The craft beer revolution in China continues, and the latest incarnation of the trend for us to enjoy has opens its doors along Xinjiekou’s Wang Fu Da Jie.
With in excess of 200 bottled beers (disclaimer to follow), Beer Hero can serve up to the eager experimental brew lovers a good slice of all the main foreign beer cultures; the traditional Germanic approach, the Belgians with their fruit, spices, and sugar; along with the New World brewing and their embracing of unorthodox ingredients.
If Nanjing was in Austria, then Beer Hero would be a heuriger. The large tables sit almost back to back but do make for good conversation and a considered tasting of the available hops. A limited food menu also has the heuriger connection in the form of schweinshaxe, an unusual choice for the Chinese populace to embrace as being representative of overseas cuisine.
Of the over 200 bottled beers (which it is claimed are on offer), very few are available on a continual basis. In theory this will make the regulars only more regular, if only to see what’s changed. One highlight spotted during The Nanjinger’s visit was Scuttlebutt’s (of the USA’s Washington state) Amber Ale, a medium bodied and nicely balanced beer with a caramel flavour and herbal finish, and at 5.1 percent, eminently quaffable.
Beer Hero owner Emily Wang made her fortune selling cats, monster cats to be exact, those in the 30-40 thousand renminbi category, and says that opening the bar was really “just for fun”. All very well, but The Nanjinger recommends popping in now before fun and business collide. After all, heuriger are usually only open for a few weeks in the autumn. Scary coincidence.
Beer Hero is located at 63-1 Wangfu Da Jie (王府大街63-1号) and is open daily from 4pm to 2am. Tel: 18651649320
