Posted by Greg Clow in beer, beverages on August 5, 2008 at 4:47 pm

While they're not even in the top 35 countries for per capita consumption, the taste for beer has been increasing in China in recent years. The country has been the world's largest beer producer every year since 2002, and in 2007 they brewed 22% of the world's beer output, an amount roughly analogous to the just under 20% of the world's population that lives in China.

This production and consumption volume has made China a lucrative market for foreign mega-breweries, and has played a key role in deals such as the recent takeover of Anheuser-Busch by InBev. Large international brands such as Budweiser and Corona are also becoming more popular with the increasingly West-obsessed Chinese, but in comparison, the market for Chinese beers outside of China is relatively small.

In fact, only one Chinese beer brand, Tsingtao, has a noticeable presence outside of the People's Republic. A couple of others have pockets of popularity, such as the Anheuser-Busch-owned Harbin, but when out at a Chinese restaurant, Tsingtao is generally the only Chinese beer on offer no matter what region's cuisine might be the speciality of the house.

That may be changing, though - at least here in Ontario - as the LCBO's call for new "Ethnic Beers" has led to the recent arrival of Yanjing Beer (LCBO 77974 - $10.95/6x330 ml) on store shelves. Brewed in Beijing at a massive state-owned brewery complex that is said to be the largest in Asia at 550 acres, Yanjing is one of the most popular beers in China, as well as one of the cheapest, with 600 ml bottles selling at stores in Beijing for the equivalent of 40 cents or so.

Having tried a bottle of Yanjing recently, I suspect that the low price point may be the main reason for its popularity, as it's a pretty dreadful beer. The appearance is the first clue that it's not going to be a pleasant drinking experience, as it pours a pale and lifeless pale gold with a small white head that disappears almost instantly. The aroma has all of the hallmarks of a cheaply made industrial brewed beer: wet grain, cooked vegetables, cardboard, burnt plastic, and a harsh alcohol note that is better suited to an 8% malt liquor than a 4.5% pale lager. The flavour is mercifully mild at first, but quickly turns into an unpleasant melange of stale-tasting malt, over-cooked and slightly rotten veggies, and hints of metal and plastic. Ugh.

The only saving grace in this situation is the fact that I purchased a single bottle of this swill rather than springing for a full sixer. (Little known fact: While some employees might argue against it, the LCBO will sell you single bottles of any beer that is normally sold in open-style six-packs, usually at 2 bucks a pop.) I was half-tempted to grab more to drink while watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics this weekend, but now that I've tried it, those plans are most definitely scrapped.

Instead, I'm now wishing that Lhasa Beer - the only beer brewed in Tibet - was available in Ontario. The reviews on RateBeer suggest that it's not much better than Yanjing, but it would be hard for it to be worse. And I can't deny that the political side of me would feel a bit better about drinking it.