Beer and history share the same street. This 3-hour Shanghai craft beer tasting threads through the former French Concession while you sample 6 glasses of beer plus Shanghai-style dumplings. You’ll taste different styles at three local stops, then connect the drinks to the neighborhoods you’re walking through.

I really like the mix of craft beer and proper Shanghai food—potstickers or wontons show up at just the right moment. I also like that the route isn’t only bars; you’ll pass Fuxing Park and the Sinan Mansions area while you go from one brewery to the next. One consideration: the tour is built around a set number of pours, and only the included beer is covered—extra alcohol is available but costs extra.

Key highlights at a glance

• Former French Concession walking route with real sightlines: Fuxing Park and the Sinan Mansions area
• Three brewery tastings plus one stop at a traditional Chinese liquor shop for rice wine
• 6 beer servings included, with styles ranging from wheat beer to pale ale to darker stouts
• Shanghai dumplings during the walk, not as an afterthought
• Jim as the English-speaking guide (your guide is live, and questions get answered)

Former French Concession + craft beer: a surprisingly good match

Shanghai’s craft beer scene makes more sense when you see where it’s happening. This tour uses the former French Concession as your map: tree-lined streets, restored buildings, and the kind of old-world street pattern that helps you understand how modern Shanghai grew around it.

You start in Xintiandi, then move through older lanes and grand villa-like streets before finishing near Fuxing Park. The best part is how the tastings stay connected to place. You aren’t drinking in a vacuum; you’re drinking while the neighborhood changes around you.

And yes, beer lovers will appreciate that this tour doesn’t treat beer like a checklist. You’ll get enough structure to understand why a wheat beer tastes different from a pale ale or a stout, and your guide can talk through basics like ABV and IBU in plain language.

Meeting at Xintiandi Langham and setting the pace for 3 hours

Your meeting point is the front door of the Xintiandi Langham Hotel, at 99 Madang Rd, Huangpu Qu. That matters because it drops you right into the action area near Xintiandi, so you’re not spending your limited time on transit.

The tour runs about 3 hours, and you’ll do a mix of walking and short rides. There is additional car service during the tour, and there’s at least one about 15-minute walk segment on the way toward the Sinan Mansions. That pacing keeps it fun if you like to stroll, but it also means you should be comfortable walking a bit after work or dinner.

You’ll travel with a private guide (English-speaking). That’s a big deal for this kind of tasting because you can ask what you actually care about: hop bitterness, malt flavors, how rice wine fits into local drinking culture, or what you’re seeing in the neighborhoods.

First pour at The Brewer in Xintiandi: wheat, pale ale, stout

The first stop is The Brewer, a gastropub in the Xintiandi area. This is a good opener because it gets you drinking early with styles that cover a wide flavor range.

You can expect a tasting start that might include:

• a local wheat beer
• a pale ale
• a dark stout

Even if you’re not a beer nerd, this is a smart way to start. Wheat beers often feel softer and lighter, pale ales tend to bring more hop character, and stouts usually go darker and more roasted. When you try them right away, you can later compare how each brewery leans its own style.

Also, Xintiandi is a setting that many visitors recognize, but this tour uses it more like a starting point than a museum stop. You’re not just taking photos—you’re getting your bearings for the rest of the evening.

Old City lanes, dumplings, and a quick culture stop with rice wine

After the first tasting, you’ll stroll toward the Old City area. This is where the route starts feeling more local. Think alleyways, older residential pockets, and the kind of street feel that helps Shanghai click beyond its skyline.

Right in the middle of this walking portion, you’ll stop for Shanghai-style dumplings—often potstickers or wontons. This part matters because it balances the tasting. Beer is easiest to enjoy when you’re not pairing it with empty stomach and big hunger.

Then you’ll head into a traditional Chinese liquor store for rice wine tasting. This is the tour’s useful curveball: it’s not just beer. Rice wine gives you a different reference point for what local drinking can taste like, and it helps your guide explain the culture around alcohol beyond beer labels.

This portion is ideal if you like your food and drinks to show up with context. You’ll get more value from the tasting when you can connect flavor to local tradition, not just to brewery names.

Sinan Mansions to Boxing Cat Brewery: craft beer in a 1920s setting

Next comes one of the most scenic stretches: a walk through other historic neighborhoods toward the Sinan Mansions, a set of private villas dating back to the 1920s and now renovated into an upscale lifestyle destination.

Even if you don’t know much Shanghai architecture, you’ll feel the shift. The streets look more formal. The pace feels more curated. That change is a helpful contrast while you’re mid-tour and still building up your beer comparisons.

At the Sinan Mansions area, you’ll find the award-winning Boxing Cat Brewery. This is one of the key stops for craft beer fans on this itinerary because it leans into variety.

Expect tastings that can include:

• craft pilsners
• lagers
• stouts
• and rotating specials on tap

Boxing Cat is a good place to compare styles you started earlier. If the first stop set your baseline, this stop shows you how different breweries can treat similar categories with their own approach—more hop bite in one pilsner, different roast character in a stout, or a cleaner finish in a lager.

If you like conversation, this is also where your guide’s ability to explain the basics really pays off. People often think craft beer tours are only about drinking. In practice, the best tours help you name what you’re tasting, and this one gives you that language.

Finishing near Fuxing Park at Shanghai Brewery: more beer and a close-up view

The tour ends at Shanghai Brewery near Fuxing Park. This is where you get the final round of tastings.

By now, you’ll have learned what you personally like: maybe you’re picking up that you prefer a certain balance of bitterness, or you prefer darker malts over lighter wheat flavors. This final stop is designed so you can end on a high note without feeling rushed or overserved.

One thing I’d call out from how people describe the end of the tour: you can often get a close look at brewing-related equipment and the process setup right in front of you at the last stop. That’s a small detail, but it changes the experience from tasting-by-numbers into tasting with understanding.

After the final pour, your guide helps you hail a taxi back to your hotel. That’s practical, especially since Shanghai taxis are easiest when you have clear pickup guidance.

What you actually get: 6 beers, dumplings, and rice wine (plus soft drinks)

Let’s talk value in real terms, not just price. The cost is $83 per person for about 3 hours. Included are:

• 6 glasses of beer
• Shanghai dumplings
• rice wine tasting
• soft drinks
• a private guide
• and additional car service during the tour

That amount of drinking is a key part of the value equation. Six beer tastings at three different breweries isn’t just three drinks—it’s multiple chances to compare styles, and it usually takes care of your dinner snack situation too, at least partially, thanks to the dumplings.

It also helps that the food isn’t generic. Shanghai-style dumplings feel like a deliberate choice for the neighborhood experience. You’ll likely appreciate the timing because you’re eating while walking through areas where you want your stomach comfortable.

What’s not included is also clear: any alcohol beyond the six included beers can be purchased separately. Soft drinks are included, which gives you an off-ramp if you don’t want to push your limit.

If you’re the kind of person who orders one drink and moves on, this tour might feel like a lot. If you like tasting and comparing, you’ll likely feel like the schedule fits you.

The guide makes it work: Jim’s culture + beer explanations

This tour is heavily dependent on your guide’s ability to connect beer to what you’re seeing. The most praised sessions feature Jim, an English-speaking guide who handles both craft beer talk and cultural questions.

People describe him as someone who doesn’t just point at a tap list. He answers questions across beer and Chinese culture, and he’s willing to talk beyond the strict tasting notes when you ask something interesting.

A detail that comes up in praise is that the tour can include small, real-time detours in conversation—things like asking about how drinking culture fits into everyday life, or what certain brewery terms mean. That turns the 3 hours from a script into a real experience.

Also, there’s a useful practical angle: the guide can help you understand beer basics in ways that stick, including terms like ABV and IBU. Once you have that, you’re better equipped to order beer after the tour too.

Who this tour suits best (and who should think twice)

This is ideal if:

• you want craft beer in Shanghai but also want context
• you enjoy walking in the former French Concession and want it explained
• you like food pairings, especially dumplings
• you’re open to tasting more than beer, including rice wine

It might not be ideal if:

• you dislike drinking multiple pours in a short window
• you only want one type of beer and don’t want to compare styles
• you’re hoping for a full-day itinerary with lots of free time (this stays tight at 3 hours)

One more practical note: the tour doesn’t include hotel pickup and drop-off, so you’ll want to be positioned around the Xintiandi Langham area to start smoothly. The end is managed with taxi help, which reduces stress when you’re wrapping up.

Should you book the Shanghai craft beer tasting tour?

If you’re in Shanghai for a short stay and want one activity that combines beer tasting, dumplings, and neighborhood sightseeing, I’d call this a smart pick. The structure is clear: three brewery stops, one rice wine store, and key landmarks tied to the former French Concession.

At $83 for about 3 hours, the price feels reasonable when you factor in that you’re getting 6 included beers, food, soft drinks, and a private English guide. You’d spend more than that easily if you tried to copy the plan on your own by hopping between breweries, figuring out local spots, and paying for guidance.

The only real decision point is your comfort with tasting in a set amount of time. If you like variety and don’t mind tasting a few different styles, this tour is built for you. If you want a slow bar crawl with lots of free wandering, you might find this route a bit too structured.

Book it if you want a guided, drink-and-food evening that also helps you understand why this part of Shanghai matters.

FAQ

Where do I meet the guide?

Meet your guide at the front door of the Xintiandi Langham Hotel, 99 Madang Rd, Huangpu Qu, Shanghai.

How long is the craft beer tasting tour?

The tour lasts about 3 hours.

How many beers do I get to try?

You’ll try 6 glasses of beer during the tour.

What food and non-beer drinks are included?

Shanghai-style dumplings are included, along with rice wine tasting and soft drinks.

Is rice wine included in the tour?

Yes. Rice wine tasting is included as part of the experience at a traditional Chinese liquor store.

What is not included in the price?

Alcoholic drinks beyond the 6 included glasses can be purchased, and personal expenses are not included. Hotel pickup and drop-off are also not included.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible, and is there an English guide?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible, and the live tour guide speaks English.

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