Niseko Beer (ニセコビール) uses water from Niseko, locally harvested salmon to make tasty craft beers. The famous type includes Golden flower (山吹), Afterglow (残照), Ezo Porter (蝦夷), Deep Powder (深雪), sunflower (向日葵), and more. On the other hand, Mt. Yotei Beer (羊蹄山麓ビール) uses barley, hops, and water. Especially it creates five types of unfiltered craft beer by taking an adventure on water from Niseko.
Table of Contents
Niseko Beer (ニセコビール)
It’s a brewery on the 1st floor and a restaurant on the two floors.
Brewery: Niseko Brewing ニセコビール株式会社
Address: 4-11 Hondori, Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido 048-1502
Contact: +81 136 55 5664
Official Website [Click Here]
Types of Craft Beer
List in no particular order.
Golden Flower Pilsner 山吹
It features an apparent, refreshing hops aroma and well-balanced yeast sweetness.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 4.5% |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Bottom |
| Beer Style | Pilsner/ Lager | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Afterglow Pale Ale 残照
It’s a pale ale with an outstanding balance of citrus aroma, hoppy scent, and malty flavour.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 5% |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | Pale ale | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Ezo Porter 蝦夷
It’s a black beer that uses salmon, kelp, and shiitake mushrooms from Hokkaido. Ezo Porter brings a unique flavour than others.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 6% |
| Body | Mouth-Coating | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | Porter/ Ale | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Deep Powder IPA 深雪
Deep Powder IPA is characterised by a gorgeous hoppy aroma and a slightly bitter flavour. It won a bronze award at Japan Great Beer Awards 2021 (ジャパン・グレートビア・アワーズ2021).
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 5% |
| Body | Mouth-Coating | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | IPA | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Sunflower Belgian Ale 向日葵
Sunflower Belgian Ale uses citrus, light in colour. It’s easy-drinking, with low but pleasing hop bitterness. It’s Japan World Beer Awards 2020 (ワールド ビア アワード2020) winner.
| Type | Belgian Beer | ABV | 5% |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | Ale | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Aun IPL 阿吽
It’s a dry lager beer that features a hoppy aroma.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 5% |
| Body | Drying | Yeast Fermentation | Bottom |
| Beer Style | India Pale Lager (IPL) | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Nadeshiko Rosée Biere 撫子
Nadeshiko is a seasonal pink beer with a pleasantly rich and sweet fruity aroma and acidic flavour. It uses abundant grape juice from Hokkaido. The winner of a silver award at Japan Great Beer Awards 2021 (ジャパン・グレートビア・アワーズ2021).
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 4% |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | – |
| Beer Style | Rose Hybrid Beer | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Pumpkin Ale パンプキンエール
It’s a seasonal ale made with Niseko pumpkins with a slight pumpkin aftertaste.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 5% |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | Ale | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Kurenai Apple Ale 紅
It’s a seasonal fruity (apple) ale that uses plenty of apple juice from Sobetsu-Cho, Hokkaido.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | – |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | Ale | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Kiichigo Wheat Raspberry Wheat Ale 木苺
It uses wheat, pleasant raspberry sweetness. Only available in the season.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | – |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | Ale | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Powder Life Pale Ale 風花
Powder Life Pale Ale contains orange peel and coriander seeds.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | – |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | Pale Ale | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Meikyu Dashi IPA 迷宮
It’s a brown IPA with bitterness.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 6% |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | IPA | Brewery | Niseko Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Mt. Yotei Beer (羊蹄山麓ビール)
Brewery: Lupicia Brewing
Shop Name: La villa LUPICIA
Address: 58-5 Kabayama, Kutchan, Abuta District, Hokkaido 044-0078
Contact: +81 136 21 6818
E-mail: [email protected]
Official Website [Click Here]
Types of Craft Beer
List in no particular order.
English Pale Ale イングリッシュペールエール
It features a well-balanced hoppy aroma and rich malty flavour.
| Type | English Beer | ABV | 5% |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | Pale Ale | Brewery | Lupicia Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Nisecoise ニセコワーズ
The fruit aroma (grapefruit) and the hops fragrant from white wine are its characters.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 5% |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | Hazy IPA | Brewery | Lupicia Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
IPA アイピーエー
It boasts more hoppy flavour, aroma, and bitterness than Nisecoise. High hop bitterness and the citrus-like taste are the characters.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 6% |
| Body | Mouth-Coating | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | IPA | Brewery | Lupicia Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Raspberry Black ラズベリーブラック
It soaks sweet and sour raspberries in stout made from roasted barley. It’s a fruity beer with a mellow flavour and acidity in the finish.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 5.5% |
| Body | – | Yeast Fermentation | – |
| Beer Style | Low-malt beer (発泡酒) | Brewery | Lupicia Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Coucher De Soleil クッシェドソレイユ
It accents the orange taste with herbs and spices.
| Type | Hokkaido Beer | ABV | 5% |
| Body | Soft | Yeast Fermentation | Top |
| Beer Style | Ale | Brewery | Lupicia Brewing |
| State | Hokkaido | Country | Japan |
Conclusion
It’s tough to choose No.1. Each craft beer has its character and taste. I would like to drink Deep Powder IPA (深雪) from Niseko Brewery, then drink Nisecoise (ニセコワーズ) from Lupicia Brewing with my seafood meal.
Want to know more Japan craft beers and breweries in Hokkaido? Click here>>
