2017 Events

Events listed below! WBD FAQ here. Want to add an event? Go here. Seek baijiu-inspired ideas, from cocktails and infusions to ice cream and chocolate? Go here. Follow WBD on Facebook or Twitter, email me via spirit (at) worldbaijiuday.com, see you August 9!

Capital Spirits is back a third straight year. This baijiu bar did a food pairing in 2015 and a quiz in 2016, and the brain teasers will return again this year. See this Q&A with David Putney last year for more.

Capital Spirits, 3 Daju Hutong / 大菊胡同3号. 6409-3319 /   info (@) CapitalSpiritsBj.com

Home decor and event space Pop-Up Beijing did flights for WBD in 2015, then bajiu-inspired tea and coffee by Good Works in 2016. This year, it will partner with Sue Zhou Does Food for “relaxed yet refined” five-baijiu, five-canape pairing. 7.30 PM, rmb98, 30 seats. RSVP viahello (at) popupbeijing.com . 6502-5725.

Pop-Up Beijing, North Side, Ground Level, Building 22, 4 Gongti Bei Lu / 北京市朝阳区工体北路4号院22号楼北侧首层 (map). 6502-5725 / info (at) popupcreative.com.

August 11

Q Bar was a pre-gaming venue for WBD 2015, then did global baijiu flights and novel cocktails in 2016. This year, guests get a flight of six baijius—half Chinese brands, half foreign brands—and one baijiu cocktail for rmb50. There will also be food options: more details to come!

Q Bar, 6F Chang’an Business Hotel, corner of Sanlitun South & Workers Stadium South, 17:00-02:00 daily.

With views of the Great Wall at Mutianyu, The Schoolhouse makes five baijiu liqueurs. Guests enjoyed samples for WBD 2015, with cocktails added for 2016. See this post with Jim Spear re the liqueurs. On August 9, visitors to Brickyard Retreat at Mutianyu Great Wall (owned by The Schoolhouse) can get rmb29 baijiu spritzers at the bar from noon until close.

Featured all August, rmb60

Tiki Bungalow is back with a new venue and the Goodbai Fu Manchu, a take on the 1962 Kon Tiki drink Mystic Lamp. It includes lychee juice, Venezuelan rum, orange juice, almond extract, and Bye Joe Dragon Fire. Comes in moustached Fu Manchu mug. “Needless to say, it comes served in a long moustached Fu Manchu ceramic mug,” says Oliver Davies.

Tiki Bungalow, Jiadaokou Bei San Tiao (near Beiping Taproom, walk east behind the tall grey wall 15 meters)

Just-opened Sumiao Hunan Kitchen features four baijiu cocktails, Maotai, Wuliangye and Luzhou Laojiao by the bottle and HKB and Jiannanchun by single pours on its menu, thus making it a perfect stop for World Baijiu Day. Stop by and try cocktails like Ice Cold Fusion, with Cognac, triple sec and lemon, or Pyroclastic Punch, with hibiscus liqueur and passion fruit cordial, paired with tasty Hunanese fare.

Sumiao Hunan Kitchen, 270 Third Street, Cambridge, MA; 617-945-0907; Sun-Wed: 11 AM-11 PM, Thu-Sat, 11 AM-12 AM

430 | 四三〇 Ramen & Drinks is the first venue in South America to join World Baijiu Day. Head bartender Nicolas Constantin says this Asian fusion restaurant will have a tasting of Luzhou Laojiao, ByeJoe and Hong Xing baijius as well as “small qu” and rose-infused baijius from southern China. Plus a cocktail deal on the Sheng Long Island, with baijiu, pisco, soju, sake, triple sec, raspberry syrup and lemon juice. Details.

430 / 四三〇, 430 San Martin, map

Jordan Porter of Chengdu Food Tours is organizing a pair of events for World Baijiu Day.

One is a baijiu class at Yi Jie Cafe that will cover the history and styles of this unique alcohol category. The attendees will put their new-found knowledge to use during a guided tasting of the four main styles and a few variations on them.

The other is a pop-up baijiu bar at craft beer venue Bird’s Nest 1. I’ll have more details, such as the times, for these events soon. You can also check out Jordan’s tips on baijiu infusions.

Yi Jia Cafe, 7 Jinxiu Street

The Beer Nest 1, 34-698 Jinxiu Road (opposite Poly Center Ping’an Bank, below Zongbei International), 137-3087-1837, 2 PM-late

Craft baijiu producer Taizi will again team up with Pot Sticker Dumpling Bar for a night of food pairing, cocktails and perhaps the occasional shot. See here for an interview with Taizi’s Ben Lu.

Pot Sticker Dumpling Bar, 144 Lichfield Street

If bao is more your thing, the Taizi guys will also be partnering with Sister Kong Bao House for World Baijiu. Perhaps a baijiu crawl, to see whether dumplings or bao work better with Taizi, is your best bet.

Sister Kong, 123 Victoria Street (look for a neon cat), 03-421-6494, hello (at) sisterkong.co.nz

Baijiu has received rave reviews since opening earlier this year with its take on everything from bao and dumplings to noodles and (deviled) tea eggs. Look for the house cocktails section to feature a new baijiu concoction from August 8-12, including World Baijiu Day. More details to come.

Baijiu, 2F, Mercer Building, 10359-104th Street (map), 780-421-7060, info (at) baijiuyeg.com

DoubleTree By Hilton returns for a third straight World Baijiu Day, thanks to Chris Roberts. One constant has been the Valrhona chocolate balls with ginseng-infused Sichuan baijiu. DoubleTree has also done a buffet with baijiu-inspired foods as well as cocktails.

DoubleTree by Hilton, 391 Dongfeng Road Yuexiu District. 20-2833-2888.

The baijiu bar at Deng G will feature three baijiu cocktails by Hektor Monroy: a Chocolate New Fashion, a Coriander Mojito, and a Baijiu Tonic, all at HKD58 per drink. If you can’t make it on August 9, no problem, as the special runs August 7 to 14.

Winstons offers coffee by day, cocktails by night. Expect something special for World Baijiu Day.

Winstons Coffee, Fu Kwok Building, 213 Queen’s Road West, Sai Wan

Europe’s only baijiu bar, Fu, gives customers the options of flights, infusions and cocktails. For World Baijiu Day 2016, it added an IPA infused with Du Kang baijiu. More details on this year’s plans soon.

Fu, Gradwell Street. FUbaijiu (at) gmail.com

Demon & Wise will have a £5 cocktail called Bittersweet Boomerang, with strong aroma baijiu, yellow Chartreuse, creme de cacao and Cynar. Those curious about baijiu can try some samples of the half-dozen brands in stock. And top it all off, Yao Lu of Union Trading Company in Shanghai will be guest bartender. Details.

Demon & Wise, 27A Throgmorton St, 3774- 7654, wise (at) demonandwise.co.uk, M-F, 5 PM-late.

Peking Tavern co-owners Andrew Chiu and Andrew Wong have backed WBD since day one. In 2015, they launched the winning recipe—a baijiu sour—from an in-house cocktail contest. In 2016, they featured drinks and snacks. And this year, they will turn up the heat with a cocktail called “Chinese” that includes Luzhou Laojiao and fresh chili peppers. Peking Tavern drinks like Wong Chiu Punch, One Inch Punch and Peking Coffee, as well as comfort food such as dumplings and noodles, will also be available.

Peking Tavern, 806 South Spring Street. 213-988-8308.

Speakeasy Carry Nation returns for a second year, this time with a “Moutai goes Tiki” theme. Carry Nation’s three bartenders will design a tiki cocktail that includes Moutai. Available August 9-11. And on August 13, Guillaume Ferroni will lead a Moutai master class that covers history, production method and a tasting.

Carry Nation, see website for address.

Sibling venue Bar Dans Les Arbes, a “tree bar” near Marseilles, will serve a Moutai and Gin Summer Punch to guests as a welcome drink. Available August 9-11.

Bar Dans Les Arbres, see website for more details.

Golden Monkey offered a baijiu-inspired cold-brewed tea for 2015 and followed that with the Tao-inspired cocktail Secret of the Golden Flower in 2016. Look for something equally creative this year.

Golden Monkey, Rear 389 Lonsdale Street. 9602-2055 / info (at) goldenmonkey.com.au.

Joseph Kornides created the Beijing Blizzard during his days as owner of 12SQM in China’s capital. Now in Melbourne, and running Whisky Den, he’s bringing back this drink — it also includes Frangelico, milk and a secret ingredient — for World Baijiu Day. More on the drink here.

Whisky Den, 2B, 27 Russell Street, 61-3-9650-1570

Both branches of dim sum restaurant Ghe Sem, where foods are paired with cocktails and thus blend two cultures, will participate in World Baijiu Day. Guests can expect to find a new Moutai-based cocktail list as part of this year’s event, says Luca Barbieri

Ghe Sem, Via P. Borsieri 26, 02-4953-5080

Ghe Sem, Via V. Monti 26, 02-4537-4300

Portland Distillery VINN is the sole baijiu producer in the U.S. and will team up with restaurant Danwei Canting for World Baijiu Day. Details to come.

Vinn, 222 Southeast 8th Avenue, 503-807-3826

Danwei Canting, 803 Southeast Stark Street. 1-503-236-6050. Opens at 11 AM.

Sichuan restaurant in Lakeside Asia Cafe is a newcomer to World Baijiu Day, courtesy of David Zhou from Conficius Wisdom. Enjoy baijiu cocktails with Sichuan favorites like mapo tofu, sauteed string beans and kungpai chicken and shrimp.

Lakeside, 11130 South Lakes Drrive, Reston, 703-391-9070

Michael Ohlsson has backed past World Baijiu Days with cocktails in Shanghai and Beijing. This year, the focus is on the former city, where veteran venue Dada and new venture Ruin will feature versions of baijiu cocktail Chinglish, which includes lemon, lychee and melon.

Dada, 115 Xingfu Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu

Ruin, 115 Xingfu Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu

Billed as a place to  “get good and drunk the old fashioned way,” Logan’s Punch will feature a concoction called called Xiao Long Go. The recipe calls for byejoe, passion fruit, lemon and sugar.

Logan’s Punch, Unit 202, 2F, 99 Taixing Road, near Wujiang Road

The Compass Bar, a speakeasy with a New York vibe, kicks off World Baijiu Day early, with a fun list of cocktails from August 1 to 7. Guests can try BaiGronis, Baijiu Sours, Baijiu Bangs, Baijiu Fizzes and the Baijito. Quite a lineup! Details.

The Compass Bar, 2028 Jin Tian Road, Gangxia, Futian Qu

Baijiu has been in Sweden just a few months, and is yet to be stocked in the country’s official alcohol stores, but it’s not stopping people from participating in World Baijiu Day. Jiu Xian (酒仙), a society to promote Chinese drinking culture in Scandinavia, will pair three baijius from Moutai with a 16-course dinner in Solna, just north of Stockholm, on August 11, says Ludvig Sääf. More details and sign-up here.

Restaurang R.Asia, Postgången 59, 171 45 Solna

Kweichow Moutai Showroom has joined World Baijiu Day the past two years, starting with an “Art of Baijiu” event that included a cocktail-making session and food pairing (details). Look for Sydney to get into the spirit again this year.

Kweichow Moutai Showroom, 2/398 Sussex Street.

Original WBD partner R&D will feature a pair of enticing drinks this year, says Spencer Huang. The “Prince Kaohliang” is a refreshing concoction with aloe vera, cucumber, kaoliang baijiu, gin, and lemon, while “Tainada” is a play on a traditional lemoncello recipe. “We use our in-house lemon liqueur, lemon juice, gin, and kaoliang to bring about a well balanced, slightly tart sour for these hot summer days,” he says.

R&D, 36 Jiaxing Street

WE Brewery gave its craft beers a baijiu boost in 2016 with plum and cranberry infusions. Owner Steve Wang says a year of aging means a new dimension. “The flavor is much more rich and intense,” he says. “I tasted it a of couple days ago and it was the bomb.” Get your baijiu infusion beer float while supplies last on August 9!

WE Brewery, 4 Yiheli, Xi’an Dao, Heping

In 2016, Hyatt Regency Tianjin East featured  a half-dozen baijius samples and used some of that spirit for a chicken and pork knuckle dish and for a dessert with chocolate, pistachios and ice cream. The kitchen is at it again and this year’s featured food is Baked Sea Bass with Chili (蕉叶酒香烤鲜鱼). This fish dish comes with a special flavor due to the use of Wuliangye. You can order it on August 9 and also sample baijius at the “Wok in the Garden” restaurant.

Hyatt Regency, 126 Weiguo Road, Hedong District. 86-22-2457-1234

The Ritz-Carlton returns to World Baijiu Day and will put a little extra spirit into its food this year. Expect a special baijiu-themed menu from August 5 to August 10.

The Ritz-Carlton, 167 Dagubei Road, (86 22) 5809 5182

Hawaii is on board thanks to hotel manager Simon Amos, whose resume includes a long Beijing stint. Hilton Waikoloa Village will a feature Mai Tai twist in its Kona Tap Room. Beverage manager Michale Hofstedt says the recipe includes Luzhou Laojiao baijiu, Disaronno, pineapple juice, orange juice and orgeat. There will also be tastings of Luzhou Laojiao.

Hilton Waikoloa Village, 69-425 Waikoloa Beach Drive, 1-808-886-1234

Li Zongwen of baijiu company Harmony (将相和) has been involved in WBD since the first year, including his hometown of Wuhu, where he’s organized cocktail tastings. He’s back again for 2017.

David Zhou of U.S.-based brand Confucius Wisdom is again leading the World Baijiu Day cause in Washington, D.C. Zhou says the following venues will feature baijiu cocktails on August 9, with the last three being veterans from years past.

The food menu at Banana Leaves Asian Restaurant & Sushi Bar covers an entire continent, including China, India, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand. Stop by for some eats and a few baijiu cocktails.

Banana Leaves, 2020 Florida Avenue Northwest, 202-986-1333

Complete with a chill rooftop, Bar Deco offers U.S. comfort foods (think hamburgers, chili and pulled pork slider) and an extensive drinks list, including creative cocktails.

Bar Deco, 717 6th Street Northwest, 202-774-5867

Restaurant, bar and lounge Dirty Martini pairs a smart cocktail, wine and beer list with fun foods like mini crab cakes, skewers, fried calamari and ramen.

Dirty Martini, 1223 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, 202-503-2640

Jackey Cafe offers Chinese food options until late: 3 AM Monday to Thursday, 4 AM Friday and Sunday and midnight Saturday. Check out the bar where you can enjoy baijiu neat or in cocktails.

Jackey Cafe, 611 H Street Northwest (between north 6th and north 7th streets), 202-408-1288

From spicy Sichuan to Beijing duck to Shaanxi favorites, Panda Gourmet covers a great deal of culinary territory. Pair some of those foods with a baijiu drink.

Panda Gourmet, 2700 New York Avenue Northeast, 202-534-1620

In heart of Chinatown, Wok and Roll Karaoke offers Chinese and Japanese food, a full bar, and karaoke. Sing some songs and sip some baijiu cocktails.

Wok and Roll, 604 H Street Northwest, 202-347-4656