A bottle of beer could not present more auspiciously than Lucky Buddha Beer.
This Chinese beer, imported by Sage Beverages in Carlsbad, California, has become one of the fastest growing import beer brands in the United States. Brewed at the Thousand Island Lake in China (Qiandao Lake), Lucky Buddha contains a combination of the region’s malt, hops and rice. Drinking Lucky Buddha, you’ll taste a light lager with a crisp finish thanks to its rice content, a signature of Asian-style beers.
A striking bottle design further distinguishes Lucky Buddha. The bottle depicts a laughing Buddha holding a gold ingot over its head, and symbols of good luck decorate its base to signal good fortune, happiness, longevity and prosperity.
What's the Lucky Buddha?
The Laughing Buddha symbolizes a historical and cultural figure from Buddhist, Taoist and Shinto traditions. Also known as Budai — which means “cloth sack” — the Laughing Buddha represents a Chan Buddhist monk named Qici, who lived over 1,000 years ago. The cloth sack he carries was always full of goods that he gave away on his wanderings, and the monk’s jolliness is reflected in the Laughing Monk’s depictions. Budai’s image proliferates in Chinese culture, adorning temples, businesses and restaurants — not to mention beer bottles — and signifies contentment.
The Laughing Buddha and its depiction on a Lucky Buddha bottle.
A Beer for the Environment
Today, empty Lucky Buddha Beer bottles are repurposed for a variety of crafts, including for making vases, lamps and candleholders. And, a working partnership among Lucky Buddha Beer, Noble Environmental Technologies and Walmart has signaled an auspicious step for the beer.
The companies have aimed to develop sustainable packaging and point-of-purchase displays in Walmart stores to follow the super store’s commitment to reach zero landfill waste by 2025. Additionally, sustainable materials made by Noble Environmental Technologies ensure that these displays have been non-toxic, free of volatile organic compounds and made from 100% recycled and certified bio-based substances. Altogether, Lucky Buddha keeps reducing its material use and carbon footprint.
The Buddha is laughing, indeed.
Lucky Buddha Beer is available for purchase at Total Wine, BevMo, and Costco.
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