... I assume that 'draft' is the US (and Sapporo) spelling of the same thing. Since this beer comes in a bottle or a can, doesn't that make the brewers lia....economical with the truth?
Would I drink it again? - I don't know and I really don't care.
Thanks for reading,
Sláinte ... Read review
Advantages: Cold and wet Disadvantages: Boring and laden with cheap adjuncts
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SAPPORO is the oldest beer brand in Japan, but as Japan doesn't have a very long history of brewing beer, it's not surprising that it only dates back to 1876. Brewing began here when wild hops were discovered and....nah. If you want the history of this beer you should go to the website.
SAPPORO DRAFT is a bright and clear, deep golden colour when poured, with a very active carbonation which forms a pure-white, foamy head which lasts quite a while - considering the style of beer, and leaves a moderate amount of lacing.
The aroma has a somewhat husky, grainy tone to it with mild leafy hops and a faint metallic edge. There's a little floral note in there too, but all these aromas are very subdued.
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As you can see, we made it back from our trip to London safe and sound and relatively unscathed. We even managed not to make any sudden movements and so avoided being shot by one of the multitude of snipers on the roof-tops.
So, did I sample any tasty pints of wallop down in the smoke? You bet your over-inflated security budget I did. You know, one of my mottoes is 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'. It should therefore come as no surprise that we went for some lunch in a Japanese noodle bar while we were in London. (I said it was one of my mottoes, not some kind of strict, non-negotiable, life-style code.)
However, using this motto as an occasional, tenuous link to pad out a review introduction, I do believe if you're going to eat Japanese food, drink Japanese beer. So I did.
SAPPORO is the oldest beer brand in Japan, but as Japan doesn't have a very long history of brewing beer, it's not surprising that it only dates back to 1876. Brewing began here when wild hops were discovered and....nah. If you want the history of this beer you should go to the website.
Ralph was excited about his new rifle and decided to try bear hunting. He spotted a small brown bear and shot it. Almost immediately, there was a tap on his shoulder and he turned around to see a big black bear. The black bear said, "That was my cousin and you've got two choices... Either I maul you to death or we have sex."
After considering briefly, Frank decided to accede to the latter alternative. Even though he felt sore for two weeks, Frank soon recovered and vowed revenge.
He headed out on another trip where he found the black bear and shot it. A moment later, there was another tap on his shoulder. This time a huge grizzly bear stood right next to him, and said, "That was a big mistake, Ralph. That was my cousin and you've got two choices. Either I maul you to death or we have rough sex." Again, Frank thought it was better to cooperate.
Although he survived, it took several months before Frank finally recovered. Outraged, he headed back to the woods, managed to track down the grizzly and shot it. He felt sweet revenge but, then, there was a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to find a giant polar bear standing there. The polar bear looked at him very sadly and said, "Admit it Ralph, you don't come here for the hunting, do you?"
SAPPORO DRAFT is a bright and clear, deep golden colour when poured, with a very active carbonation which forms a pure-white, foamy head which lasts quite a while - considering the style of beer, and leaves a moderate amount of lacing. The aroma has a somewhat husky, grainy tone to it with mild leafy hops and a faint metallic edge. There's a little floral note in there too, but all these aromas are very subdued.
It has a smooth taste and a relatively creamy mouthfeel - although the carbonation is a bit fierce. There's a light malt character with a touch of grain at the back but probably the most noticeable flavour, at least at first, is of sour apples - almost cider-like. The hops are quite subtle and have a vague lime/lemon tanginess with some floral notes. After the faintest of yeasty/bready flavours, the beer finishes dry with a light dose of leafy hops and a slight bitterness. It has quite a clean aftertaste with only the lightest of floral hops lingering.
* THE VERDICT *
At 4.5% ABV, it's a reasonable, drinkable brew but nothing to get excited about. There are no nasty flavours or unpleasant aromas. But, it isn't really all that tasty, or complex, or exciting, or....well, you know. It's one of those beers that are pretty much instantly forgettable; you don't rave about the fantastic complexity --- you don't curse the horrible taste. It's OK, just. Having said that, my beer was ice-cold and I would imagine this brew might not handle a rise in temperature too well.
Maybe it's the type of ingredients that are flung into the mix which are the problem. I mean, if you're going to throw in rice and corn-starch, it's never going to be an optimum example of brewing craft. But, I suppose it keeps the profits healthy. If you like Bud, MGD and 'beers' of that ilk, then you'll probably appreciate this as well.
It complimented the food quite well and I suppose fish is probably the most suitable dish to have with it. I'd stick to noodles with the fish though as you don't want to overdose on the rice.....
I paid 38p for this beer and I have to say it was worth every penny....oh wait, misplaced decimal point there. It was actually £3.80. I stand by my first statement, it was good value at 38p. By paying ten times that price, I feel exploited and sullied.
And another thing. In the UK we call beer that is dispensed from a barrel 'draught'. I assume that 'draft' is the US (and Sapporo) spelling of the same thing. Since this beer comes in a bottle or a can, doesn't that make the brewers lia....economical with the truth?
Would I drink it again? - I don't know and I really don't care.
