Baijiu, food and beer kept things interesting

By Natasha Lovato

The love for craft beer spans the globe, and a few Colorado brewers who traveled to Tibet and parts of China got a first-hand lesson in cultural immersion before the pandemic shut down travel.

In December 2019, brewers from Baere Brewing Co., Mockery Brewing, Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery and 14er Brewing Co. traveled to Chabcha, Tibet, as part of a cultural exchange program to assist and educate the brewers at the newly opened Garuda Brewing Co.

“We were lucky enough to be able to expand the scope of the trip to spend four days in Chengdu, China, and eight days exploring the Kham region of Tibet with a focus on beer and alcohol production in the region,” Baere co-owner Ryan Skeels said. “We visited several breweries in Chengdu, including Foam Ranger, Wild West and Nanmen, spending time with their owners and discussing their history, challenges and successes.”

Part of their international alcoholic-exploration included consumption of a traditional beverage called Baijiu, a favorite in China.

“On our second day in Chengdu we also got our first, and certainly not last, peek into Baijiu, the most consumed alcohol in the world, with an incredible tour of the 600-year-old Shui Jing Fang distillery,” Skeels said.

Upon leaving Chengdu, the Colorado crew flew into Tibet for Garuda Brewing Co.’s opening day. They spent three days in Chabcha tuning up Garuda’s draft system, dialing in recipes, discussing marketing and operations, eating amazing food, brewing a collaboration beer and celebrating the grand opening. Together, they brewed a beer aptly named Garudarado.

“We spent the rest of our time in the country diving into the culture of the Kham region, Buddhism and community,” Skeels said.

The team visited the remote village of Xui Ri Cun, which was certainly a highlight of the trip, Skeels said. He explained how the entire village took part in the production of Qingke Jiu, a spirit similar to Baijiu, but technically a barley wine. Each house in the village fermented and distilled their own spirit, then combined their spirits in the town center where it was further distilled, packaged and sold commercially. Sales helped support the families of the town.

The area the group traveled through was the Sichuan region of China, which is known for its spicy and delicious food.

“We didn't have a single meal, or even dish, that wasn't the best meal we felt we've ever eaten,” Skeels said.

With the COVID-19 pandemic overlaying their experience, the brewers still reminisce about the many monasteries, small businesses, restaurants, markets and the people they met over the course of their trip, making it truly unforgettable.