Drinking is a global tradition that has carried humans into inebriated oblivion since the beginning of time. Certain places around the world have been known to be bigger drinkers than their international neighbors. Now, the beverage of ages has a new favorite patron brewing. China is expected to consume 264 million liters of stout beer this year, eclipsing the US as the top market for the dark brew worldwide, according to data from strategic market research firm Euromonitor International. 

American drinkers had previously taken the stout crown from the British in 2013. Both of those markets are now growing at a fraction of the pace of China. Local brewers in China like Tsingtao Brewery Co. and international imports have benefited from rapid growth over the last five years.     Tsingtao has even held a series of stout festivals across the country creating a fan base for the dark beer. This interest and demand have been found among young Chinese consumers, especially men, who are increasingly interested in new and trendy delivery formats and new flavors, according to Euromonitor.                                       Another reason for stouts making the rounds in China is the price. Brands are priced at around the same level as other premium lagers. According to industry analyst interviewed by the Euromonitor, this helps the category appeal to the young consumers in China.      

Chinese brewers are raising awareness of this type of beer nationwide. This includes offering a history lesson on this particular type of beer. Stout beer was originally served up by the pints in London. It is a dark beer made using roasted malt or roasted barley, hops, water, and yeast. Stout was traditionally the generic term for the strongest or stoutest porters produced by a brewery. The name porter was first used in 1721 to describe a dark brown beer that had been made with roasted malts. Originally, the adjective stout meant "proud" or "brave", but after the 14th century, it took on the connotation of "strong."  The first known use of the word stout for beer was in a document dated 1677 found in the Egerton Manuscript, the sense being that a stout beer was a strong beer. 

China offers strong prospects for stout beer.  Even though stout beer was little more than a minor niche in the Chinese beer market, accounting for 0.2%  of total volumes in 2014, it is nevertheless now having a major impact on the global stout category with its rapid growth.  Barely scraping into the top 30 leading stout markets in 2009, China in 2014 became the world’s eighth biggest consumer by volume and will be the world’s leading stout drinker in 2019, according to Euromonitor. The Chinese demand for stout will more than double to 658.7 million liters by 2021.   But putting all the numbers aside, science is offering another excuse to raise a pint. Researchers at Austria’s University of Graz on Wednesday said that drinking a pint of beer can boost your creativity. They said a pint of the hop stuff can loosen your brain’s controlling instincts, which allows you to have more spontaneous thoughts.