COVID-19 saw many small businesses across the US fear for their survival, but Texan beer fans have stepped up to support their local craft breweries. How have producers adapted to the challenges posed by the crisis? And what did the pandemic reveal about the value of community in the sector?

Beer has been part of Chinese history for thousands of years, yet locals tend to see it as cheap, simple booze. Drinking Buddies is hoping to shift cultural perceptions and expand palates in the country by delivering carefully chosen craft brews from around the world on a subscription basis.

Baijiu remains the most popular spirit across China, but domestic gin distilleries are localising their flavour profiles through native botanicals and spices to reach new audiences. Gin is generally characterised as British, but these flavours are winning fans by blending the new with the familiar.

Despite living in the birthplace of the gin and tonic, people in India have historically preferred whisky and beer to gin. But interest in the spirit is growing among the country’s urban middle class, with boutique homegrown brands such as Stranger and Sons holding particular appeal.