China does not have a long tradition of brewing beer. There is archaeological evidence that the Chinese actually made beer thousands of years ago, but it didn't catch on and become culturally significant the way rice wine, yellow wine, and baijiu (Chinese grain alcohol) have become throughout the ages in the Middle Kingdom. The modern, westernized, conception of beer arrived in China. The Russians built a brewery in Harbin, and the Germans established one in Qingdao. Both have gone on to become the two leading brands in China, and most of that tastes like a light lagers. That's starting to Change, as craft beer is gaining popularity on the mainland. So, I decided to go to the supermarket and see how many cans of dark beer I can find and try. I nabbed about four. There are likely many more, but this what I could in quick distance from my apartment. It's important to note that this is not a "best of" list. 

Seat Black Beer

This one comes from the Hande brewery in Shandong province. The labeling clearly is making the claim that it's a German black beer and not a stout. This also has a 3.3% alcohol level. The carbonation level is okay, and it goes down smoothly,but the flavor is a little bit too light. In some regards, it's a little flavorless -- nothing at all that suggests a bold complexity that I would expect from a dark beer. That said, I have had some nasty canned beer in China in the past, so drink-ability it is a reliable plus when you want something and there are no other options. 

Snow Stout

Snow is easily the third largest brewery in China. Unlike Harbin and Tsingdao, this brewery was set up by the Japanese -- not Russians or Germans. This dark beer hails from Shenyang, and it comes with a 4.5% level of alcohol.  When compared to some other dark beers I've had in China, this has a bit of depth to the flavor and it tastes a little bit thicker. "Watery" is not an accusation that can be lobbed here. Tasted to me a little hoppy with some chocolate hints.

Loate Stout

This comes from a brewery in Qingdao, which means it shares a home city with a more popular, more famous brand. So in that regard, it can be taken more as a local, regional beer rather than a national brand.  More on that later. This one comes in with a 3.3% alcohol level. It is a bit of a creamy chocolate flavor, and it's smooth going down. However, it's also a little two light, and sometimes feels a little watery with each sip. 

Tsingtao Stout

Tsingtao is perhaps China's most internationally famous beer brand. For example, every time I go back to New Jersey to visit family, it is the only Chinese beer stocked in the liquor store. I never see Snow or Harbin. This beer comes from Qingdao. The name of the beer and the name of the city are one in the same; however, the brewery was established long before Pinyin was instituted as a way to Romanize Chinese characters. Tsingtao is basically a Cantonese spelling of what is now Qingdao. So, the beer retains the old name, and the city got put into Pinyin. 

So, how is the beer? Out of all four, this is the best. Snow Stout is a distant second. Laote Stout I'd rate third, and Seat Black I'd rank a distant dead last. Truth be told, I have had better stout beer in China, but that was at a craft beer bar. I'll post about Bubble Lab beer someday down the road. This rationale for this post was dark beer I could easily find near my home. 

It has a more complex flavor than Snow Stout. Like Snow, it also has a 4.5% alcohol level, but it doesn't come with that biting aftertaste. In short, you can taste the alcohol a little in with Snow's stout, whereas Tsingtao is much, much smoother going done. So, the selling point, here, is that if you want an easy to find Chinese dark beer from a convenience store, Tsingtao Stout is your best bet.