In recent years, with the vigorous development of the beer market, China's beer industry has undergone a fruitful change. According to statistics, domestic beer production and sales in 2022 have reached the highest level in history, but it is worth noting that this data includes the production and sales figures of many imported brands after setting up factories in China. Chinese people's consumption Xi also shows that imported beer is constantly occupying the wine table and banquet market. At the same time, due to the decline in the reputation of domestic beer, it seems that it can only maintain its competitiveness in the market with low prices.
This article aims to explore the essential differences between the two and focus on the future trend of domestic beer.
First, let's take a look at the common domestic beers on the market, which typically have an alcohol content between 2.5% and 5%vol, a clear yellow color, more or less foam, and a roughly similar taste, with a light and alcoholic smell, and a milder wheat aroma. In terms of pricing, they are usually cheaper and different from how much consumers demand the taste of beer.
Next, the main differences between domestic beer and imported beer are carefully compared. Beer can be divided into more than 20 types according to a variety of classifications, divided by fermentation, mainly for "lager" and "ale" two categories, of which lager beer is commonly known as industrial beer, ale represents craft beer, and most domestic beer belongs to industrial beer.
In order to understand the difference between the two, it can be seen through actual tasting that the color of domestic beer is usually pale yellow, the liquid is close to clear and transparent, the foam is not very dense, and it dissipates quickly. On the other hand, foreign craft beers such as Germany have a darker color, sediment, dense and long-lasting foam. On the palate, domestic beers are usually light and have a low alcohol content, while craft beers have a rich taste, rich wheat aroma, long aftertaste, and significantly higher alcohol content than domestic beers.
Delving further into the roots of the differences, craft beers are made from hops, malt, yeast and purified water, brewed for a long time, and often without filtration or dilution, which allows them to retain their rich wheat aromas and cloudy character. Conversely, such processes also result in their higher cost and relatively short storage time, where small changes in the production process can have an impact on the flavor.
On the other hand, domestic industrial beer gives priority to cost control and market supply capacity, adopts a faster production process, uses low-cost raw materials such as rice and corn, and increases the output by adding water and filling carbon dioxide, which reduces the cost but also reduces the wheat aroma and alcohol content.
The above comparative analysis shows the significant differences in production process and taste between domestic and imported craft beers, and explains why they are positioned as "low-end" and "high-end" products in the market. When the early beers entered the Chinese market, they were produced according to German standards and represented the authentic taste of the Nordic style. However, China's first brewery, Ulubrevsky Brewery, was founded in Harbin in 1900, and its product "Harbin Beer" was not widely favored by the Chinese people, mainly because the Chinese were relatively unfamiliar with beer as a foreign drink at that time.
Similarly, the founder of Tsingtao Brewery, the Germans, although using high-quality Laoshan mineral water and wheat and following pure German craftsmanship, also failed to win the love of the Chinese people, and some people once commented that the beer "looks like horse urine and tastes like a decoction". At that time, beer was a "low-end beverage" that was mainly supplied to the working people at the bottom, and although it could be used as a "liquid bread" to provide satiety, this move did not significantly improve the status of beer in the hearts of the Chinese people.
The original intention of adapting to market demand and reducing costs drove some breweries to turn to industrial beer manufacturing, adopting the "American-style industrial beer" brewing method, and its light taste was gradually accepted by the public, and occupied a place in the night snack culture, and industrial beer became the mainstream.
Industrial beer is gradually losing some of its qualities in cost control and large-scale production. With the invasion and acquisition of foreign beer giants, well-known domestic brands such as Harbin Beer are facing many market turbulence and word-of-mouth problems. Market competition has intensified, and promotional methods and price wars have also become a weapon for wineries to compete for consumers. However, these fierce market struggles have not improved the overall image of domestic beer, but have intensified the pressure on its image as a "low-end" product to a certain extent.
In modern times, social development and the improvement of income levels have made Chinese people more and more eager to enjoy diversified and high-quality beer, and craft beer has gradually become popular, forming a specific consumer group, compared with light, non-wheat domestic beer seems boring. In particular, some brands cut corners in the production process, further promoting the domestic "ordinary beer" to become an inferior choice, and won the less glorious "beer" name.
In view of this, the problems faced by domestic beer are imminent, and we should take the initiative to seek a change. Although industrial beer once responded to market demand with its high production efficiency and low cost, the image and taste of the beverage it built are no longer enough to meet the diversified needs of growing consumers. Craft beer has become the preferred choice of some consumers due to its authentic production process and rich flavor.
In terms of taste, craft beers are usually made with strict selection of raw materials and a long brewing time, and contain strong traditional flavors and geographical indication characteristics. Domestic industrial beer is relatively simplified in terms of raw materials and production process, adding non-traditional raw materials such as rice and corn, and tends to be brewed quickly and mass-produced to adapt to market consumption Xi.
In the face of various discussions about beer and health, it is important to point out that excessive consumption of both craft beer and industrial beer can have adverse effects on human health. Drinking alcohol in moderation is a wise choice to maintain health, and you should not blindly pursue a certain product and neglect the control of your drinking amount. Inform the public unequivocally that moderate consumption of alcohol is a key point that consumers should pay attention to.
Looking forward to the future, domestic beer urgently needs to reform its quality and reputation. Many brands have begun to actively explore, abandon the previous low-quality production model, and begin to develop craft beer products with Chinese characteristics and bring them to the market. These measures indicate that the domestic beer industry is gradually finding a suitable path for its own development.
The domestic beer industry is changing, and many brands are feeling the need of the market and trying to stand out and offer higher quality products. Under the dual role of market orientation and consumer preference, it is believed that in the near future, it will be able to break into the international market under the banner of domestic craft beer, tear off the label of "beer", and become a high-quality choice side by side with international brands.