The opening of DK 1308 (Drei Kronen1308) gives beer lovers in Beijing a new option to savor authentic German beer. The restaurant is dedicated to replicating Bavaria's 700-year-old brewing tradition.

The initials DK stand for Drei Kronen, German for "Three Crowns". Its origins date back to 1308, when the Drei Kronen brewery was founded and distinguished by its appointment as a heritage brewery, with the right to deliver its beer in special royal tankards to kings and noblemen.

The three-floor restaurant and beerhouse includes a brewery, with two huge, glistening copper beer tanks connected with all kinds of tubes. A guided stroll around to find out how the beer is brewed, is well worth it.

On the first floor are displayed antique beer brewing items, complete with a model dressed like a knight. The old Bavarian style tables, benches and decorative wall hangings have all been brought in from Germany. There is a sports bar upstairs, a pizza oven, and a spacious open-air dining area on the roof.

Three major house-brewed beers are the lager, dark rye beer, and traditional wheat beer. The beers are made in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot law, issued in 1516 in Bavaria, Germany, requiring that beer be made from malt, hops, yeast, water and nothing else. All the beers have a smooth, pure, and original taste. The famous wheat beer has a particularly strong taste that you will either love or hate. But the lager's cool, fruity taste is something anyone can take to. The beers come in 0.3 litre, 0.5 litre, and one litre mugs, costing 48, 58, and 128 yuan a mug.

To go with the beer, you can order a refreshing Soimmer salat, a salad with summer tomatoes, diced onions and selected herbs. The Brauhausplatte, a meat and sausage platter, is also a must, with classic Vienna sausage, crispy bacon, grilled Nuremberger sausage, seared bratwurst, and a tender platter of meat loaf. Their grilled country chicken is also worth trying.

Average spending is 200 yuan per person. The restaurant will hold a Bavarian Beer Festival from October 10-18, during which if you buy two house-brewed beers, you get one free.

11:30am-1:30am, Sunday-Thursday. 11:30am-2am, Friday & Saturday. There is a buffet from 10am-2pm on Sunday, with a free 0.3 litre mug of house-brewed beer. 1/F Blk 5, China View, Gongti Donglu, Chaoyang District. 6503-5555.

Photos by Guo Yingguang

(China Daily October 13, 2008)