Back in 2003 when I was working with Sierk Vojacek in TV and video productions we produced a TV commercial for a local beer brand I had never heard of: Snow Beer. I am not sure anymore whether it was part of the payment, but after the shooting we ended up with quite some bottles of beer. I remember I didn’t particular like it, the color was very light and the beer didn’t have much taste, but on a hot summer day it was drinkable.

Over the years I saw Snow Beer more and more, especially outside the big Chinese cities. Likely because it’s dirt cheap, but maybe also because the light beer is more suitable to the Chinese taste than my favorite Tsingtao. What I did not realize, however, is that Snow Beer is not only the biggest beer in China, but actually is the best selling beer in the world! The beer is only sold in China, but it still managed to grow twice as big by volume as the global number 2 Bud Light. Quite amazing for a company that is only 15 years old!

The last time I remember drinking Snow Beer was during a Spil Games outing a few years ago, but then I had to drink so much of it (toasting and drinking ad fundum with colleagues) that I don’t really remember how it tasted. So I may give it a try again this weekend. A big bottle costs about EUR 0.30 (cheaper than bottled mineral water!), so it’s not a big waste if it still has hardly any taste. Cheers!