Great Leap Brewing is the first craft brewery in Beijing, China. Great Leap craft beers proudly incorporate traditional Chinese ingredients and boast flavors and aromas unique to the Middle Kingdom. Each of our beers is created with the goal of showcasing the finest aspects of Chinese history and culture. Founded by Carl Setzer and Liu Fang, Great Leap first opened for business in October of 2010 at Original #6 in Doujiao Hutong. Our menu has since grown from four beers in one taproom to twenty taps across three locations.

In spring 2013, we opened Flagship Brewpub #12, which expanded our brewing capacity and allowed our Directors of Fermentation to increase production to over 40 different craft beers every year. Aside from the beer menu, Flagship #12 quickly achieved local fame for our classic double-meat-double-cheese Cheeseburger. 2014 saw the opening of our newest restaurant/brewpub, Great Leap #45, which houses the equipment to produce our three best selling craft beers: Honey Ma Gold, Pale Ale #6, and Banana Wheat. Great Leap #45 offers a menu of New York style pizza, and features the only Angram Beer Machine in Mainland China. Our fourth facility, which was originally our first production capable brewery, is located in Tian Xian Yu, and is home to our Great Wall Barrel Program. Led by the Wall Builder Imperial Stout, our barrel-program released its inaugural brews in 2016.

Craft beer is more than just a product at Great Leap Brewing. It is a responsibility. Since pouring our first pints of Honey Ma Gold, Pale Ale #6 and the East City Porter on a fateful autumn evening, we have gladly carried the responsibility of building a craft beer community in Beijing. We set out with the goal of brewing world-class beers, of which Beijing would be proud. Now it is our goal to put Great Leap beer in the hands of as many people as possible, both in China and around the globe.

Like brewing, design is not an exact science when creating something for the first time. The science comes later – only after careful planning and experimentation can a brand design or beer style be perfected and crafted for consistency.

Mistakes are encouraged in the early phases. Discussions alter between cheerful and heated as brewer and designer share pints of the selected beer, both artists seeking to crown the brew with its own unique identity. Not every Great Leap brew boasts its own brand. Beers must first stand the test of time and prove consistently popular amongst drinkers before being bestowed with a design.

Great Leap founders Carl and Liu Fang create names for the beers, with unique meanings in both Chinese and English. Our series of General IPAs are named after famous military personnel, both those sanctioned by formal governments and warlord states alike. Other beer names are derived from traditional folklore, local history or their unique Chinese ingredients. The stories behind the brands are as rich as the flavors and ingredients contained within the beer they represent.

Both the custom English typeface and the Chinese character design are rooted in the robust and formidable typography used in mid 20^th century propaganda posters. Each element of the design is cut from paper, leading to the “woodcut” style of the illustration. We then scan and vectorize the images so we can use the identities at any size and on any surface.

Our design process combines the craftsmanship of ancient Chinese and Western methods with the latest technology in design software – much in the same way that Great Leap incorporates traditional ingredients and innovative brewing techniques as they strive to brew world-class brands of beer.

Simply put, it’s hand-crafted Chinese design for hand-crafted Chinese beer – with a Western twist here and there. This philosophy is simple but fundamental to everything that is created for the brand.