Douglas Williams/Shanghai Daily news

It’s kind of strange that when considering a pub, somewhere people go to quaff beer, often the quality of said beer is barely mentioned.
Of all the big brands in the world many of the biggest are beer brands and they’ve done a pretty effective job of acquainting themselves with us.
So much so in fact that on encountering a new unfamiliar beer the feeling is not dissimilar to that of meeting up with an old friend.
Bottle after bottle after pint after glass of indistinguishable golden fizzy lager slash beer does inure one to the joys the real McCoy.
Not that I dislike standard beers, quite the contrary, but a slug on Gu Bingzhang’s, the beer production engineering department manager, of the magnificent Fest Beer pub at 11 Hankou Road near the Bund reminds one there is a whole other
world out there. That’s the title on his card not one I made up.
“Our beer is fresh. Bottled and canned beer must be treated, ours is natural. It’s nutritious and the taste is much better,” said the Shanghainese Gu, a veteran of many a media encounter. He learned his trade in Europe where he worked for a
number of breweries.
Opened 11 years ago this sturdy establishment is modeled on a typical German brew house. The black and white tilled flooring,
expansive light wood tables and a glorious circular, central bar are merely the side show. The pieces de resistance sit within the actual bar — enormous great copper stills.
The pair gleam after years of tender polishing and within the beer brews.
There is the light beer and there’s the dark beer. The beer is served in 300 milliliters, 500 ml and 1 liter glasses priced agreeably reasonably, 70 yuan (US$8.64) for a liter. The light beer, modeled on a Munich brew, is cloudy and dry, hoppy and
crisp and extraordinarily quenching.
One liter may sound like a lot but I would forecast a second will be desired immediately upon finishing the first. The dark beer, a Bavarian type, is clear, sweeter and has a distinctive though complex molasses finish.
“Our malt comes from Canada, the hops come from the United States, Germany and the Czech Republic and our yeast comes from
Germany,” said Gu, rightfully very proud of his creation both the bar and the beer.
Complimenting the beer there is an extensive menu with very good quality and again very reasonable mostly Chinese food. My chicken curry at 40 yuan was completely acceptable, my friends ribs at 70 yuan extremely good.
The punters are an even split between Western and Chinese and though the music was of the Casio Celine variety it was thankfully very background. The Lady of Shallott art is an odd selection but easily overlooked in the face of a liter of Gu’s finest.
As it says on the napkin packs: “Your frequent patronizing will be highly appreciated.”
douglaswilliams@shanghaidaily.com