Bar Find: Capital Spirits Beijing
In the Western mind, baijiu, the Chinese grain alcohol notorious for its bite, is often associated with the etiquette of Chinese business dinners. But to truly experience it””and learn to distinguish its varieties””spend a night in Capital Spirits Beijing, located on an alleyway behind Beijing’s famous “Ghost Street.”
Along Ghost Street, rouge-colored neon signal hot-pot spots where weathered men kick back small green bottles of Ergoutou, an entry-level baijiu common among the city’s working-class males. But you won’t find any of the cheap stuff in the cozy quarters of Capital Spirits. Proclaiming itself “the world’s first baijiu bar,” the intimate space stocks dozens of hand-picked bottles (sourced from across China) which fall into four flavor categories: rice, light, strong, and sauce.
Opt for a tasting flight for a more educational evening, or boldly go the Anaconda cocktail route. The 100-proof snake liquor, tequila, and cold brew coffee are not about hype; they’re about wanting seconds.
Capital Spirits Beijing
3 Daju Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing
+86 6409 3319
(Photos: Courtesy of Capital Spirits Beijing)
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