Talking Pints: the Beijinger's Tenth Anniversary Party, Great Leap Harvest Fest and other Beer News

If you don't know by now that the Beijinger's Tenth Anniversary Party is on today (Saturday!), you do now. All you need to know is this: The party is outdoors in the central plaza of Sanlitun Soho, it runs 4-9pm and entry on the door will cost you RMB 100. What you'll get for your money: free-flow beers including Hoegaarden and Boddingtons, along with other drinks both soft and alcoholic, party snacks like pizza and cupcakes (but don't come expecting a huge feed!), DJs and live music. Done. Now come down and join us as we celebrate ten years of life in Beijing and the little part we've played in it.

To celebrate both the opening of their brewery at Mutianyu and their one-year anniversary, Great Leap are offering you a day out in the countryside for their Harvest Fest, which takes place on Saturday, October 22. The event will be on a local farmer's land, in the shadow of the Great Wall at Mutianyu and a stone's throw from Great Leap's brewery.

For RMB 400 per person (RMB 700 for couples, RMB 150 for kids), you'll get all-you-can-drink beer, all-you-can-eat food and transport there and back. Buses will leave from Paddy O'Shea's at noon and from Lido Plaza at 12.30pm - the event runs from 2-10pm, with buses coming back from the Wall at 8.30pm and 9pm. If you're keen, sign up either at Great Leap or call Nathalie on 156 1121 8019 to arrange.

Great Leap has also just introduced a few new beers. These include "Dubbel Happiness," Three Door Trippel (with othmanthus flower), and an "awesome" cherry beer. They'll soon be launching a coffee and cardamon stout, too.

Speaking of craft brewing, one of our team went to a Slow Boat Brewery tasting at Susu a couple of weeks back to sample their offerings. Slow Boat is headed up by Chandler Jurinka from Local Noodles, alongside brewer Dan Hebert. They are looking to go straight into distribution rather than opening their own bar. Their American Pale Ale sells at RMB 35, with Brown Ale at the same price. About six more beers are in the pipeline, including a pumpkin, cofffee porter and more. Dan imports his hops from his native Oregon.

Away from craft beers, but still very much in the realm of freely flowing beer, Lantern is offering free-flow Sol before 11pm every night that they're open until October 28. Best of all, it appears to be not just free-flow, but actually free. Fine, Sol isn't the best tipple going, but you can hardly complain: if you don't like it, don't go. One very important thing to remember: Lantern is only open Thursday through to Saturday.

A few nights back, we stopped in at a new place called Alpha Wing, in the old Stumble Inn space on Lucky Street. It's less a bar than a place with golf simulators and a fridge full of Asahi, but it'd be fun if you're looking for a more active night out than sitting at a bar drinking and smoking. Golfers can also take refuge here as the freeze sets in and enjoy wearing gaudy knitwear and polo shirts right through the winter. Weekday prices are marginally cheaper, but on the weekends the golf starts at RMB 100 per hour for a single player. Prices are also cheaper the more players you have - on weekends, four can play for RMB 280 per hour. Downstairs, there's a KTV and another bar, along with more golf simulators.

Centro is set to reopen on October 20 after a few months of renovations. As well as the changes to the bar’s design, they’ve just introduced a new drinks list featuring signature creations from Centro mixologists and the cocktails dreamed up by the winners of a drinks-naming competition the bar ran a few months back.

Beijing Boyce tells us the 2011 edition of the Grape Wall Challenge - a consumer-led contest to find the best wines available in China for under RMB 100 - will take place on November 8 at Modo. The event isn't open to the public, but winning wines will be featured in Modo's enomatic machine following the contest. For more details, check out Boyce's post.

Cool DJ Agency is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a series of “Winter Fest 2011” events. Part 1 is on October 29, when Above & Beyond play Tango. Then they’re bringing Markus Schulz over for part two on December 2. A very big name is rumored to be lined up for part three, but we can’t give anything away just yet. When the time comes, all will be revealed.