As the craft brewing trend swept through Hangzhou, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts joined the Red Sea, and its self-built and operated urban beer bar has been gaining popularity since its opening.
The City Brasserie is a sleek taproom, and many patrons are accustomed to classifying its distinctive interior as American-industrial, when in fact it's more steampunk-esque. Inside, you will see large brewing equipment such as fermentation tanks arranged in the bar, surrounded by glass rooms, which are both functional and decorative, making customers feel as if they are in the winery. The dense pipes overhead, the huge wheeled valves on the walls, and the main tone of copper and brown give the store a mechanical feel from the early industrial era.
There are very few craft brews in the city, and there are only 8 home-brewed wines on its wine list. Six of them are named after the local place names of Hangzhou, giving people a full sense of intimacy, namely Panshui Pilsen, Wulin Wheat, Linping Light-colored Ayr, Pengbu Porter, Chengzhong Red Ale and Weng Mei Ale. The restaurant also carefully and concisely describes the flavor characteristics of each wine in the wine list, making it easier for customers to make a choice.
Pengbu Porter is a very recommended wine, it has a deep black body, sparse foam, and a slight smoky aroma. Roasted malt gives the wine a coffee flavor and a lower bitterness that is more suitable for drinking. The mouth is a little bitter, but the fragrance does not dissipate. Overall, this wine has a distinct port flavor and is very full-bodied. Ummeel is an American-style IPA, it exudes a strong citrus aroma, a crisp mouthfeel, a moderate killing taste, a slight moisture at the back, and the overall performance is decent. Although some customers complain that the flavor of the city's craft brews still needs to be improved, we still have to give it some credit because of its loyalty to its own brewing attitude.
The lack of professionalism is a shortcoming of service in the city, and the waiter will even ask customers layman's questions such as "do you prefer white beer or dark beer", but the enthusiastic work attitude has made up for it. On a note, the city also offers live resident performances, which are not often found in craft breweries.
