He’s crafty: American microbrew maverick Brendan Koeniger
Dead Guy Ale, Brooklyn Lager, Kona Big Wave – you might have seen these beers popping up in bars in Beijing. I talked to Brendan Koeniger, marketing director for American Craft Beer Partners, which distributes a dozen or so of these stateside brews, about the reason for entering the market now, the challenges of getting bars to carry U.S. beer, his favorite brands, and more.
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We have bars with dozens of different Belgian beers, but none with a similarly big selection of German, American, or other beers. How did the market end up this way?
I believe this is because Belgium has one of the oldest and richest brewing traditions. American craft beer is relatively new on the beer scene, with most of the 1500 American craft breweries cropping up within the last 20 years. Even though these breweries are less mature, they follow the tradition of American craft brewing by taking a mature, old-world style and adding their own artistic touch, creating a unique but refined brew.
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What made you decide that now is the time to bring American microbrews to China and particularly Beijing?
Honestly, we were tired of drinking watered-down beer. As beer lovers, we longed for beer with more flavor and finally decided to take things into our own hands. Beijing is a great attraction because it is a truly beer drinker’s city. We have found that the residents of Beijing not only have a taste for good beer, but they drink a lot of it!
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What’s the hardest part of convincing bars in Beijing to carry your beers?
Convincing bar owners who hail from outside of the U.S. and who have never seen or tasted true American craft beers to give them a try. No matter where they are from, as soon as bar owners try a Brooklyn Lager or Rogue Dead Guy Ale, they have found the quality and complexity immediately apparent.
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Why should I drink an American craft beer instead of a Belgian, German, or other one?
American craft beers are brewed with the same strict brewing standard dictating the sole use of malted barley, hops, yeast and water. However, they are not held to traditional European styles, thus allowing for a wide variety of twists and embellishments.
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Brooklyn Lager impressed me the first time I tried it at The Rickshaw. What are your favorite beers from the portfolio?
Craft beers typically have twice the amount of malted barley and five times the amount of hops as the typical commercial beers we see in China, so they offer stronger and more flavorful beer and ales. My favorite beers are the Brooklyn East India Pale Ale and North Coast’s Red Seal Ale. These beers really exemplify that superior taste. From the time your nose senses the bouquet of the brew, to the first mouth feel, to the finishing taste - the entire experience of drinking these beers is truly special.
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The beers: Brooklyn Lager, Brooklyn East India Pale Ale , Brooklyn Brown Ale, Brooklyn Local 1, North Coast Red Seal Ale , North Coast Acme CA Pale Ale , Old No 38, Rogue American Amber Ale , Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Kona Longboard Lager, Kona Big Wave Golden Ale, Gordon Biersch Marzen, and Gordon Biersch Pilsner.
The venues: Aman Resort Hotel, American Café, Aria , Beer Mania, Kro’s Nest, Carrefoure, Chef Too, Club Sandwich, The Den, Element Fresh, Goose and Duck, Little Italy, Mexican Kitchen, Tube Station, OT Lounge, Paddy O’Shea’s, Rickshaw, Tim’s Roadhouse, Tim’s Texas BBQ, TUN, and Union Bar and Grill (list provided by Brendan Koeninger).
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Is this one perfect for Halloween, or what?
