Malt Reality: Beiluogu Xiang's Bar & Brewery

Malt’s the name of the game at Malty Dog Bar & Brewery, where dimmed lightbulbs, wooden furnishings and an exposed brick bar finally gives beer the type of venue that has more often been reserved for wines and top-shelf cocktails (like Mai Bar, another project by owner Jeff Ji). This will cheer anyone who’s looking for a quiet spot to sip and savor a craft brew, bottled beer or tumbler of whiskey (neat or on the rocks).

Fridges are stocked with a wide range of imported beers, while the unmarked taps at the bar dispense Jeff’s own craft ales. We recently sampled a crisp, slightly sweet-malted Trappist Double (RMB 35); the Smoky Dog (RMB 40), a dark ale produced with smoked malt; and Christmas in July, a seasonal ale punctuated with the warming tones of cinnamon and cloves (RMB 35). Rounding out the tipple choices are a shelf of single malt scotch and bourbons.

Inevitably, this newest brewery will be compared to Great Leap and Slow Boat, but in a city with a mere handful of local brew options, there’s more than enough room for the type of place that Jeff is offering up.

Also try: Great Leap Brewing, Slow Boat Brewery

Malty Dog Bar & Brewery Tue-Fri 6pm-midnight Sat-Sun 1pm-midnight. 51 Beiluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District (no tel) 东城区北锣鼓巷51号

By subway: 1km southwest of Andingmen station (Line 2)

Photo: Lova