Jing-A's New Xingfucun Brewpub Opens Tonight

原创 Tracy W. theBeijinger

As a beer drinker or foodie in Beijing, you may already be familiar with their origin story: Jing-A began brewing in their humble 700L facility at The Big Smoke in 2013, before opening their first venue, Jing-A Taproom at Courtyard 4, which is now home to popular year-round beers, small-batch, seasonal, and experimental brews. This slow and steady evolution has helped it secure its place as one of our favorite go-to brewpubs in Beijing.

This year, though, Jing-A is returning to its roots, taking over The Big Smoke venue that gave it its start and renovating it to become their second proper bricks and mortar location, dubbed Jing-A Xingfucun Brewpub, as well as the home of their brewing facilities. In a beautiful, full-circle tale of the student becoming the master, the Jing-A brewpub will return home, but bigger and better than ever before, officially opening their doors this afternoon (Sep 28) at 4pm with food, music, and of course lots and lots of beer. We are lucky to get a sneak peek of exactly what you can expect.

We appreciate the clear design of the beer board for when our eyesight goes foggy

The spacious, revamped venue consists of several parts: the beer bar boasts 16 taps of Jing-A brews (and will include rotating guest beers in the future), with high bar stools and tables along the wall; the corridor has been transformed, providing ample counter space for drinkers to mingle; and lastly, groups can dine and sit comfortably in the two large dining rooms, which include two long tables behind the bar and a window providing direct access to the bar for quick and frequent refills.

The hallway links the beer bar, dining rooms, the kitchen, and The Back Bar

Hello, Lei Feng shushu

A mini version of their carnivore platter

There’s a kitchen down the hall, where their new chef Andrew Dilda (winner of the People's Choice prize at the Meat Fight Pro Barbecue Cook-Off for the past three years in a row) works his magic. The menu is also mostly revamped and consists of “authentic, freshly-smoked Texas barbecue,” such as sliced beef brisket, pulled pork, pork belly, pork sausage, and pork ribs (RMB 70-130), Texas-sized beef ribs (RMB 400); starters (RMB 30-50), including chips and salsa, Lao Ma’s cornbread, crispy Brussels sprouts, loaded fries, wings, pulled pork sliders, and Jing-A's Chop Chop salad. There are plenty of sandwiches (RMB 50-70), including the classic cheeseburger, the “Where’s the Meat?” Burger, a barbecue brisket sandwich, chicken salad sandwich, and the Jing-A BLT.

If you are extremely hungry or come with a group of people, we'd suggest the carnivore platter (RMB 388), which includes each of their classic smoked meats (served from 5pm-11pm): beef brisket, pulled pork, two sausage links, a half slab of pork ribs, and brisket burnt ends, with sides of coleslaw, house pickles and grilled mantou. We had the pleasure of tasting a miniature version of the platter, and enjoyed every single morsel, but especially the beef brisket, which is served with a special sauce to bring the sweet, smokey, savory and acidic flavors and texture of the meat to another level. With the apparently expert touch of Chef Dilda, Jing-A's new barbecue offerings will surely satisfy the pickiest carnivores in town.

My oh my, the "opium" Mac n’ Cheese (RMB 40)

The generous tossing of cheeses in the mac 'n’ cheese (RMB 40) made the dish exceptionally creamy and addictive, and perhaps even the best I’ve had in Beijing. They also offer a special "munchies" menu (RMB 15-50) for late-night diners, served after 11pm, such as barbecue brisket tacos, pork rib tacos, seasoned fries, loaded fries, and chips and salsa. We couldn’t quite hold on till 11pm to try the tacos so you'll have to explore those yourself. Fans of The Big Smoke will be happy to hear that they have kept some classic and popular dishes from their menu, such as roasted chicken and roasted cauliflower with creamy pepper sauce.

Pie in a Jar (RMB 30)

To pander to sweet teeth, they offer the Pie in a Jar (RMB 30) with three flavors: banana cream walnut, cinnamon apple, and double chocolate Oreo. The banana option featured a cut of caramelized banana, balanced by the "pie's" rich cream, nutty walnut, and crunchy bottom. We can’t wait to dash back after the opening to try the remaining two flavors.

Cocktails on tap

Another fun addition is the space's Back Bar, tucked away at the far end of the hallway, where they have set up extra beer taps and draft cocktails. Yes, you read us right: cocktails on tap! The cocktails (all priced at RMB 50, one of the most reasonable prices around Sanlitun) include a classic Negroni, Mala Mule, margarita, Cargo Hold, and the Good Day. The featured recipes are pulled from popular bars across Beijing, such as Tiki Bungalow and Mao Mao Chong. We especially enjoyed the Cargo Hold (Jamaican rum, Amaro Lucano liquor, orgeat syrup, lime, and elderflower liqueur) for its citrusy, nutty, floral, and herbal flavors packing plenty of punch. On top of that, Jing-A has made the point to stock “the shelves with our favorite bourbons, whiskeys, and rums to pair with the barbecue and craft beer, or sip neat after-hours.”

Cargo Hold (RMB 50) is bold and strong

Jing-A Brewpub Xingfucun officially opens this afternoon (Sep 28) at 4pm, and to make things more exciting, they'll celebrate with an all-night RMB 10 discount on all beers (better let your roommates and loved ones know that you'll be getting home late). Whether you're hungry, thirsty, or just curious about the buzz, stop by this evening, grab a pint, and give your cheers to Jing-A!

Jing-A Brewpub Xingfucun
Mon-Wed 5pm-midnight, Thur 4pm-midnight, Fri 4pm-2am, Sat 11am-2am, Sun 11am-midnight. Lee World Building, 57 Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyang District (152 1090 7612)
朝阳区幸福村中路57号楼利世楼 (152 1090 7612)

Photos: Jing-A, Tracy Wang

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