24-hour 'stock market' beer station lets you choose your brew at the cheapest price

In a particularly vibrant nightlife precinct of Shenzhen, in China, the main attraction may be a massive landlocked cruise ship that's been turned into hotels, bars and restaurants. But in its shadow, is an equally bizarre but less obvious novelty: a round structure that resembles a public restroom from afar, but on closer inspection is a 24-hour self-service beer stop where each tap's price changes based on demand. It's like playing the stock market, but your gains come in a giant plastic cup and your skill at pouring your brew of choice.

The novelty "bar" – surrounded by a few deck chairs and one person on hand to offer technical and pouring help more than anything, is the work of the Tsingtao Brewery Co., a company founded more than a century ago by German and British merchants. While Tsingtao is widespread across China's mainland these days, this mode of self-service street brewery has become a hit for pretty obvious reasons.

The first "360-degree smart beer column" – as China Daily described it following the first of its kind that opened in Qingdao, Shandong province, last year – is a circular structure featuring 10 or so taps of different kinds of Tsingtao beers, from low-alcohol fruit-infused lighter drinks to stronger dark ales and IPAs, where a digital screen displays price changes for what's on offer, influenced by what's been purchased. The more popular, the higher the price.

That said, the price structure is a little more gimmick than functional – it updates every 10 minutes, but the "dynamic pricing" has more interactive and entertaining appeal than real bang for buck. Particularly since the savings made in service-staff costs and brick-and-mortar bar space, not to mention the affordability of buying booze here in China's RMB currency, aren't that far off grabbing a can or bottle from a nearby 24-hour convenience store.

Then there's also the payment system, which I have mentioned previously, that can be tricky for foreigners to navigate. Basically, the idea is that you choose your beer, scan its adjacent QR code, which ideally takes you to your browser to confirm purchase. And I admit that while on this trip I managed to master the QR-based AliPay linked to my bank account, which made daily life immeasurably easier, WeChat (微信) is the primary payment avenue. I got a little flustered trying to access this station and instead used my camera, which opened Google Chrome on my phone. Even if you have an efficient VPN that lets you use any Google apps in China, it's still pretty hit and miss. So without wanting to seem like a dumb tourist, I forgot I could have scanned with AliPay to see if that worked (even though I'd just bought two large fries from McDonald's right next door with this system, so this one is on me).

However, I did stand back and watch the experts – or, at least, someone who looked like they'd earned a beer after a long cycle. After some help scanning the QR code, a cup-holder next to the tap released a rather larger plastic container for you to then test your beer-pouring skills. You also get a lid if a walk-and-sip is more your style.

It's by no means a new concept – in 2024, Sports Nation attached to Taipei's baseball stadium opened a similar "beer stock market exchange" bar, and The Drink Exchange in Miami, Florida, has been in operation even longer. Again, both venues and others around the globe operate on a system of price fluctuation based on demand. Novelty? Sure. But it's also weirdly fun.

Still, if you find yourself wandering around the Shekou area in Shenzhen late at night – or any time of the day, who are we to judge? – I highly recommend avoiding the bright lights of the admittedly incredible Minghua cruise ship and check out one of the most unique ways you can grab a beer in China that we've found so far. Regardless of price, it's cheaper than nearby bars and you might even score a camping chair to enjoy the hoppy fruits of your minimal labor.

However, particularly at night, it's hard to draw your attention away from the Minghua – which takes "floating restaurant" to a very Shenzhen-style next level.

Source: Tsingtao