Hops

Hops grow in Hokkaido, and one variety even bears the region's name. Sorachi Ace was bred at Sapporo Breweries and grown in the Sorachi district, around the town of Kamifurano.

The brewery has developed further varieties of its own, including Furano Honoka. For Black Label, it uses hops exclusively from Furano. There, the hops climb trellises and are harvested in summer, around August.

Hops give beer two things. Bitterness comes from the alpha acids in the cones, released during the boil of the wort (the sugary liquid before fermentation). Aroma lives in the essential oils, preserved through short boiling times or later dry-hopping.

In Sapporo Classic and other lagers, hops provide a mild, clean bitterness that stays under 25 IBU (IBU being the unit for measuring bitterness), without asserting itself loudly. To really taste it, drink slowly rather than ice-cold, and pay attention to the finish, which can come across as slightly grassy or lemony.

Not everything comes from the island, though. Okhotsk Beer in Abashiri states it uses hops from the Hallertau region in Germany and from the Czech Republic. There, brewing follows German tradition, and the hops follow the recipe. So tasting a beer from Hokkaido doesn't always mean tasting hops from the island — sometimes it means a deliberately chosen European classic.