Qingke (青稞) — hulled barley grown on the Tibetan plateau — has been fermented into beer and chang (a traditional Tibetan barley wine) for thousands of years. In recent years several Xining craft breweries have started making modern beer using qingke as the primary grain, producing a distinctive cereal-flavoured beer that is notably different from standard Chinese lager.
The best places to try qingke beer are the small craft beer bars that have opened in the bar street area around Liyuan Road and in the Chengxi district. Look for signs advertising 青稞啤酒. Some bars serve both the traditional chang (served warm in a wooden bowl) alongside the modern craft version; trying both is the only way to understand the tradition they derive from. Qingke beer is also available in bottles in supermarkets throughout the city.