Beijing's newest microbrewery is located at No. 6 Doujiao Hutong in the Gulou District of the old city.

If you blink, you'll miss it. That's what happened when I went looking for "Great Leap Brewery" down a maze of hutongs in old Beijing. Despite the meticulous directions I was given by the owner of the brewery, I walked right past it. Twice.

Sipping suds outside "Great Leap Brewery."

When I finally found the place, I felt like I was stepping into a secret garden for beer aficionados. A regal gate guards a large, tree-lined courtyard and a 110-year-old home that, many moons ago, was a library and study for the man who owned half of the Doujiao Hutong in Beijing's Gulou District.

Today, this ancient hutong residence is home to the "Great Leap Brewery." It's not only the newest microbrewery in Beijing, it also makes beer that you can't find anywhere else in the city.

"To my knowledge, we're the only place making ale in the Beijing area. Everybody else really does the German standards or the Chinese-style rice lagers," says head brewer and owner, Carl Setzer.

Owner and head brewer, Carl Setzer pours a pint.

Setzer grew up in Cleveland, but has lived on-and-off in China since 2004. He married Chinese native, Liu Fang, in 2008. Setzer warmed Liu up to the idea of opening a brewery in Beijing by taking her on a beer tour of Belgium and the Netherlands.

"I didn't know beer could taste this way. Before meeting Carl, I thought all beer tasted the same. I had only tried Chinese lagers, like Tsingtao. But Carl spent a lot of time introducing me to Western beers."

The rest is history. Fang and Setzer's wood-beamed, one-room pub is packed Thursday through Saturday nights with expatriates that share one common interest: rich and complex beer.

No food on the menu here. But you're welcome to munch on the complimentary spicy peanuts.

Elizabeth Fung takes a sip of nutty brown liquid. It's an Oatmeal Porter. Fung says it's delicious. She's a regular at No. 6 Doujiao Hutong.

"It's great. Especially coming from Seattle, where there are so many microbreweries to choose from. There's really nothing quite like this in Beijing. You know, all beer in China is the same. Watery and tasteless. But this has lots of flavor. You can tell, it's made with love."

It's also made with Sichuan peppercorn. Carl Setzer, utilizes the cornerstones of Chinese cuisine in his beers.

"When you get past its blatant spiciness and mouthwatering attributes, Sichaun peppercorn is actually very floral and has an amazing character. I was really excited to brew with it. One of our most popular beers is called Honey Ma Blonde (￥35). It's made with Sichauan peppercorn (hence, the ma) and Shandong honey, which is made by my wife's family."

The beer menu at "Great Leap Brewery."

Also on tap is Imperial Pumpkin (￥45), Chocolate Stout (￥40) and a festive and spicy brew called Cinnamon Rock Candy (￥35) – made with Chinese cinnamon and Chinese rock candy (a mixture of honey, white and brown sugar).

Setzer also uses Chinese hops from Gansu Province and malt from Hubei and Hunan Provinces. Along with using local products, Setzer is also trying to give something back to the 'locals.'

"Drinking in China is something you do for business, and business is high pressure. It's not something Chinese people view as a way to unwind. So, to give them something that's hand-made with Chinese products and that's sold in China, in a very Chinese setting, is something that helps them understand the idea of social drinking – that is fun."

Expats hang out at the bar at No. 6 Doujiao Hutong.

ADDRESS: No. 6 Douijao Hutong, Gulou District
HOW TO FIND IT: Coming from Di'anmen Wai, south of the Bell Tower, turn east (left) at Fangzhuan Chang Hutong. Walk for about 750 meters, then take your first right at Douijao Hutong. You'll hit what looks like a parking lot. Veer left about 50 meters and you'll see the gated courtyard on your left-hand side. It's number six and there's a big door that says "Great Leap Brewery."
OPEN: Thursday – Saturday from 3p.m. to late.
PHONE: 135-5223-7655 (Carl Setzer) or 187-1007-7331 (Liu Fang)
EMAIL: csetzer@greatleapbrewing.com