New Gulou venue The Factory went into soft opening last week and it’s already bringing fresh and exciting events to the capital. Tomorrow (Jun 8) will see a tap takeover by Guilin brewery Somad Brewing and then Sunday (Jun 11) it will host the first Bring Your Own Vinyl (BYOV) Fest of 2023.
Hailing from beautiful Guilin, Somad Brewing was established in 2015 and has garnered much praise for its craft beers, especially its range of IPAs. The brewery was founded by Ding Ding, former lead singer of Deranged Shit, which released their first album, Kill It By The Brick, on US record label Half-Life Records.
Somad will be bringing eight freshly brewed beers for the takeover, including two new releases: Massive Attack and The Flow, which will be available in Beijing for the first time. The Flow is a TDH Hazy DIPA (8 percent ABV) that has hoppy notes of coconut and pineapple, Massive Attack is a DDH Hazy IPA (7 percent ABV), and is named after the band of the same name.
On why The Factory owner Zak Elmasri chose to collaborate with Somad Brewing he tells the Beijinger:
"I had actually never previously tried any beers from Somad, but a friend recommended the brewery to me and when I asked around everyone said they were at the top of the IPA game in China. My IPA's are long behind me but after looking into the brewery and speaking to Ding Ding, the timing of their new batch of beers seemed perfect for our launch date and guaranteed freshness and something new. Once I found out more about the brewery and spoke to Ding Ding I felt the spirit of what they do was perfectly in line with what I want to express through the new space. The Massive Attack beer also sold it for me and set me planning the DJ line-up for the release event.”
As well as the two new beers, here are the six other fresh brews from Somad Brewing:
- Return to Root – DDH Hazy DIPA (8 percent ABV)
- Silence Still – Unfiltered Pilsner (4.3 percent ABV)
- Two Hugs – Farmhouse Ale (3.3 percent ABV)
- Low of Nature – West Coast IPA (7 percent ABV)
- Mind Explosion – TDH Sour IPA (6.7 percent ABV)
- Brilliant Galaxy – TDH Hazy DIPA (8 percent ABV)
But it isn’t only Somad Brewing’s great craft beers that will be on offer, there will also be eight other beers available from a secret overseas craft brewery, you’ll have to go there tomorrow to find out just which brewery it is!
While sipping on your craft brew you can also enjoy some trip-hop tunes courtesy of DJ Dizzy D and DJ Old Pig who have created special sets for the takeover.
Following on from the tap takeover, there is another enticing event coming to The Factory on Sunday with the first Bring Your Own Vinyl (BYOV) Fest of 2023. Launched three years ago, BYOV was the first vinyl record-sharing event in Beijing and we’re super happy to see it back in the capital. Sunday will see the three co-founders of BYOV Xiaoshui aka Wild Wata, Zak Elmasri aka DJ Old Pig, and Bill Weydig aka ADDJ, all returning to the turntables along with 酒仙桥Gangsta as co-host-DJs for what will definitely be one groovy day (and night).
BYOV is an event close to Elmasri’s heart. “In all my time creating multiple bar concepts and designing venues and spaces providing a platform for this event and being able to keep it going has probably been the most rewarding experience" he says.
"It’s been a good two and a half years doing the event, it survived through Covid and a change of venues, using a rotation of volunteer host DJs. It’s an event that only works through the participation, interest, and contribution of the community. The best joy I've taken from it apart from sharing music with like-minded people is to see the majority participation of a young Chinese crowd who are eager to understand the medium of vinyl."
"There's been a good number of timid first-timers, who with encouragement stepped up to spin a few tracks, and can now be found regularly playing at clubs and organizing events around Beijing and beyond" Elmasri continues. "We've had people come down from other cities just to attend.”
If you fancy yourself a bit of a DJ and want to sign up, you can see full details on how in The Factory’s post here.
The Somad Brewing tap takeover will be taking place at The Factory on Thursday, Jun 8 from 6pm.
BYOV will be taking place at The Factory on Sunday, Jun 11 from 2pm, entry is free.
The Factory
135 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
东城区鼓楼工厂鼓楼东大街135号
READ: Brand New Gulou Bar The Factory Now in Soft Opening
Images: courtesy of The Factory