Puli Brewery

Review

Puli Brewery is a visitor brewery run by the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation and is known as the hometown of Taiwanese Shaoxing wine. Gofunit traces its history: in 1917 Puli's first private brewing company opened, mainly making sake; after the war, Zhejiang brewing methods arrived, and from 1957 the plant dropped other liquors to make only Shaoxing. Mirror Media notes it brews with Ailan spring water and that its Shaoxing was once exported to dozens of countries.

Most visitors come for the souvenirs spun off from Shaoxing wine. The Shaoxing eggs are vacuum-packed with half-set yolks, and first-timers may notice a slight bitterness from the wine; the Shaoxing sausages use the wine to remove gaminess and carry a gentle aroma, with gift boxes available; and the Shaoxing popsicles contain a little wine, in flavours such as red bean, taro, glutinous rice and peanut. The sales centre also stocks Shaoxing wines, aged bottles and local snacks.

Fans praise the free admission, the photogenic wine-jar tunnel and clear exhibits with English signage, calling the eggs and sausages must-buys. Critics mention weekend crowds and queues for parking and checkout, and some feel the 'discount' prices are not always cheaper than supermarkets; food options are limited, so it is more a place for gifts than a proper meal.

Hours are about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., extended to 5:30 p.m. at weekends. Sources disagree on the address, listing No. 186 or No. 219 on Section 3 of Zhongshan Road, so navigate by name and check before you go. There is a car park; weekend afternoons are busiest, so mornings are better. Drivers should go easy on tastings, and no one under 18 may drink.

Good for a half-hour to one-hour stop on a Puli trip, or for anyone wanting Shaoxing-flavoured gifts. Grab a Shaoxing popsicle to eat while you browse, then leave with a few boxes of eggs and sausages; non-drinkers can still enjoy the exhibits on Taiwan's Shaoxing history.