Foreign brewers eye China as locals develop taste for craft beers

Hong Kong

WHEN Jin Xin first started selling imported premium beer a decade ago, his bar manager predicted that it would take a month or two just to sell a single case. But within a few years business picked up, and soon customers started frequenting the bar for its India pale ales and other European beers.

Now, one of Mr Jin's bars, NBeerPub, tucked away in a laid-back part of Beijing's old town, buzzes with young Chinese customers ordering imports such as Delirium Tremens, Lindemans Framboise and Brewdog Punk IPA. Mr Jin even sold a bottle of Brewmeister Snake Venom, a high-alcohol barleywine-style beer from Scotland, for about 2,700 yuan (S$590).

"Slowly, Chinese people have more money in their pocket," Mr Jin, 43, said in his apartment, where over 6,000 bottles from more than 60 countries filled the shelves. "After they have money, some want something better in terms of taste as…