A newcomer to brands list, Harbin beer is brewed by the Harbin Brewery in China. In recent years the brewery has dramatically increased its production capacity allowing it to emerge as one of the world’s top 10 beer brands. AB InBev took over the brewery in 2004 following a bitter battle with SABMiller, allowing it to further increase its distribution in European and North American markets, however its share is tiny compared to other big Chinese beer brands such as Tsingtao. Its key market is China.

Founded in 1900, it is China’s fourth largest – and the oldest – brewery, and it also produces the Hapi beer brand. Harbin’s history dates back to 1900 when a Russian citizen founded the Manchuria brewery in northeast China. In 1908 the company was renamed Gulunia, then Harbin Brewery in 1932. For the most part of its history it was controlled by the Chinese state government, during which time it became the first company to brew beer with corn instead of rice during the Great Chinese Famine.