As China Blog readers may recall, last March I took a handful of Chinese brews across the Pacific to participate in the beer brackets, an unofficial companion to the annual NCAA men’s basketball tournament. There were a few surprising performances from the Middle Kingdom, but overall Chinese beers did not fare well in the competition. This year I won’t be attending the beer brackets. If I could, there is one beer I would be tempted to throw in the mix, if only as an ill-fated 16 seed. It’s called Jiahe Beer, which is rendered in English as a semi-pronounceable series of symbols and letters.
It’s name is wrapped in a frame you may recognize from a better known beer—Miller High Life.
And Jiahe Beer bears a slogan—”Just Enjoy It”—that’s a word off of Nike’s “Just Do It.”
There is one realm where Jiahe shows signs of innovation. It comes in a plastic, screw-top bottle. With its Nike-like motto and activity friendly container, Jiahe appears to be aiming for the wide-open sport beer market.
Having tried a few sips of Jiahe, I realize there is one other area in which it is a pioneer: flavor. The brew tastes like a light pilsner that’s been spiked with a few shots of vinegar. One sip and you’ll be tempted to toss it to the curb. But the plastic bottle will bounce right back, just like an underdog should.