Playful Cocktail Lounge Mason is One of Beijing’s Best Kept Secrets

With a drink named Hammerfall at a bar called Mason, one might expect an evening of rugged, burly boozing worthy of an old-time laborer who's just come off a 12-hour shift. And while the Hammerfall cocktail is no lightweight (made with Maker’s Mark, 10-year-old Laphroaig scotch, orange curacao, honey water, absinthe, lemon juice, and egg whites), the ambiance and menu at this Shoukai Bojun lounge near Sanlitun is far posher than either of those monikers would imply. 

Instead, Mason’s name should recall the secret society famously parodied in The Simpsons, seeing as it has been tucked away in the basement of this apartment complex for two years now, yet doesn’t get nearly as much fanfare as many of its cocktail contemporaries. The long, wood grain bar, plump leather chairs, and deeply stocked shelves of spirits behind the bar all give it a vibe worthy of a donning a smoking jacket and meeting up with fellow members to mull over Illuminati-worthy plots. 

Well, maybe the classy decor doesn't quite go that far (though the tough-to-find location helps). But the drinks certainly evoke such elegance. The aforementioned whiskey cocktail, for instance, not only has a more imaginative than average name in Beijing’s scene but also utilizes higher quality spirits than are employed at far too many of the capital's spots (challenging the trend of just listing “Whiskey” or “Gin” in the ingredients, instead of big-name brands like Mason does). The Hammerfall wasn’t as pulverizing as its name might imply, but it still packed a wallop thanks to its hefty splashes of whiskey, while the orange liqueur and lemon juice gave it a zest that balanced its frothy, egg-white-mixed texture. We know what you’re thinking: that’s a helluva load for one cocktail, but the staff here somehow balance the elements out just right. 

Other menu highlights include the rye-based, maraschino liqueur-mixed RMB 90 Mad Man, the RMB 90 White Walker (made with three-year-old Havana and Plantation Stiggins pineapple rum, passion fruit liquor, and Agosta bitters), and the zippy RMB 85 Mason’s Espresso (featuring Ketel One vodka, limoncello, salted caramel syrup, amaretto, and yes, espresso).

They’re not the cheapest drinks in town by any stretch, but nor are they above average in our increasingly costly capital. The sheer number of ingredients per drink, and the skill employed to pull those mixtures off, is what really makes this place stand out, while the cheeky cocktail titles serve as a fun little bonus as you woozily peruse the menu. And while the quiet location and utter lack of marketing have made Mason one of the best kept secrets in Beijing’s cocktail scene, the ambition and quality of the drinks will hopefully change that before long.

Mason 
Daily, 6pm-2am. B1-026, North Area of Shoukai Bojun, 8 Xindong Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新东路8号院首开铂郡北区院子内地下一层最北侧

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Photos courtesy of Mason