While alcohol consumption in China still looks tame by international standards, the number of people who drink has steadily increased over recent decades. Fuelled by shifting social norms, average annual consumption rose from 2.5 litres of alcohol in 1978 to 6.7 litres in 2010.

For decades, the karaoke bar dominated Chinese nightlife in both its erotic and more innocent forms. But as young megacity dwellers develop more sophisticated tastes in alcohol, music and social scenes, karaoke is taking a supporting role.

Is tea still the most popular drink in China? And do logo-centric brands still dominate luxury? In our 2014 / 15 cultural snapshot of China, we demystify cultural myths, shed light on the country’s economic outlook, and explore the emerging and established trends across eleven sectors.

Brands from around the world are keen to appeal to China's evolving middle market. But what do Chinese people want from foreign brands, and how do they choose between them? We spoke to marketing professor Lily Dong to find out.

Catering to the growing group of craft beer fans, the Craft Check app lets drinkers scan a barcode to find out if their beer is really from an indie brewer. If it is, the app congratulates you - but if it’s ‘crafty, not craft’, it warns you that you're drinking an imitation.

Australians were once known for knocking back the ‘tinnies’ and ‘stubbies’, but tastes have changed. By the end of the decade, Aussies will consume more wine than beer. With such a dramatic shift, how has online wine club Vinomofo helped turn beer drinkers into wine buffs?

Would you like to know more about your wine? Delectable is an app that gives people insightful information about wine before they buy it. Point a smartphone's camera at a bottle, and the app will tell you its origin, flavour profile and how good it is, via expert reviews.

Just like beer before it, spirits are getting the craft treatment. Tapping into the emphasis on quality over quantity, Diageo has launched an accelerator programme to raise the next generation of craft distilleries. But why isn’t Diageo just creating its own premium brand?