Keep Your Glass Half-Full and the Heat Half-Empty With Beijing's Best Summer Drinks

There’s little we can do to escape Beijing’s sweltering summer heat, which often leaves us yearning for an endless stream of frosty beverages. And while water is doubtlessly the pinnacle of thirst-quenching goodness, there’s a host of other drinks that won’t only wet your whistle, but add a little summery vibe to your glass. As we embrace the recent spate of record temperatures, let us refresh and replenish our body with some of the best local summer beverages around.

Old Beijing Yogurt (老北京酸奶)

We can’t talk about Beijing summer drinks without first mentioning old Beijing yogurt, a local specialty that gets its name from the unique preparation dating back hundreds of years.

The original version – nai lao – was first concocted by imperial chefs of the 1800s. It wasn’t until the 1950s, however, that the recipe was made milder and sweeter, earning it a stellar reputation among the health-conscious and hip.

Despite being called a yogurt, this drink is closer to a milkshake and boasts a sweet finish with notes of tartness from its active cultures. More ubiquitous than the drink itself is probably the little clay jars that it’s served in, a common sight at just about every corner store in the city. Pro tip: if you want to get in good with the locals, then return your clay vessel to the vendor from which you bought it so it can be recycled.

Sour Plum Drink (Suanmeitang 酸梅汤)

Sour plum drink is a traditional Chinese beverage made from smoked Chinese plums, rock sugar, and other ingredients such as hawthorn berries and dried orange peel. This drink has been a staple of Beijinger’s summer sips for more than 1,000 years. However, the current recipe was developed during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). At the time, the drink was only served in the imperial courts. Thanks to one businessman’s entrepreneurial vision, however, the sour plum drink was introduced to common folks and quickly became one of the most popular summer drinks in town. 

Packed with intensely sweet and sour flavors plus a hint of salty and smoky aftertastes, the sour plum drink is not only delectable, it has unique health benefits that include throat-soothing, reduction in liver inflammation, and better digestion. 

Arctic Ocean Soft Drink (北冰洋 Běibīngyáng)

And of course, we can’t forget about the classic Beijing beverage, Arctic Ocean – or Beibingyang. In fact, Arctic Ocean has surpassed its humble origins as a common orange-and-cream soft drink to become one of China’s coveted time-honored brands. Likewise, the polar bear-adorned glass bottles have left an indelible mark on Beijing’s post-80s generation, who turn to the drink not only for its refreshing taste but also all the wistful childhood memories it packs in. 

Whereas locals have been reaching for Beijing yogurt and sour plum drink for hundreds, if not thousands of years, Beibingyang is relatively new on the scene having dominated the soda market in the 1980s. Unfortunately, in 1994, the company joined forces with US giant PepsiCo Inc., who subsequently let the drink disappear from Chinese markets for the next couple of decades. It wasn’t until 2011 that the original owners reacquired the brand and placed it back in the hands of Chinese folks, where it continues to be enjoyed on steamy summer nights alongside hotpot and chuan’r. 

READ: Keep the Sweat at Bay With These Four Cheap and Cooling Products

Images: blog.sina.com.cn, youzan.com, hacos.cn, Zhongguo Canyin