Cranky Reviews

I wanted to try this Sapporo Dark Lager imported from Japan but I only buy singles and this one comes in 4 packs. I was commenting (complaining) to the lady behind the counter at The Beer Store about it and she said she wanted to try it too. So I bought a 4 pack and she bought two off me. How’s that for service! So, here’s is a tip of the tankard toast to the dedicated employees of my local Beer Store. For all you do to sell us brew, this brew review’s for you! *

What we have here is a traditional Japanese beer. Back in the day a tag “Made in Japan” brought to question the quality of the product.** Not so today. Let’s see where on the fabled island this brew was brewed. Could it be their major production facilities located in Hokkaido? No. How about Sendai, or Chiba, or Shizuoka? Nope. Perhaps the Yebisu Brewery Tokyo or the Kyushu Hita Brewery. None of the above. This one was brewed in the ancient Japanese hamlet of Guelph. What a coincidence, there’s a brewery in Guelph Ontario as well. ***

A Sa-pour-oh so black, as black as the can it comes in. With a slim off-white head that headed off quickly, no froth blow off required. A dark slightly sweet roasted malt aroma. First taste is a light watery mouthfeel. The dark malt roast is there, but where I expected lager sweet cocoa I got a bit of an ale hoppy wine tang on the finish. The finish quickly (as in next swig) morphs into a smooth, very mild hoppy bitter. Tasty with nice flavour but not strong, more like a beginner’s dark? It is a very easy drinking dark, definitely big swiggable. Now I know why they sell them in 4s because even though I’m a one and done guy I could have had a few more of these dark easy quaffers.

I hope the lady behind the counter at The Beer Store enjoyed her Sapporo Dark as much as I did.