Video of man urinating into vat of Tsingtao beer ingredients prompts investigation

Footage of someone emptying their bladder into ingredients used in creating Tsingtao beer has prompted the Chinese brewery and authorities to look into the situation. 

Tsingtao Brewery on Monday informed consumers and investors of the investigation. Its announcement came not long after video of a hard hat-donning man urinating into a large, open vat for one of its Pingdu facilities gained massive attention on the Weibo social media platform late last week.

“The company places high importance on the media reports and has reported the matter to public security authorities at the first opportunity,” CNBC reported the company said. “The public security authorities are presently involved in the investigation.”

Some reports have suggested the individual did not work directly for Tsingtao.

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The company has said the “batch of malt” that he seemingly emptied his bladder into “has been completely sealed” and the company “continues to increase management efforts to ensure product quality,” according to Business Insider. 

Tsingtao, which describes itself as the sixth-largest global beer-maker, produces a slew of beverages including a classic lager, a stout, a pilsner and an IPA. In addition to China, where it is headquartered, the brewer sells them in over 100 other countries, according to its website.

As of Monday afternoon, its market capitalization came in at roughly $12.65 billion. 

Tsingtao’s origins trace to the early 1900s, when German and British traders first created it, according to the brewing company.