(Yicai Global) Nov. 27 -- The American Craft Beer Media Tasting Event ran today in Shanghai in the pleasant ambience of the Commune Reserve Taproom in the eastern Chinese megacity’s toney Changning district. Yicai Global, never one to shrink from an assignment, however difficult or dangerous, was naturally there to cover it. 

After a brief opening address by American Craft Beer Ambassador to China Lu Yandong, the sampling session began in earnest. Our Yicai Global reporter, nobbled by a cold, was unable to fully appreciate the bouquet -- technically known as the ‘hop break’ in maltose parlance -- but soldiered on ‘stoutly’ nonetheless as the fog of war descended.

Beijing-native Lu trotted out a slew of PowerPoint slides to illustrate the growth of the mushrooming sector in the world’s most populous nation, after familiarizing his listeners with the arcana of beers and ales -- distinguished as being bottom- and top-fermenting, respectively -- with brief scholarly asides on the historical development of the most popular sub-varieties.

The sky's the limit for craft beer in China, Lu later told Yicai Global. He declined to definitively delineate the “boundaries of future growth,” but pointed to last year’s 9 percent market increase as a sure augury of exponential performance. Given China's sky’s-the-limit potential, he sees the country’s up-and-coming breweries as complements to, not rivals with their US peers, said Lu, a recovering master brewer, in flawless English. 

Then things got down to the real nitty-gritty.

Head Kick

Boulder, Colorado-based Upslope's Citra India Pale Ale delivered precisely the splash of brashness and specific-gravity mule kick one expects in suds strong enough to withstand the punishing four- to six-month voyage from Olde Blighty to the Jewel in the Crown to slake the thirst of Redcoats and mad dogs garrisoning that torrid subcontinent. Yet Citra poured down very smoothly indeed, unveiling a velvety, clean finish with a hauntingly fruity aftertaste. 

North Carolina-headquartered New Belgium Brewing’s Voodoo IPA exhaled a robust, nutty savor with pronounced chocolate undertones when popped and its flavor did not fail to live up. San Diego-based Belching Beaver's Deftones Phantom Bride IPA, inspired by American alternative metal band Deftones’ 2016 song of the same name, also hits like a runaway train, but its intriguing symphony of Amarillo, Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic hops supplies a nice counter-bite to its 7.1 percent alcohol wallop.

Oregon-based Rogue Ales’ Newport Daze Hazy IPA weighed in at a svelte 5.5 percent alcohol, but still had moxie, though its citrusy finish almost causes you to peer for a wee paper parasol in your glass.

Dale's Pale Ale by Oskar Blues Brewery, even at a bantam 6.5 percent, has a real sting and packs quite a punch, as well as being mellow, yet crisp. With brewhouses in Colorado, North Carolina and Texas, this projectile in its pretty red, white and blue can is definitely going places. So is craft beer in general, with dedicated brewpubs now popping up like whack-a-moles throughout the length and breadth of the Middle Kingdom.

TGIF. Cheers!

Editor: Peter Thomas