Great Leap Brewing: Where To Buy Their Beer

Great Leap Brewing, founded in 2010, was Beijing's first craft beer brand. The company now has four locations in Beijing, one in Chengdu, a large-scale production brewery in Tianjin, and over 200 employees. Great Leap Brewing offers a diverse selection of craft beers, including lagers, wheat beers, and IPAs, and innovative brews incorporating chrysanthemum flowers and other distinctively Chinese ingredients. The original location, nestled in a historic hutong courtyard, remains a popular choice for its unique Beijing hutong ambiance and delightful brews. The company's other venues, such as the #45 Xinyuanli location, provide a different atmosphere and experience, with a shaded terrace perfect for enjoying a cold beer and pizza on a hot summer day.

Great Leap Brewing's original location

The original location has been noted for its seclusion and the challenge of getting there. The Lonely Planet guidebooks describe it as "a hidden gem to beat all hidden gems." Moon's Living Abroad in Beijing strongly suggests reviewing the map from Great Leap's website before visiting for the first time, and All About Beer describes the trip there from central Beijing as "a distinctly Chinese affair" likely involving having to ask a local for directions.

The location still offers the same beers that were available when it first opened in 2010, including Pale Ale #6, named for the building's street address; Oatmeal Porter; Cinnamon Rock Candy Ale; and Honey Ma Blonde. The original location also has a strong focus on using Chinese ingredients in its beers, including Sichuan pepper and Tieguanyin oolong tea, and it does not serve food, although patrons can order from nearby restaurants.

Great Leap's three other Beijing venues

Great Leap Brewing has three other Beijing venues besides its original location on Doujiao Hutong.

The second location, which opened in June 2013, is on Xinzhong Street in the Dongzhimen neighbourhood. This venue has more features of a typical bar and serves more food, including cheeseburgers, sandwiches, salads, and a fuller array of bar snacks.

The third location, which opened in 2015, is in the Sanlitun area of the Chaoyang District, near the U.S. embassy. It is the largest craft brewery in mainland China at 530 square metres. It has three 2,500-litre fermentation tanks, producing Great Leap's three best-selling brands: Honey Ma, Pale #6, and Banana Wheat. The kitchen here specialises in New York-style pizza.

The fourth Great Leap location, GLB LIDO, opened in December 2018 at the Nuo Center on Jingtai Road in Chaoyang. This venue has a shady terrace, making it the perfect place to enjoy a few brews and a pizza on a hot summer day. They also serve fried chicken brunch at the weekend.

Great Leap's locations outside Beijing

Great Leap Brewing is a Chinese organisation operating four brewpubs in Beijing. However, there is one location outside of Beijing, in Tianjin, which is one of the biggest craft breweries in Asia. The company began in 2010 and was the first microbrewery in Beijing to specialise in craft beers with Chinese ingredients.

The four brewpubs in Beijing are located in the following areas: Doujiao Hutong, Xinyuanli, Lido, and Xinzhong Street. The original location in Doujiao Hutong is tucked away in a hutong and is known for its charming and cosy atmosphere. The Xinyuanli location has a shady terrace, perfect for enjoying a few beers on a hot summer day. The Lido location, which opened in late 2018, serves the same food as the Xinyuanli pub. Finally, the Xinzhong Street location is the largest craft brewery in mainland China and has a full-service kitchen serving dishes such as cheeseburgers, sandwiches, and salads.

While Great Leap Brewing currently focuses on its locations in Beijing, the company's expansion to Tianjin suggests that it may continue to grow and open additional locations outside of Beijing in the future.

Great Leap's online presence

Great Leap Brewing has a strong online presence, with a website and a presence on multiple social media platforms. Their website, www.greatleapbrewing.com, provides information about the company, its history, and its products. The website also includes a blog section, which features articles about the company's beers, brewing processes, and events. The website is available in both English and Chinese, catering to a diverse audience.

In terms of social media, Great Leap Brewing has an active presence on platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. They use these platforms to engage with customers, showcase new products, and promote their brand. Their social media accounts also provide contact information, such as email addresses, and links to their website, making it easy for customers to get in touch.

In addition to their website and social media accounts, Great Leap Brewing has also been featured on various online platforms, including Untappd, a beer-focused social media and rating platform, where users can rate and review their beers. The company has also been mentioned in articles on websites like SilverKris, a travel and lifestyle platform, further extending their online reach.

Great Leap Brewing also utilizes online food and beverage delivery platforms, such as those mentioned on The Beijinger website, to make their products more accessible to customers who prefer to order in. By leveraging these online platforms, Great Leap Brewing has been able to increase its visibility, connect with customers, and expand its business beyond its physical locations.

Great Leap's beers

Great Leap Brewing was founded in 2010 by Americans Carl Setzer and Dane Vanden Berg, together with Setzer's Chinese wife, Liu Fang. Frustrated by the lack of variety in beers available in Beijing, they decided to open the city's first microbrewery specialising in craft beers with Chinese ingredients.

Great Leap now operates four brewpubs in Beijing, with additional locations in Chengdu and Tianjin. The original site is tucked away in a historic courtyard in a hutong in the Nanluoguxiang neighbourhood, which has been described as "one of the most difficult bars to find in Beijing". The other Beijing locations are on Xinzhong Street in the Dongzhimen neighbourhood, in Sanlitun, and in Lido, which opened in late 2018.

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