Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd, China`s leading beer maker, announced Thursday evening that its net profit surged 67.9 percent year-on-year to 640 million yuan ($93.6 million) in the first half of 2009 because of fast sales growth.

Revenue of the Shandong-based brewery in six months was 9.105 billion yuan, up 15.2 percent year-on-year, the company said in its half-year report to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

The Shanghai-listed firm`s shares had fallen 0.59 percent to 28.48 yuan a share Thursday before the release of the report.