# Sapporo Clone



## manaen

Last night I went out for dinner with the other half for "V" day to a teppenyaki restaurant and I tried a japanese beer called "Sapporo". Unfortunately they only came out with it in the glass so I didn't get a sticky beak at the bottle .. but as far as commercial beers go I was very impressed.

Does anyone have an extract or partial clone for it?


----------



## sluggerdog

Think this would be it: http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer/sapporo-premium-draft-/729/


----------



## manaen

hmm not a good review .. I though it was pretty good.


----------



## Backlane Brewery

I read somewhere that the Japanese invented "dry" beer in the 80s- ie, with little or no aftertaste or body. Thanks, guys.
They do cute things with their beer, like those Kirin minkegs, and the Sapporo cans that are shaped like a glass, but I have never found any of them worth drinking in a big way. 
Stick to the sake, Manaen!


----------



## NRB

Backlane Brewery said:


> but I have never found any of them worth drinking in a big way.



You obviusly haven't tried Yebisu then...


----------



## Backlane Brewery

No I haven't... where in Melbourne get you buy Yebisu? I'll give it a go.

I see from your anime girl avatar you're into all things Oriental.


----------



## kungy

Heres something i came across from Northerbrewer.com

Try this... 

1/2 lb carapils 

4 lbs pale or extra light malt extract 
2 lbs rice syrup solids 

1 oz Czech Saaz (60 min) 

1/4 oz saaz (15 min) 
1/4 oz hersbrucker (15 min) 

1/4 oz saaz (1 min) 
1/4 oz hersbrucker (1 min) 

Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast 

See http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?t=16613 for further info


----------



## morry

I reckon Sapporo isnt a bad drop. Not the most interesting beer out there, but pretty easy to drink. 

I reckon Kungys recipe could be a goer.


----------



## waggabrewers

I just came back from Tokyo in December, I must say that the Jap beers I tried whilst in Japan are the equal of any beers that I have tasted. Whether they travel well is another story.
Just look at fosters, here we dislike the stuff but in Japan its the ducks guts.


----------



## Sean

Backlane Brewery said:


> They do cute things with their beer, [...], and the Sapporo cans that are shaped like a glass,
> [post="45105"][/post]​


Yeh - the can is a damn sight more interesting that it's contents.


----------



## NRB

Backlane Brewery said:


> No I haven't... where in Melbourne get you buy Yebisu? I'll give it a go.
> 
> I see from your anime girl avatar you're into all things Oriental.
> [post="45285"][/post]​



I couldn't tell you precisely, but a mate knows. When I find out I'll report back. I've not tried it in Australia, but lived on the stuff in Japan.

As for the avatar, I had it on my HDD and needed to add an avatar... I do like a lot of Oriental things though


----------



## scrogster

There's a bottleshop on the South Side of Victoria St Richmond, attached to an Asian grocery. They have Yebisu for sale, along with a number of other asian beers, including Tsing Tao in big bottles. I didn't think it was anything special, a pretty typical Pilsner style pale lager, but not too bad all the same.


----------



## Curry

For those of you that like the dark side, keep an eye out for Sapporo Dark - it has a caramel taste to it. Sounds bizarre but goes down very well during the cold Japanese winter. Unfortunately I have never seen it in Australia.

Of the three main commercial beers in Japan I would rate:-

1. Sapporo
2. Asahi
3. Kirin

Sapporo is the hardest of the 3 to find in Australia but definitely worth it.


My experience with Yebisu is limited but I am just about to head of to Narita (Tokyo) this afternoon so I will have to see if I can find some. 

Anyone want some beer shots brought back, that is a six pack of 135ml cans - NO I AM NOT KIDDING!! Most grog shops stock these and they are available in all the major Japanese beer types.

Bottom line is that Japanese beer really shocked me when I first visited, it is surprisingly really good.


----------



## razzmeister

Yebisu is a joy to drink. A great beer.
The only downer to it is that it costs about double the other three main brands in Japan.
Not sure how much it is here though?


----------



## Joe Bloggs

The great thing about the Japanese breweries is that they all produce local specialties. This beer is only sold in that particular district and the best way to taste it is to visit the local brewery itself. I have been to a couple whilst I was living there and they give about 45min to chug down as much of their brew as you can. Tours are free, so if you're heading to Japan, pick up a railpass (buy before you go) and then hit the breweries. There are lots of breweries around. Only some have English speaking guides, but you don't need to speak Japanese to enjoy the beer!

I wasn't a big fan of Yebisu, as I prefer black beers. Both Kirin and Asahi produce black beers (kuro-nama) but they aren't widely available. Another anomaly of the Japanese brew scene is Happoshu which is a beer flavoured alcoholic drink. Because beer is taxed on the amount of malt it contains, the Japanese have found a way of brewing a beer as a flavouring then adding this to a tasteless carbonated liquid to produce a cheap alternative to real beer. It gives a shocking hangover, but costs about half the price of real beer. Given the cost of beer in Japan, happoshu is very popular. 

Joe


----------



## fifteenbeerslater

Was over ther a few years ago,coudn't believe all the different size cans you could buy beer in from 100ml to 2litre approx.and directly in the supermarkets and 7/11 stores.
SAPPORO good beer nice taste, score: 8/10
Cheers 15BL :beer:


----------



## pokolbinguy

Anyone have a recipe for Sapporo? Bought a carton the other night and its a pretty tidy beer, wouldn't mind it on tap.

Either Kit and Bits or AG...or both???

Cheers, Pok


----------



## Nick JD

pokolbinguy said:


> Anyone have a recipe for Sapporo? Bought a carton the other night and its a pretty tidy beer, wouldn't mind it on tap.
> 
> Either Kit and Bits or AG...or both???
> 
> Cheers, Pok



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happoshu

Nah just joking.

Basically a pale pilsner grain, 30% rice and a noble hop to < 20IBUs. Cleaner lager yeast the better. 

Use enzymes if you want to dry it out and taste like almost nothing.


----------



## wessmith

The Sapporo and Asahi style dry beers is exactly what Galaxy malt was developed for. 100% malt, no rice, mash low and ferment out well and clean. Drink cold. Very boring. 

Wes


----------



## bradsbrew

wessmith said:


> The Sapporo and Asahi style dry beers is exactly what Galaxy malt was developed for. 100% malt, no rice, mash low and ferment out well and clean. Drink cold. Very boring.
> 
> Wes



Hey Wes, Any idea what its been replaced with? Or is it just the non brewery brewers that cant access galaxy?

Cheers


----------



## wessmith

bradsbrew said:


> Hey Wes, Any idea what its been replaced with? Or is it just the non brewery brewers that cant access galaxy?
> 
> Cheers



I did hear that Quasar malt had been bred as a replacement but have also seen recently that Galaxy is again available. It was originally only available to the Japanese breweries but we did get access to it back in 2000 or 2001 for the HB and micro markets in Aus. It was always strictly a BB product though.

Wes


----------



## dr K

wessmith said:


> I did hear that Quasar malt had been bred as a replacement but have also seen recently that Galaxy is again available. It was originally only available to the Japanese breweries but we did get access to it back in 2000 or 2001 for the HB and micro markets in Aus. It was always strictly a BB product though.
> 
> Wes


 Wes is correct. Galaxy is certainly available, and as noted on another thread a great favorite of brewers in Canberra. Those who use it swear by it, those who don't (or perhaps don't know better) reckon its the same as BB pale, and from a spec sheet they are pretty close.
I do know it has a very tight spec though.
It is a great malt for a dry clean and clear beer if used exclusively and a fantastic adjunct for higher ABV beers.

K


----------



## manticle

dr K said:


> Those who use it swear by it, those who don't (or perhaps don't know better) reckon its the same as BB pale



I can't imgaine homebrewers who had no actual experience of an ingredient or process would be so brazen as to make claims about subjects for which they had no surety?


----------



## pokolbinguy

So no-one with a recipe?


----------



## manticle

AHB has moved a long way from actually answering questions as asked.

Sorry to contribute to that mess. I'm not me usual self.


----------



## dr K

manticle said:


> I can't imgaine homebrewers who had no actual experience of an ingredient or process would be so brazen as to make claims about subjects for which they had no surety?


I suspect, though I have no sureity that the brewers in Canberra who swear by it may have used in the past...
K


----------



## pokolbinguy

manticle said:


> AHB has moved a long way from actually answering questions as asked.



Sometimes I think this is true.



manticle said:


> Sorry to contribute to that mess. I'm not me usual self.



You're right, you usually stir more shit than this


----------



## manticle

@ drK: I mean the ones who haven't used it - surely they would make no bold claims one way or the other, as suggested in your original post.

I'm having a good natured dig at you based on previous posts regarding processes you haven't tried. I apologise for OT and when I say good natured, I mean it.

@ polk: I balance that with trying to make the sun shine brighter every day.


----------



## dr K

@ drK: I mean the ones who haven't used it - surely they would make no bold claims one way or the other, as suggested in your original post.

mmm this is perhaps confusing, earlier I noted


> Wes is correct. Galaxy is certainly available, and as noted on another thread a great favorite of brewers in Canberra. Those who use it swear by it, those who don't (or perhaps don't know better) reckon its the same as BB pale, and from a spec sheet they are pretty close.
> I do know it has a very tight spec though.
> It is a great malt for a dry clean and clear beer if used exclusively and a fantastic adjunct for higher ABV beers.
> 
> K


I am at times confusing, though more often I admit confused and particularly so in your assertion of bold claims by brewers in Canberra, in fact I see not even a suggestion in my post, then, of course, I was referencing brewers in Canberra rather than wider, so you may be correct if you redact the canberra ref.

K


----------



## manticle

I wasn't talking about canberra brewers.

The point I was making was in direct reference to the exact part that I quoted from your text - nothing more, nothing less. Implied in your post (fairly explicitly) is that some who have not used BB whatever make claims about it that are based on nothing, considering they have no actual experience on which to base that claim.

Remember good natured.

Extrapolate.

People make claims about ingredients OR processes about which they have no experience.

You and no chill?

It was a cheap shot but **** it, I saw it and I took it and you are often crytpic at the best of times so I thought I'd give it back.

Call it quits, share a beer sometime when I'm up in canbeera? One of my award winning botulism/dms laden NC ones and one of your delicious chilled ones. Then we go to the wig and pen and drink delicious beers till our eyes close from sheer exhaustion, yes?


----------



## Siborg

I must admit. I went to a japanese restaurant in the city a little while ago where they had sapporo on tap and I guzzled it down. Of all the pale lagers/pilsners I've had recently (not many, admittedly) it is probably the one that stands out in my memory the most. I'm just about due to brew another lager. 

Might go something along the lines of:

Base malt (maybe try this galaxy malt you guys are talking about) - 3.5Kg or 70%
Flaked Rice - 1.5Kg or 30%

Bitter to around 20 IBU - what noble hop do you reckon? Hallertau? Tettnang (manticle - I know your answer to this already!)
What about flavour/aroma? I remember (it's been a while) something going on there. Nothing huge but, from memory, something. Might try Kungy's reference:
28g Saaz @ 60minutes

7g saaz @ 15min and 1min
7g hersbrucker @ 15min and 1min

Got some 34/70 that I probably should use, but might give some wy2007 a go.


----------



## Lord Raja Goomba I

Soraichi Ace - developed by Sapporo in 1988. Would daresay that modern Sapporo uses it, though maybe it's one of those "it doesn't taste like it did in the old days" kind of beers.

Goomba


----------



## Nicko_Cairns

I guess it's all in the palate, I like lagers, pilseners and pale ales the most and I think Sapporo is a great beer. I don't like most ales and can't stand stouts unless used in cooking. 

So different strokes for different folks but give me that dry and apparently bland beer any day!

Very keen to hear how people's recipes turn out for Sapporo. 

Cheers.


----------



## Nick JD

100% Wey Pilsner malt and 20 IBUs of NZ Hallertau at 60 minutes (and a Czech yeast) makes a beer that tastes like nearly every subtle, pale, easy-drinking lager in the world. 

One of those beers where you look at your glass and see it's empty again.


----------



## Murcluf

Also a Sapporo fan but the only Sapporo I've seen here has been BUL cans and bottles out of Canada, but you have lucky enough to get to have it off tap from Japan well I'm jealous.

Recipe wise what I heard had been already said Pils malt, Rice and Saaz hops.


----------

