One of Shanghai’s newest craft beer bars, the Tap House on expat-friendly Yonkang Lu, held an event on Saturday night featuring Garrett Oliver, the brew master of popular Brooklyn Brewery. As I chatted with him, I quickly discovered that Garrett is not only a highly successful brewer, but a BU alumnus, too – he’s a member of the COM class of 1983.
The business of beer is a very hot topic in China at the moment. In addition to importing American craft beers like Brooklyn and Rogue, as well as Belgian and German beers, China is currently building its own craft-brewing culture. And like everything in today’s China, it is happening very rapidly. While mass-produced lagers like the ubiquitous Tsingtao are still popular, Chinese beer tastes are clearly changing, as brew pubs and small breweries are introducing Chinese consumers to a wide range of beer styles and brewing techniques.