Grilled cheese specialist Jimi Sides of The Corner Melt — newly relaunched off Xingfucun Middle Road — will host the first maovember party of 2014. Here’s an interview with Sides plus details of the event, slated for Sunday, November 2.

The Event

It’ll be one Bourbon, one hot (melted cheese), one beer as Maovember gets underway at 6 PM. It’ll also be a good chance to check out the new Corner Melt digs, on the same side-street shared by The Big Smoke, Frost and BBC.

The Maovember highlights:

• Get a Knob Creek shot and PBR chaser for rmb30 while supplies — two bottles of booze, two case of PBR — last.
• Brass Monkeys, courtesy of Andy Horowitz, will also be sold for those who prefer vitamin C — orange juice — in their beverages.
• And for a small entry fee, customers can take the Nerf sports challenge (more details tomorrow).

Proceeds from all three activities go to charity as do funds from sales of the Maovember 2014 pins, which will be hot off the presses. Get yours for 500 mao (50 yuan) and wear it at participating vendors for discounts all month (see this page for details).

The Interview

You guys specialize in grilled cheese. Which one would pair best with Bourbon and PBR?

The ‘Merica Melt! It’s cheap, easy, and straight to the point. No trouble, no BS.

Maovember is a spin on Movember which involves lots of mustaches. Which patron has the best cookie duster?

Ricky the Rat, best whiskers in town. Cheesed up all the time.

For people who have visited your previous hutong location, what can they expect at this new one?

Now we have tables, chairs, a bar, a toilet, drinks, and a license. Thanks to all my cop spotters at the old spot, we ducked more than a few encounters.

When Andy Horowitz of Andy’s Craft Sausages was hit by a taxi in Beijing a few days ago, I don’t imagine his first thoughts were, “Oh, gee whiz, is that my leg across the street?” or “I wonder if they have bratwurst in heaven?”

No, as a steadfast supporter of the maovember cause, it was no doubt something like, “How much compensation can I get in order to fund maovember 2014 pin purchases?”

As it turns out, Horowitz negotiated a 100-yuan settlement and used it to pledge payment for two of the maovember 2014 pins that will be officially released later this week. One will be worn by Horowitz himself, while the other will go to Qiu Qiu his dog, who — see below — also proudly bought a pin last year.

maovember is returning in all its hairy glory.

Like last year, maovember 2014 will see Beijing bars, restaurants, vendors and consumersteam up for charity. The month-long ‘stache-for-cash extravaganza will include everything from drink deals to pin sales to corn toss, bingo and beer pong.

Look for more details about the maovember 2014 charity, pins and event schedule here and on our accounts at Facebook and Twitter.

Here are some of the many people who helped the cause last year: