American Craft Beer The Best Craft Beer, Breweries, Bars, Brewpubs, Beer Stores, And Restaurants Serving Serious Beer.
Beijing’s first craft brewery was born in 2010 when Carl Seltzer, an expat from Cleveland and his wife Lucy Fang decided to leave their relatively safe corporate jobs in China, to launch Great Leap Brewing.
At that time the concept of craft beer was almost an unknown in China, and the name Great Leap captured both the risk the two were taking, as well as the sense of adventure that spurred them on.
Great Leap’s name also slyly references a campaign waged by Chairman Mao that aimed to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a socialist society through rapid industrialization and collectivization…
And perhaps the same can be said for Carl Seltzer and Lucy Fang’s ongoing campaign to take China from generic mass-produced lagers into the world of serious craft beers.
In the years that have passed since Great Leap first opened in an 110 year-old Beijing courtyard, the brewery has built a fanatical following of young middle-class beer lovers, expanded to three locations in the capital city, and now reportedly employs 125 people.
You gotta love it…capitalism and craft beer bonded at the hip in the heart of a communist country!
From its inception Great Leap Brewing has focused on using China sourced ingredients in its beers, including elements like Sichuan pepper and oolong tea.
Great Leap’s Little General IPA is brewed using rare Qingdao Flower hops, and the best raw materials China Has to offer.
And the brewery that started a great leap of faith is now producing as many as 40 different craft beers yearly (12 on tap at all of their outlets at any given time).
Fueled by a passion for serious beer, Great Leap Brewing has grown from what was once described as “one of the most difficult bars to find in Beijing,” to a mini-craft beer empire.
And its three hipster beer outlets in the capital city are now attracting a growing fan base of Chinese consumers looking for an alternative to the country’s tired national brands.
Photo credits: Great Leap Brewing and Jocelyn Lee
