China - chiming, far away...

[Driftless]

(Greg Brown and beer - always seemed a good fit...)

Greetings,

The down and dirty: I just moved to China, and did not have room in the suitcase for bags of grains, hops, yeasties, etc... Specialty supplies of any kind are hard to come by (though concerted effort this weekend did yeild coffee beans, butter, an overn and a lead on cheese... but thats another story.)

So, does anyone have a lead on a mail-order supply co. that is in, or can ship to, China?

Not that I don't love the 3.0% juice they brew locally - but I want to drink something I can't see light comming through!

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[RichBrewer]

Welcome to HBT Driftless!
Wow! It sounds like home brewing is going to be quite a challenge for you!

 

[Tokyo Brewnewb]

Sorry I can't help you out with any China-centric homebrew info., but welcome fellow expat!

 

[mattm3]

I lived in Indonesia for a while and it was hard to find stuff there too.

I tried going to the brewer of the local beer there, Bintang, but was unsuccessful. Maybe you would have better luck in China. You may be able to get malt extract or grains or something.

I did order stuff through the mail though because I had access to an FPO (Fleet Post Office, like an APO) through the embassy. Maybe you could make friends with someone at the embassy if you are in Beijing and they could order supplies in return for brewing together and splitting the beer or something (but it is technically illegal for someone to use an FPO to ship stuff for someone else who doesn't have FPO access). Regardless, the shipping cost is still expensive.

I would also stock up stuff anytime I took a trip back to the civilized world. When I took a vacation to Australia, I took an empty suitcase and filled it up with malt extract.

 

[Jesse17]

Wow, that's a switch sending something to China. I thought everything was made in China?

At least you could brew some Budwieser...it's mostly rice anyway.

Sorry I can't help, just couldn't pass up the oppertunity, to say it before someone else did. Welcome to HBT, and good luck!

 

[Driftless]

Though in a strange twist of irony, here in the midst of the rice paddies, budweiser is the most expensive brew on the shelves (well, to be fair, the most expensive of the three sold in my hamlet...)

Here's hope'n someone, somewhere has the inside scoop.

 

[BrianP]

Ni Hao.

Where are you in China? I had some really good beer while in Shanghai, but as with things in Shanghai, it wasn't cheap. I went to a very good Paulaner brewpub in Shanghai (I believe they brew their own on the premises). Maybe you could buy malt/hops from them at cost?

I did read that Tsingdao imports all of their malt/hops due to quality concerns with domestic sources (Wikipedia - take it for what it's worth).

 

[Driftless]

I'm in deep south china - almost in Laos...

I too have read about the quality concerns with local materials. However, the plot thickens as I am now am tasked with teaching local Chinese scientists how to brew. They want to start making beer from local ingredients. Anyone done much malting?

 

[bigjohnmilford]

I'm in deep south china - almost in Laos...

I too have read about the quality concerns with local materials. However, the plot thickens as I am now am tasked with teaching local Chinese scientists how to brew. They want to start making beer from local ingredients. Anyone done much malting?

I'm sure importing all the material you need will not be cheap or easy.I work for a large computer company and we send computer equipment to China on a regular basis and no matter how well the paperwork is prepared it always gets hung up in customs. With food items and such I'm sure it'll be even worse. Perhaps since if you're going to be teaching them to brew they should get the material for you. Best of luck in your brewing.

 

[BrianP]

My friend in Shanghai found a source of liquid and dry malt extract for you in Shanghai. However it is domestically produced, not imported. Given the recent issues with quality of food products in China, it's something to keep in mind. They're also geared toward bulk shipping (drums of LME, sacks of DME). He couldn't find a source of malt.

Shanghai AB Food & Beverages Ltd.
8 Lancun Road, Minhang Economic & Technological Development Zone, Shanghai. China

I though of another option - you could contact the major malt producers and see if they distribute in China.
Breiss: [email protected]
Durst: [email protected]

 

[Driftless]

My friend in Shanghai found a source of liquid and dry malt extract for you in Shanghai.

Great!

Thanks for the beta. I think I may be able to justify some bulk purchases.

Ganbei! (lit: dry glass, ie, drain the mug)

 

[msherretz]

Welcome to HBT Driftless!
Wow! It sounds like home brewing is going to be quite a challenge for you!

Hi guys,
I do have a homebrew shop here in Shanghai. I have some grains and hops along with equipment now and a container in Customs as I write this. I have another container coming hopefully before the end of September.

I will be in the Chili Cook-off at Bubbas BBQ at the Expo site in Shanghai on September 15th. I won the Ontario Chili Cook-off when I was on assignment in Toronto and they pushed me to enter, so I'll have lots of beer there to share. Stop by if you can.

The following weekend I have a tent at the Kerry Beer Fest in Pudong near the Pudong Intl. Expo site very close to Century Park. I will also be entering a homebrew contest in Nanjing in October.

In addition to the brew days each month, I brew probably a total of 10 batches a month and have kegs for parties. I use a device (that I also sell) that uses a 16 gram CO2 cartridge like those used for paint ball guns. I am having trouble finding the CO2 cartridges though in Shanghai at the moment. So if you can find them, I'll make it worth your while!

I use Corny kegs and have them for sell while also providing corny kegs for parties.

Anything you guys need, let me know and I'll help you get it. Keep in touch!

By the way, I've been a Premium member here since 2010.

Cheers, Mike Sherretz
MY HOMEBREW SHOP
+86-158-2111-3870

 

[msherretz]

My friend in Shanghai found a source of liquid and dry malt extract for you in Shanghai. However it is domestically produced, not imported. Given the recent issues with quality of food products in China, it's something to keep in mind. They're also geared toward bulk shipping (drums of LME, sacks of DME). He couldn't find a source of malt.

Shanghai AB Food & Beverages Ltd.
8 Lancun Road, Minhang Economic & Technological Development Zone, Shanghai. China

I though of another option - you could contact the major malt producers and see if they distribute in China.
Breiss: [email protected]
Durst: [email protected]

I have Briess DME and hopefully my shipment of LME will arrive in October.

Cheers, Mike Sherretz
MY HOMEBREW SHOP
+86-158-2111-3870