Beer style
Draft Beer
扎啤 / 生啤zhāpí / shēngpí
Fresh from the tap, by the jug
- Category
- Fresh unpasteurised or draught lager
- Home region
- Qingdao and beer halls across China
In China, 扎啤 (zhāpí) is draught beer poured from the tap, often into large jugs to share, and 生啤 (shēngpí) usually means fresh, unpasteurised beer. In Qingdao, fresh beer is part of everyday life, and is even carried home in plastic bags.
Two words for fresh beer
扎啤 (zhāpí) is draught beer served from the tap, typically in large jugs shared around the table. 生啤 (shēngpí), literally 'raw beer', usually refers to fresh beer that has not been pasteurised, with a livelier, fresher taste.
Qingdao's fresh beer
In Qingdao, the home of Tsingtao, fresh draught beer is part of daily life: neighbourhood shops pour it straight from the keg, and in summer locals carry it home in transparent plastic bags.
How to order it
Ask for 扎啤 (zhāpí) and you will usually receive a jug or a large glass of draught beer. In some places you order by the litre, and jugs are shared around the table.
The Qingdao summer
Qingdao's fresh beer culture peaks in summer, when the city also hosts its international beer festival. Fresh beer, grilled skewers and clams stir-fried with chilli are the taste of a Qingdao summer night.
Drink it fresh
Unpasteurised beer is at its best within days of being brewed, which is why it is mostly enjoyed close to the brewery.
How to serve
Fresh and cold, from the tap, in jugs to share.
Food pairings
- Street barbecue, lamb skewers, clams with chilli and garlic, and fried snacks.
Sources
- The birth of China's most famous beer — The China Project, 2021
- Beer in China — Shanghai Information Office