Watch: One Week of Beers in Shanghai

A couple decades ago, beer in China was hard to find (that is, with the exception of homegrown standbys like Tsingtao and Snow). Beer was something to be enjoyed with meals, but not really as a standalone product.

Fast-forward to now, and things have changed. Global drinking habits are catching on and changing the landscapes of local neighborhoods and grocery stores. Red wine has been enjoying the biggest popularity explosion, with global brands all trying to edge in on the expanding market. But beer is on the upswing too – my own block had five new craft beer joints open up in the six months after I moved in.

The beer around here ranges from international favorites (Vedett, Carlsberg) to weird imports you’ve never heard of (Dutch Windmill, Sunew) to some surprisingly good local brews (Boxing Cat, Shanghai Brewery). We documented the different beers we drank over one week in the city.

Music: “Relax in Mui Ne” by Onra