Hutong Hunter: Hit Up These Hutong Brewpubs for an Andingmen-to-Beixinqiao Bar Crawl

Take a deep dive into the places, people, shindigs and more to be found in the hutongs of Dongcheng, Xicheng and Qianmen with the Hutong Hunter.

Beijing is, and always will be, a beer city. Sure, there are good cocktails to be had here, but since the 2000s the capital has been home to brews and breweries.

While what I like to call the big three – Great Leap, Jing-A, and Slow Boat – remain popular and ever-expanding, there are still a number of smaller breweries (legit microbreweries, if you will) to be found across the city. And there’s no better place to find these hidden gems than in the hutongs.

There are so many microbreweries, in fact, that they couldn’t possibly be covered in a single article – or in a single bar crawl, unless you’re keen on using these lists as a means of prepping for your next Karl Long Challenge.

To keep things simple – and to keep the hangover to a minimum – we’ve split this series into a few parts, beginning with a boozy jaunt from Andingmen to Beixinqiao.

Start Here: Wild Kite Brewpub

Opened this past September in the confines of 1921 Cultural Park, Wild Kite is a sophisticated yet cozy brewpub that offers not just their own line of beers, but also a selection of quality Australian brews.

All of this adds up to 22 beers on tap, which can make for quite the dilemma of decision-making. If you opt for a flight of beers they have two options: the Wild Kite Flight (RMB 68), which covers four of the venue’s own brews, and the AUS Flight (RMB 98), which includes six Australian options. You can also opt for glasses of beer at a size of 237ml or 330ml.

Your best bet: Get their Classic Wagyu Burger with fries, plus a glass of either their schwarzbier or Belgian-style wheat.

From here, walk out to Andingmen West Avenue and turn east, walking a little less than 800 meters until you get to Wudaoying Hutong. Keep eastbound until you’ve reached the next stop.

Regain Element

Since we first wrote about this brewpub after it opened way back in 2017, they’ve extended their own brewed options on tap from one beer, the Midnight IPA, to a whole alphabet of beers, ranging from the Thunderstorm Black IPA (RMB 50), to the Pineapple Dog Gose (RMB 50), to long-winded names like the Sichuan Pepper & Capsicum Frutescens Ale (RMB 50).

Peiping Machine

From Regain Element, double back down Wudaoying Hutong until you find Saffron, then turn south onto Jianchang Hutong. Keep walking until Jianchang turns into Gongyi Lane, and keep going south until you’ve reached the legendary Fangjia Hutong.

Once you’ve reached the 46 Fangjia complex, head as if you’re going to the southwest corner and you'll come to Peiping Machine. Featuring a more industrial feel, low lighting, and music ranging from jazz classics to ambient, it’s all a little bit quirky. This works well with the beers to be had here, with offerings ranging from hazy IPAs, to the more intriguing Smoked Plum Ale (which tastes just like you’d expect), to their Strawberry Wheat (RMB 40).

The Great Outdoors

If it wasn’t for the light blasting this brewpub’s logo onto the hutong street, you’d run the risk of walking right by this unassuming joint. But what it lacks in outside visibility, The Great Outdoors makes up for in homely and cozy appeal.

The bar is split into two stories, and even has a small auditorium space that is utilized by a great many groups, from comedy clubs to Beijing Improv and more. As for their beer, you can’t go wrong with the Wild West Hazy IPA (RMB 50), Snorkeling Hoppy Lager (RMB 38), or, for the more adventurous, their Very Seabuckthorn Sour IPA (RMB 68). Also, be sure to grab a plate of their pizza dumplings (RMB 35). They’re basically a Chinese take on Totino’s pizza rolls that won’t burn your mouth.

End Here: Lark Brewpub

Exiting The Great Outdoors, head east and walk to Dongzhimennei Dajie and turn south. Walk 300 meters until you get close to Beixinqiao Subway Station. Cross the street and, as if you were headed to the station’s Exit B, go around the right hand side of the exit and you’ll spot Lark Brewpub.

It’s warm, it’s cozy, it’s two stories ... and it’s a bit crowded, but it’s well worth the visit. They’ve got a number of standard beers ranging in price from RMB 30-80 a pint, plus some good snacks too, like Thai-style shrimp chips, wings, and other bar snacks.

Beers to try include their hazy IPA (RMB 80) and their UK-style IPA (RMB 50).

READ: Hutong Hunter: The Show Goes on at Soi Bar, AKA Soi Baochao 2.0

Images: Peiping Machine, Vincent R. Vinci, Dianping