Tsingtao Beer: China’s #5 Beer in the World
What’s one thing that illustrates the whole of China’s growth and evolution throughout the 1900s? What shows China as a country embracing the rest of the world, growing with it, and becoming a major player in global economics?
What if I told you the answer wasn’t a beautiful painting, a well-worded book, or any kind of television documentary? No, a clearer picture can be framed from the cultivation and growth of Tsingtao beer.
Living in Qingdao (青岛), Shandong, China, Tsingtao beer is inescapable. For some, that may be a problem, but for me, it’s heaven on earth. I fancy myself a nice cold beer, and Qingdao is the number one city to live in for just that.
Hosting the #1 exported beer in all of China, Qingdao has a rich history with the sudsy brew. Tsingtao beer itself has an amazing story that dates back over 100 years. Over the century, the brand has cultivated a strong and loyal following, and rightfully so. Consistent and tasty, Tsingtao beer is even the fifth most-drank beer in the world!
How did Qingdao as a town come to foster such a behemoth in the beer industry? Like all things throughout history, there’s quite a story to tell.
German Beginnings
Germany is as established in the beer game as they are in the sausage industry. With a long and successful history in brewing, it may come as a surprise that Tsingtao beer originally got its start with the help of the Germans.
The European country originally colonized Qingdao in 1898. Although the colony did not stay in Germany’s hands for long, it did leave an everlasting imprint on Chinese culture through its cultivation of a brewery in 1903. Originally founded by Anglo-German Brewery Co. Ltd, an English-German company. The brewery did not hold the name “Tsingtao” yet; instead, it was named the “Germania-Brauerei” or German Brewery.
The brewery would produce its first drink over the counter in 1904. This drink would be a traditional German-style pilsner. The Germans were able to see great success in the production of their precious beer due to several ways. One was the innovation of cultivating the land around them by using the mineral water from the nearby Laoshan springs.
However, as World War 1 came around the corner, both the brewery and Qingdao were in for a huge change.
Japanese Occupation of Qingdao
The Japanese occupied Qingdao officially on November 7th, 1914. The Japanese Imperial Army ousted germans within the colony, including the brewmasters of the Germania-Brauerei.
According to Robert Bickers of the University of Bristol in his article Tsingtao Beer: A Complex Brew, without the German brewmasters, the English side of the venture had no way to continue to run the brewery. Due to this realization, the company was liquidated and sold to the Japanese brewery Dai-Nippon which was made official on September 9th, 1916.
Dai-Nippon itself would later split into two different beer juggernauts, Asahi Breweries and Sapporo Breweries. However, the Japanese would not hold onto the brewery for long as World War I closed.
The Nationalization of Tsingtao Beer
After the Japanese’s surrender to the Allies, the Dai-Nippon Qingdao Brewery would officially be handed over to the Tsui family. This was done under the supervision of the Chinese Nationalist government of Nanjing.
While in the hands of the Tsui family, the brewery would continue to run without major success. However, this would change in 1949 when the People’s Republic of China would be founded. As with many things in Chinese history, the creation of the PRC would mark a large change in the future of the Qingdao located brewery.
Now state-owned, the brewery continued to refine its technique. Although the state held the brewery for nearly 50 years, the beer brand was still far from what we know as Tsingtao today. This transformation into a world-famous brand would come to fruition in the early 1990s.
Privatization and Expansion
Once in the 1990s, the original brewery was privatized. Later in 1993, it would finally be merged with three other breweries. This group of four would be branded as the Tsingtao Brewery Company Limited. During this period, the company began to see exponential growth not only within China's mainland but in the greater world around it.
Taken care of by competent brewmasters, they continued the tradition of the original Germania-Brauerei style. Using German techniques and sourcing mineral water from Laoshan spring, the Tsingtao breweries cultivated a consistent and tasty beer.
This expansion and refining saw immeasurable success. The very first Tsingtao Beer Festival was held on June 23rd, 1991. Branded as “China’s Oktoberfest” by many patrons, the festival and growth of Tsingtao beer mirror the globalization of the Chinese economy. Opening their beer to the world, they could reach new heights that before seemed unreachable.
Tsingtao Today
Tsingtao beer is a fixture within China. It is found within nearly every corner store, supermarket, and restaurant. The green glass bottle dressed with a dark green label has become synonymous with a good time. This was achieved through the manufacturing and unwavering potential that was tapped into once privatized.
As of 2012, the brand has a total of 59 breweries. However, the original four breweries have continued to stand the test of time. My friends in Qingdao tell me that you can tell exactly which of the four original breweries the beer came from by taste and the design on the bottom of the bottle. With a culture and history like this paired with consistency and a large national image, it’s no question how Tsingtao became such a superpower.
Major sporting companies, including the Chinese Basketball Association, music festivals, major television channels, and more, are all sponsored by Tsingtao beer. While watching TV, walking down the street, or browsing your phone, you will be bombarded by Tsingtao’s green-colored marketing. In recent years major celebrities have taken to posing with the brand as a sign of solidarity with fans.
With this much pulling power and being widely available worldwide, Tsingtao beer has become the #5 most popular beer in the world, according to Newsweek. Pair this with cornering over 15% of the total Chinese market, and Tsingtao will have a presence in the beer world for much longer to come.
My Experience with Qingdao
I love beer. There, I said it. Anyone who knows me knows that’s a fact. Tsingtao, although on the weaker side with their traditional lager, has shaped a large part of some of my favorite experiences in China. From chugging a boot at a Tsingtao company party with my friend due to the beckoning of the vice-president (yes, this happened) to visiting the Tsingtao beer festival. Living in Tsingtao’s hometown has given me some one-of-a-kind stories.
As a self-proclaimed beer snob, I might get looks from my peers for enjoying Tsingtao so much, as it is little more than a light lager. However, what some may not know is that there is a plethora of different Tsingtao beers than just the iconic green bottle. The brand offers other options, including IPA, pilsner, and more.
If you have an H-Mart or any other Asian market, look for some Tsingtao beer and tell me what you think!
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