craft Beer Event Culminates With Sinan Mansions Craft Beer Festival#

    Running from May 14-19, Shanghai -- arguably the epicenter of China's burgeoning premium beer scene -- is set to hold China's first-ever craft beer week. Featuring everything from specialty brews to brewery tours, tastings and food pairings and special promotions, the first annual

    Shanghai Beer Week#

    is designed around exposing the city's curious drinkers to the wider world of beer beyond their typical Tsingtao or Carlsberg. Launching on May 14 with the Shanghai Beer Week Kickoff Party at Kaiba Taphouse (100 yuan for four beer tickets), other events slated to take place during the week include a live evening of brewing with The BREW resident brewmaster Leon Mickelson, the latest installment of the Boxing Cat's Brewmaster Dinner (tickets 328 yuan), Brewery Tours of Dr. Beer’s in-house brewery, a Beer and Spanish Ham Tasting at Jackie's Beer Nest, and Homebrew Night at Gold Cider Club.

    On Saturday May 19, the week wraps up with the second annual Sinan Mansions Craft Beer Festival, taking place from 2:00 PM-10:00 PM at the Boxing Cat Brewery. Along with live music, the open-to-the-public event will have over 40 draft beers available, as well as a selection of limited edition brews. Vendors include pretty much the entire Shanghai brewing scene, as well as several of the neighborhood's restaurants, among them the Boxing Cat, The BREW, Shanghai Brewery, Dr. Beer, Gold Cider, Kaiba, Jackie's Beer Nest, Hops Magazine, Leaderstyles Home Brew, Just Beer, Duvel Moortgat, The Public, California Pizza Kitchen and the Funky Chicken.

    For a full schedule of events, check out the official event website at shanghaibeerweek.com.

    Featured beers on offer during Shanghai Beer Week include:

    Boxing Cat Brewery#

    Bourbon King Louie Imperial Stout (Limited Release) – 8.9% ABV

    A limited release beer as 400 liters was aged for 6 months in Jim Beam Bourbon oak barrels from the USA. This beer is named after Louie, the original cat that inspired Boxing Cat as the company name. This velvety beer contains several roasted malts including a light dash of smoked malt. The addition of coffee adds a rich complexity to this beer with notes of chocolate, coffee, bourbon, vanilla along with some subtle smokiness. The use of fragrant hops offsets the malt backbone of this beer as they contribute a balanced bitterness and hop bouquet. A truly complex stout with many layers of flavor.

    Chairman Meow Mango Ale (Brewers Choice) – 4.8% ABV

    A golden ale that is refreshing as we use fresh whole mangoes in the brewing process. The light usage of Simcoe and Galaxy hops also provides mango and passionfruit aromas to the beer while offsetting the sweetness of the beer. The resulting flavor is fruity and creamy. Brewed specifically for the Inaugural Shanghai Beer Week and some of the events occurring during the week including a Brewmasters Dinner where the beer was used to make Mango Ale Ice Cream!

    Golden Boy Saison (Brewers Choice) – 5.1% ABV

    A golden ale originating from the farmhouse breweries of Northwest Belgium. This beer is complex with notes of fruitiness from the lemon peel added during the wort boil. We also add rose hips, hawthorn, red ginger sugar and organic green peppercorns in the brewhouse to give this beer a pleasant botanical aroma and flavor. The Belgian yeast strain also provides some depth to this beer resulting in a refreshing beer ideal for warm weather and lounging in the garden.

    The BREW#

    MASH - One Year Old Barrel-Aged Smoked Extra Special Bitter – 7.2%ABV

    This beer has been aging in merlot wine barrels for over one year and the Sinan Mansions Festival will be the official release of the extremely limited ale which has been brewed using smoked barley imported from Germany. The blend of fruity malt flavours combined with the oak barrels blend together to create an extremely complex ale finishing off with an amazing smoke aftertaste… A craft beer lovers dream!!!

    MASH – Spring India Pale – 6%ABV

    Light refreshing citrus fruits dominate this India Pale Ale designed to welcome the warmer months in with a “spring fresh” flavour!

    Dr. Beer#

    Pale Ale – 4.5%ABV

    A light, sessionable pale ale. It weighs in at 4.5 percent alcohol, but has a delicate balance of caramel malt backbone, with a splash of west coast hops to round it out. It is a great beer for first time craft beer drinkers for an introduction to malt and hop flavor, and a solid standby for a seasoned beer drinker seeking a session beer with some flavor.

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