Sapporo Premium Beer – A Sampling & Food Pairing

I was excited to find a new sample waiting for me when I hit mybeerbuzz headquarters earlier today, and with this particular sample, so was Mrs. BeerBuzz.  After living for 4 years in Japan, Sapporo has become a regular for Mrs. BeerBuzz & I, so naturally we had to sample Sapporo Premium today.

Sapporo was founded in Japan in 1876 by a German-trained brewer, Seibei Nakagawa and even today it’s still the oldest beer brand in Japan.  Sapporo Premium comes in the standard 12oz bottle, but also my favorite Sapporo package, the 22oz silver can.  The shape and texture of the can are unique, and of course the beer is very familiar.  

The beer pours a golden straw yellow color and the body is very effervescent.  The aroma is decidedly hoppy thanks in part to the generous aroma hopping, but surprisingly Sapporo Premium has a pleasant and balanced bitterness at the end.  Yes this beer does use both aroma and bittering hops and you will notice both.  Sapporo Premium has a clean and crisp mouth-feel and finish and all in all it is very refreshing.  

This beer pairs well with just about anything I’ve tried so far….so for fun we paired the Sapporo with some spicy Kimchi and it really worked well.  The Sapporo lager cuts through the spiciness very nicely and the refreshing finish makes it a great beer to pair with cheeses or spicy foods too.  Try that Kimchi pairing out for yourself, and be sure to sample Sapporo Premium out and let me know what you think.