Jing-A successfully hosts the 2019 8x8 Brewing Project event

BEIJING,Oct. 24,2019 -- Jing-A Brewing Co.,one of China's pioneering craft breweries,recently held the annual 2019 8x8 Brewing Project,a beer festival that aims to build bridges between practitioners in the Chinese and Western craft beer industries while promoting the development of a high quality craft brewing sector in China.

2019 Jing-A 8x8 Project Brewers group photo

Each year,the 8x8 Brewing Project hosted by Jing-A pairs 8 breweries from Greater China with 8 breweries from selected regions around the world to jointly develop eight new beers,all of which make their world premiere at the 8x8 Brewing Project-themed festival held in the middle of October. In 2019,breweries from the Northeastern part of the United States and from Canada were invited by Jing-A to work with their counterparts from mainland China,Hong Kong and Taiwan,to create eight innovative and pioneering craft beers. During the event,beer lovers were given an opportunity to taste new and different beer flavors that were the result of the joint effort while gaining a deeper insight into what is unique about Chinese beer culture.

The name Jing-A was inspired by the first passenger car license plates registered in Beijing,which marked the beginning of a new era for China with private car ownership as a new milestone achieved in the automotive industry,similar to the history of the craft brewing sector in the country. Jing-A,one of the longest-established craft beer brands in China,was founded in 2012 by Alex Acker from the U.S. and his old friend Kris Li from Canada,with the mission of creating unique handcrafted beers using both locally sourced and imported high-quality ingredients,inspired by local culture and flavors as well as global craft beer trends. Jing-A now owns and operates two brewpubs in Beijing and continues to challenge itself to brew great beers and change the public's perception towards beer brewed in China. Jing-A's beers have received over 30 international awards for beer quality and are now available in over 400 bars and restaurants across the country. They also maintain the highest ranking among Chinese breweries on Untapped,the world's leading craft beer rating app,with over 16,000 reviews for Jing-A beers.

Jing A founder Kris (left) and Alex (right)

Jing-A is committed to brewing beers with an interesting array of ingredients that deliver unexpected flavors,improving on classic styles based on a bold combination of experimentation and collaboration with breweries worldwide. Most recently,Jing-A began working hand in hand with Stillwater Artisanal,a brewery founded in 2010 by Brian Strumke,a former globetrotting DJ and electronic music producer,in a move to disrupt and recast the public's expectations of the average beer. Inspired by a traditional Chinese folk remedy for curing cold symptoms,which involves boiling Coca-Cola with ginger,Jing-A and Stillwater Artisanal brewed up an Imperial Cola Sour style beer named Chinese Medicine to present at this year's 8x8 festival. The beer features cola spices and ginger and packs a punch at 10% alcohol by volume.

In addition to its collaborative efforts with breweries from around the world,ranging from Iceland to San Diego and even the middle eastern country of Jordan,Jing-A also keeps its brewpubs stocked with dozens of other beers produced throughout the year. These include its flagship brews like Flying Fist IPA and Mandarin Wheat,as well as several seasonal beers,such as the Toasted Chestnut Brown Ale or Airpocalypse Double IPA,and beers using experimental flavors,including the Mijiaya Neolithic Ale and "What About Mi?",a sour glutinous rice wine.

Chinese and international craft breweries have bolstered brand awareness around the world by participating in the previous two editions of the event. Portland,Oregon-based Gigantic Brewing,successfully formed a partnership with a Chinese distributor after it participated in the 2017 8x8 Brewing Project event and entered the Chinese market in 2018,while Parallel 49 from Vancouver,Canada also established a presence in the Chinese e-commerce retail market. The Chinese breweries have also made long-lasting friendships with these leading overseas brewers,aiding their ability to spread Chinese craft beer culture to the rest of the world. The 8x8 Brewing Project event has become a stepping stone for Chinese and international craft breweries who want to learn more about each other and explore new markets around the world.

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