By Nick Alexsovich (cityweekend.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-05-26 11:34

Set in Shanghai's suburban expat bubble, this brew house gave us an immediate sense of comfortable familiarity and is a welcome addition to the city's ever-growing group of Western breweries and saloons.

From the Southern accents of the businessmen unwinding at the downstairs bar to the families enjoying barbecue quesadillas in the accompanying upstairs saloon, BCB is Shanghai's own pocket of Americana. After the initial awe at the high concentration of blue passport holders subsided, we turned our attention to the beer. The bar's hospitable chef brought us a sampler of their four brews and we went with the Pale Ale and the Pilsner (45 yuan) although Title Belt Altbier and Midlands Mild (dark) are also on tap.

The freshness of the on-site brews was an enjoyable departure from Shanghai's ubiquitous Tsingtao and Tiger drafts and, along with the accompanying bar menu, made BCB's one downside--the long cab ride back to downtown--worthwhile.

Boxing Cat Brewery
Add: 453 Jinfeng Lu
Tel: 6221-9661