1. Slow Boat Brewery (悠航) – The Burger Champions with a View
Neighborhood: Shichahai/Sanlitun/Dengshikou
Established: 2011
Slow Boat started as a pilot brewery in the mountains outside Beijing and has since grown into one of the city’s most beloved craft beer brands. They’ve won Beijing’s Burger Cup six times and made it onto the “Must Eat” list six years in a row.
What makes them special: 90+ beers brewed annually, with creativity in every pint. Their Shichahai taproom has a third-floor terrace overlooking Qianhai Lake — prime sunset spot.
2. El Nido – The Quiet Courtyard with Rare International Brews
Neighborhood: Beiluoguxiang
Established: 2010
El Nido isn’t loud or flashy. It’s tucked away in a quiet hutong courtyard, and that’s exactly why people love it. As one of Beijing’s craft beer pioneers, El Nido is known for stocking rare, high-quality beers from around the world — including some of the highest-rated brews on Untappd.
What makes them special: Their beer menu is a “blind box” — never fixed, always full of surprises.
Rong Taps doesn’t mess around. This new spot focuses exclusively on imported Japanese draft lagers and other high-end international beers. They use Micro Matic and Lukr taps (industry gold standard) and even keep their glasses in a freezer.
What makes them special: For serious beer geeks, this is paradise. They rotate “limited edition” Japanese brews you won’t find anywhere else in Beijing. Their launch lineup included Suntory “Master’s Dream,” one of Japan’s most coveted draft beers, and Cantillon Classic Gueuze — one of the world’s most famous lambics.
5. Zhujingban (驻京办) – The Beer Tasting Menu You Didn’t Know You Needed
Neighborhood: Andingmen
Established: 2019
Zhujingban (literally “Beijing Office”) doesn’t brew its own beer. Instead, it partners with a different brewery every two months, giving over all 30+ taps to a single producer and transforming the space to match. Think: custom glassware, coasters, signage, full immersion. It’s less a bar and more a curated beer exhibition.
What makes them special: This is where limited releases land. In early 2024, they hosted the Chinese premiere of DDH Ghost Machine from Parish Brewing — at the time, the #1 ranked Double/Imperial Hazy IPA in the world on Untappd. Ten kegs sold out in 7 hours.
Want to sip craft beer and eat your way through Beijing’s hutongs? We combine street food discoverywith a brewery route 😎
For wine lovers, we also offer a street food & wine pairing experience — think local bites with carefully selected wines. 🍷
FAQ:
1️⃣ Do these Beijing breweries have English-speaking staff? Slow Boat, Goose Island, and El Nido are foreigner-friendly with English options. Rong Taps and Zhujingban may have limited English — use a translation app or just point at what looks good.
2️⃣ Can I pay with a foreign credit card at these Beijing breweries? Most prefer Alipay or WeChat Pay (link your foreign card before you go). Credit cards are rarely accepted directly. Cash is fine at all five.
3️⃣ Can I buy cans or bottles to take home from these Beijing breweries? All 5 spots offer takeaway options.
4️⃣ What is the price range for a pint at these Beijing craft breweries? Most craft beers cost between 40 and 70 RMB per pint.
5️⃣ Which one of these Beijing breweries is closest to the hutongs?
El Nido and Rong Taps are both in Beiluoguxiang (it’s a hutong). Slow Boat (Shichahai) is on the lake, right next to the hutong area. Zhujingban is on Andingmen Inner Street — easily walkable from the hutongs as well. You can easily hit 2-3 in one night.
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