Wangjing's New Hisewel Brew-pub & Kitchen Is Worth the Long Commute
Wangjing is becoming a new magnet for fun food and beverage businesses. Prime example: two-month-old Hisewel Brew-pub, which joins nearby beer inclined newbies like Kamehameha, Dao Taproom, and iB.
Unlike many of the more cramped brewpubs downtown, Hisewel Brew-pub is a spacious venue with plenty of café-style wooden tables, and several tables outside. At the entrance, you can see the shiny brewing facilities, including ten stainless fermenting tanks from the famous (and expensive) Chinese brand HGM. The mind behind those suds is enthusiastic brewer Gordon McMeekin, who started as a homebrewer, spent years working at breweries in London, and finally moved to Beijing last year.
There were 19 beers (RMB 39-59) on tap during our visit, ranging from four lagers, two wheat beers, four IPAs, two ales, and an oatmeal stout. All of those suds were brewed on-site, which is pretty bold for a start-up brewpub. Overall, their beers tilt toward the lighter, fresh, and easy-drinking side.
After tasting nearly all of their brews (I know, it was a hard job), we especially liked the Mosaic Gold IPA. It boasted a relatively mild 5.1 percent ABV, and was brewed with single hops (Mosaic hops, duh). It was floral, fruity and easy-drinking, with a combination of lovely hoppy aromas – pineapple, mango, and pine. Their Belgian wheat, meanwhile, was floral and infused with orange peels imported from Spain. The Sichuan peppercorn ale (RMB 49) was also an interesting brew, thanks to its European malts and high-quality Sichuan peppercorns. The addition of cinnamon gave it a fragrant kick.
A flight of four tasters only costs RMB 68, which is quite a bargain compared to other bars around town. An imperial stout will be out within two months, we were told by McMeekin, whose eyes sparkled as he talked about Hisewel's beers. They also offer decent food, including typical bar snacks like fries, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, and chicken wings, as well as salad, tapas, sausages, pasta, chuan’r, and even steak.
During our weekend afternoon visit, Wangjing locals sat playing cards and sharing a pot of tea at a table across the room. But thanks to the beer goggles provided by McMeekin, even the song “Je Me Suis Fait Tout Petit” by Georges Bransens playing over the brewpub's speakers, along with the sight of the card-players nearby, wasn’t too bizarre.
In all, we are happy to see such interesting developments in the northeast Beijing, and we’d like to come back to try the Imperial Stout when it’s ready. Even an hour long, traffic-packed ride from downtown wouldn’t stop us from returning to Hisewel to see how it grows.
Hisewel Brew-pub & Kitchen
Daily 11am-2am. A3-125, Youlehui, Wangjing, Chaoyang District (6477 7368)
朝阳区望京悠乐汇A3-125
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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
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Photos: Tracy Wang, Gordon McMeekin, Zhang Yuting
