Yanjing Beer - Beijing Yanjing Beer Group Corporation

vacax

California

4/5  rDev +56.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

600 mL green bottle. China's #1 selling beer, brewed with spring water for a crisp, refreshing taste. I was so taken by this stunning beer that I used it for my New Year's toast for 2010. First beer for a new year. Here's to another year of great craft beer.

Pours a vibrant golden color with a large thick white head. Retention is average and lacing is slightly above average. Very nice bubbles pop up in my glass and quite an attractive ring of fine bubbles present as I drink. This is looking pretty good for an adjunct lager. Aromas of dried apples, pet skunk, coconut. Interesting smell beyond the minutiae of skunks. Tastes intriguing actually, instead of metallic and grainy it is fruity, almost like a white grape juice or cider mixed with a splash of plastic flavor. Far less objectionable than many American adjunct lagers. Light and immensely bubbly and champagne like even.

This is still an adjunct lager, but it takes it in a somewhat new direction that I find quite interesting. I definitely recommend trying this. Of course no BA is going to adore a beer like this, but it is a departuire from the norm. Why not break up a tasting of rare and fine ales with some Yanjing? I can't stress this enough: it is brewed with spring water people.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2010 08:23:55 | More by vacax

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev +45.7%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Nice clear bottle covered in silver foil. I served this in a big ole' tulip glass....why? I don't know.

A - Lemon gold with a short-lived fizzy head that fizzles to a fizzy haze in about two seconds. Some soapy lace sticks to the glass, but only sporadically.

S - Sweet apple cider aroma on top of a basic macro lager scent. I swear to God this smells like cider! Gentle apple and blossom aromas with the faintest touch of vinegar.

T - Surprisingly malty and extremely sweet with a lot of apple notes. Again, some vinegar is coming through too. This is way better than I thought it would be! Makes me think of a big ass 40oz of cheapo malt liquor with a bottle of cider poured into it.

M - Full bodied in the way that malt liquor is full bodied. Very grainy and solid.

D - I like this a lot...this is by far the best macro lager that I've ever had! Just outstanding for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2007 04:54:01 | More by pmcadamis

WesWes

New York

3.6/5  rDev +40.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a pale gold color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing; decent head retention. The aroma is decent. It has a clean pilsner malt scent with little hop aroma. The taste is decent as well. It has a smooth pilsner and adjunct flavor that goes down real easy and finishes dry and clean. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a low bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a great session lager. It's simple and well brewed. Nice job.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2009 21:49:34 | More by WesWes

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.55/5  rDev +38.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Yanjing Beer has a thick, white head and a clear, bubbly, golden appearance, with some thin lacing left behind. The aroma is sugary sweet and grainy. Tastse is of the same, with a bit of paper and some light bittering thrown in. Mouthfeel is light and watery, and Yanjing Beer finishes crisp, clean, refreshing, and easy going. Overall, this is a very good beer, and I am so glad I was able to try it.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 20:07:08 | More by RonaldTheriot

Parrotbeak

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev +36.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pale yellow with a patchy white head.
Smell is slightly spiced malts. Faint hint of ginger, and some buttery notes.
Taste is bready malts with a cinnamon-butter aspect. More faint ginger.
Mouthfeel is crisp, with a faint bite from the carbonation. Slightly sticky on the finish. Light body.
Drinkability is good. Decent beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2010 02:38:33 | More by Parrotbeak

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3.48/5  rDev +35.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Big shout out to my good friend JM03 for the hook up! :)

Pours a clear, fizzy yellow. However, even with a fairly generous pour, a collar of maybe a finger appeared. Twas white as rice, dissipated quickly, and left a couple spots.

Well, the smell is interesting. Really, it's like sniffing a bag of Quaker rice cakes, light salt grazing and all. I presume rice is the adjunct here, which isn't all that bad so far.

Taste is pretty close to the smell. It's kinda like a rice cake in beer form. Finish is a little bitter, sweet and salty.

The feel is slick, light, and crisp.

It's refreshing, and for an adjunct, I've had plenty that were worse than this. There's really nothing offensive or "bad" about this, it's just naturally less than exciting all around.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 00:42:06 | More by EgadBananas

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev +34%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Yanjing beer, The Official State Beer of China.
No discernable freshness date.

A. Clear 12 oz bottle with foil top into a Miller Lite pint glass. Soapy bone white head with good retention.

S. Semi pleasant nose of bready malt, yeast notes and a nice sweet small grain rice aroma.

T. Crisp malt coupled with light husk notes and some clean fusel alcohal in there as well. Definate grain/rice touch to add some additional flavor. Hops are missing except maybe a slight bitter/tea like moment.

m. Very light and crisp with ample carbonation.

D. An easy drinking macro from the Republic of China that actually outdoes other major breweries American Adjunct Lagers. Not something I would really seek out, unless looking for a light beer to pair with seafood. This is excellent for that.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2009 21:03:31 | More by Stinkypuss

JamesS

Indiana

3.43/5  rDev +34%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a decent yellow fizzy color with some good initial head (fine for an adjunct lager). Crisp clean scent, hints of rice in the sweetness. Clean taste, mostly malt, bit of sweet rice, no hop characteristics; at least there was no nasty skunkiness to it. Goes down very smoothly. Not bad over all for the style of beer.

Had at Bent Willeys, Morgantown.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2009 13:10:44 | More by JamesS

notchucknorris

California

3.43/5  rDev +34%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pale-ish golden color with barely any head. What head there is goes away pretty quickly.

S: Red delicious apples, lemon, grain and a little pale malt.

T: Pale malts, lemon, golden delicious apples, grain and some bread. Overall, one of the more drinkable adjuncts I've had.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 04:53:15 | More by notchucknorris

MarcGetty

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev +32%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Yanjing is pretty good but at the expense of doing anything bold. The flavor is lacking with nothing exciting going on. Bright gold color with very little head and a nice bit of carbonation. Smells like your typical macro American brew but more drinkable then your average American macrobrew.

Worth trying a single, but an investment in a six pack or more is not warranted.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2006 23:20:19 | More by MarcGetty

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev +32%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a clear into a weizen glass.Has a golden color with 1/2 inch head. Mild, malty aroma. Taste is crisp and refreshing but not very flavorfull. Light but pleasent in the mouth. Very drinkable, especially in warm weather. Overall a slightly above average beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2009 21:46:45 | More by tone77

neenerzig

Ohio

3.28/5  rDev +28.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got this beer as part of a 12 pack "Beers of the World" from World market as a Christmas present from my cousins. Pours the standard clear golden color of most American macro lagers. I suppose its color is a little darker than most American macro lagers. White foam head is initially large but shrinks quite fast. It doesn't toally dissappear though, it just shrinks in size considerably. Eventually it did totally dissappear, but it took awhile. Not much a smell at all to speak of, sort of a skunky, sour aroma with a hint of malt and perhaps some grains. Not a particularly appealing aroma. A sort of bland sweet taste initially hits the palate accompanied by some hints of malt and even a bit of fruit thrown in with a very mild trace of hops. A bit of a watery and crisp mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Pretty drinkable as it goes down quite easily. All in all an ok beer, a little better than many typical American macro lagers, but nothing special. It seems to be missing something. It's as if this beer isn't living up to its full potential. If I never drink it again I won't consider it a loss.

Eric

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2006 03:13:36 | More by neenerzig

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.28/5  rDev +28.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served slightly chilled in a chalice from a green bottle.

A: Bright corn colored pour with a brilliant clarity. The head, though short lived was of generous size at first, but failed to hold with a good deal of bubbly activity on the surface that dissipated it to polished surface right before the eyes. The head was a dull white coloring and failed to lace and cling to the glass for window dressing.

S: green corn stalks, fairly clean, no off flavors but not a lot more going on.

T: The flavor was sweet corn balanced by a soft green hopping. Again fairly clean not at all offensive as one would expect from a Chinese made American macro. Wont knock your socks off or challenge your taste buds, but per style have to say fairs better then most of the American made macros ive experienced and tolerable when sampled through the eyes per style.

M: Pretty good fullness per style, not at all weak and watery like so many others. Soft to non-existent carbonation, not at all fizzy like expected. Slippery and smooth, easy on the swallow leaving a bit of greenery hops behind.

D/O: Mindless lawnmower beer but again on par with expectations and fairs a cleaner palate then most American made macros. I can drink a few of these without being offended or without bearing a grimace. A little sweet but worthy of style.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2011 22:01:27 | More by beerthulhu

PBRstreetgang

Ohio

3.18/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours pale yellow with decent clarity with a one and a half finger head of dense soap bubbles. Little to no lacing. Nose is uncommonly clean, save mabye a whiff of sulfur. Corn and pale malt sweet upfront, with a curious blend of sulfur and ester, but nothing really offensive it and fades quickly. Aftertaste is dry with weak and indistinct noble hops. Thin body and medium carbonation, the sweetness and off-flavor threaten to be become cloying, but the finish is mild with an easy drinkabilty. A faint buiscuity malt flavor emerges near the end, so the taste is flawed but at least has some depth of character.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2006 03:17:33 | More by PBRstreetgang

baos

Indiana

3.15/5  rDev +23%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into my favorite Trappist glass

A: Golden yellow with a tiny head on the pour that vanishes pretty quickly.

S: Fresh grains tiny bit o' malt and maybe the tiniest hint of a hop in there.

T: Not really sweet like I though it would be. Actually is pretty nicely balanced. Fresh grains tiny bit o' malt and maybe the tiniest hint of a hop in there. Has a dry finish. This beer tastes a lot better than I thought it would. MMM commie beer!

M: Lots of carbonation there that almost takes the watery feel away. Its not so bad.

D: I think I could muster 5 or six of these over a 4 course Chinese meal. Or even a Thai meal thats Thai hot. This beer goes well with spicy food. Having pizza right now drowned in Sriracha sauce. MMMM

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2007 02:21:21 | More by baos

dstc

Florida

3.13/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep golden color with a nice foamy white head. Thin lacing.

Sweet and spicy aroma.

Sweet malts in the taste with a distinct flavor that I can't figure out. There may be some apple there but what is that taste?

Thin to medium mouthfeel and well carbonated.

Very easy to drink, light and sweet.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2008 01:29:04 | More by dstc

John

New York

3.1/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The local beer in Beijing and a surprisingly flavorful brew. Excellent for washing down spicy Sichuan hot pot! It was cold and fresh and enjoyed in a local Beijing eatery. Very basic light lager profile. A typical Asian adaptation of the German lager/pilsner. Not bad, but nothing exciting. It did fine in a pinch.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2001 09:04:57 | More by John

donnebaby

North Carolina

3.08/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Lasting thick haze covering is nice over the pale gold clearness. Nose is sweet and creamy -- not bad at all compared to lots of other "adjunct lagers" out there in the wide, wide world.

Taste is standard, similar to other "pacific/asian" beers (they do seem to get grouped...maybe they deserve a style!). Sweet malts and medium body and medium carbonation. An occasional off-taste jumps in. Not too schlabby, and the malt body really aided the drinkability for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2004 00:00:00 | More by donnebaby

SmashPants

Australia

3.08/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle: heavy 330mL green bottle, reasonable Asian label.

Appearance: light yellow in colour, very clear and crisp looking. Decent fluffy head that settles to a film.

Aroma: typically Asian beer style, with some light grains and rice aroma.

Taste: grains and rice with some light citric hops. Fairly simple.

Aftertaste: follows the same flavours. Doesn't linger long, but it's a sessional, so that's fine by me.

Mouthfeel: great for the style - light body and higher carbonation. Goes down easy.

Overall: another example of a simple, cheap Asian grain and rice hybrid lager. Not brilliant, but a good quaffer for those hot days when you just need something refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 08:09:15 | More by SmashPants

iceviper22

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a rather dark yellow with a very small fizzy white head that disappears quickly. Tons of carbonation bubbles all over the glass.

Smells similar to a typical American macro. Very little maltyness with a slight hint of bitter hoppy aromas. Nothing real exciting here.

The taste, or lack there of, was a surprise. From the smell I expected something that tasted similar to Bud or Miller. Instead, I only taste a very small amount of hops and apples for some reason.

Mouthfeel is very thin with lots and lots of carbonation, not too bad though.

Overall drinkability is okay. Just not much taste to make me want to drink another one.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2007 00:39:03 | More by iceviper22

Tone

Missouri

3.05/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a clear, pale golden color. 1/3 inch head of a white color. Slight retention and poor lacing. Smells of yeast, pale malt, slight hop, slight sulfur, grain, and a hint of sweet malt. Fits the style of an American Adjunct Lager. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp with an average carbonation level. Tastes of slight sulfur, pale malt, slight yeast, hint of hop, grain, and very slight citrus. Overall, perhaps a little light struck, but not noticeably strong if so, average other than that.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2010 16:28:33 | More by Tone

Sigmund

Norway

3.03/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

330 ml green bottle with a green label, simply called "Yanjing Beer", in France. ABV was 4.5%. I presume this is the same beer, but there are many Yanjing varieties. Pale golden colour, large fluffy head. Grassy aroma, not unlike Tsingtao and Heineken. Relatively dry pale lager flavour, not offensive.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2006 16:58:52 | More by Sigmund

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.03/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Half-litre can - "No. 1 Beer from China", and "Using natural mineral water", it proclaims...

This beer pours a clear medium golden yellow hue, with three fingers of foamy, soapy white head, which leaves loose webbed lace around the glass as it recedes. It smells of mild white grains, and some corn/rice sweetness. The taste is soft sweet rice, and that's pretty much it - the secret police must have the key to the hops' whereabouts. The carbonation is average, the body medium weight, adequately smooth, and only bordering on cloying, given the other rice attributes. It finishes clean, a bit-off dry, owing again to that perception of sticky cooked rice.

Nothing spectacular, but the lack of skunk, oil, or rubbing alcohol flavours puts this at the top of the small list of beers that I've sampled from this particular People's Republic.

Serving type: can

01-17-2010 00:19:35 | More by biboergosum

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Clear bottle (but not skunked? Maybe they're using pre-isomerized hops like Miller). Clear golden body. Short head of bright white drops readily. Minor lacing. Sweet malt greets you in the nose along with some subtle yeasty fruitiness (apples, pear). Body is medium/light and it's crisp in the mouth. The flavor offers malt with obvious adjunct and a herbal (generic) hop background. There's just barely enough bitterness to balance it. It finishes with the malt lingering stickly as the hops fade and it becomes slightly acidic. Very basic and similar to American versions. Well done technically, but not particularly well-balanced.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2006 17:14:47 | More by NeroFiddled

bluejacket74

Ohio

3/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Serving is from a 12 ounce clear bottle. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a gold color with a small white head. The aroma isn't strong, but it smells like sweet malt and grain. But it doesn't smell too bad at all. It tastes a bit sweet, like grain, corn and malt, pretty much just like a typical macro beer. Mouthfeel is light, and a bit watery but also crisp. Drinkability is OK, it's not hard to drink, and overall it's non-offensive. For the style, it isn't bad at all. It certainly isn't a great beer, but it is drinkable. I've had worse!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2007 01:21:26 | More by bluejacket74