Sapporo Black

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

September 19, 2022
Beer Store #2003 (Milton, Ontario, Canada – Millside Drive)
473ml can
5.0% ABV
Canned On: August 24, 2022
$3.24
The beer poured a solid black colour with a light tan head that starts out huge but quickly dies to a thin film. The aroma is grass, nuts, and coffee….but in general, weak in aroma. The mouthfeel is light bodied with average carbonation. The flavour is a little more robust than the aroma with notes of coffee, roasted nuts, and yeast.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Pours translucent sepia with a thick and fairly persistent buff head. Aroma presents roast malt with subtle earthy notes. Flavor offers roasty and earthy tones, enjoyable if not spectacular. Texture gives OK body and perky fizz. Probably good with sushi or tempura.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

pours extremely dark red beer with a small tan colored head with some lacing. The aroma was sweet malty. The taste is sweet initially, but then switches to a medium bitter finish, with a sourness on the middle palate, tastes of burnt caramel. The mouthfeel is medium body.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Had this brew at Two Urban Licks in Atlanta. Typical Black Beer for sure. Aroma is sweet with some toasted bread and dark malts. Appearance is black in color with a light-tan head on top that dissipates quickly leaving fine, creamy lacing. Mouthfeel is light-bodied but well-rounded and smooth with complex malt profiles. Flavor is of roasted malt with some sweetness with an aftertaste that is smooth and rather light and a finish that is clean, crisp and very good. Overall, I was surprised by this offering for sure and I would recommend it most definitely.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

like a slightly sweeter, thinner porter. overall it was neat to try, but not something i'll go back for. not a ton of hops, or body, but what's there is good enough.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

When is a stout not a stout? When it is a schwarzbier of course. The inspiration for Sapporo Black Stout Draft didn't come from Ireland, it came from Germany. "Black Beer" is popular in Japan, most if not all major Japanese breweries do this style. What is schwarzbier? Its a dark lager that has its roots in the eastern part of Germany, similar to Munich dunkles, but a little darker in color, with some roastiness as well. German brewers were brought over to Japan in the 1800's to show the Japanese how to brew beer, and they brought their recipes with them. I lived in Japan for a year, and was drinking "black beer" 14 years ago, before I really understood what I was drinking. Being a stout drinker, Sapporo Black was a natural choice for me. But this beer has more in common with a Kostrizer, or even Sprecher Black Bavarian, than it ever will have with Guinness. This is a very good example of schwarzbier, and is a very smooth, drinkable, dark lager. Sapporo Black pours to a deep brown/black color with a nice white head, and a good bit of carbonation. The nose is quite malty. Good dark malt aromas, with a touch of roast, and balancing hop aromatics. The palate is firm, dark chocolate, coffee, and roasty flavors. This beer is a lager, so it is very smooth, round, and clean. This beer finishes malty up front, then leads into a quick, dry, bitter finish. This is an excellent "black" beer as the Japanese like to call it. It is a great tribute to a style that is under done, even in Germany. It has a cult following in Japan, and I was a member of that cult, and still am. Look for this beer in your area, its well worth seeking out. I would match this beer with smoked and grilled meats, or Mongolian BBQ.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Interesting purplish color to this beer; very little head. Aroma of dark fruits and roasted malts. Flavor was very malty and slightly sweet - almost like a "light" stout. Mild aftertaste; seemed you should get something that lingered a bit given the roasted malts this beer was brewed with.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

black colour with a little and fast disappearing foam, slightly roasty malty nose with notes of chocolate, medium-bodied, some sweetness and notes of caramel in the aftertaste

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

A decent Schwarzbier. However, there was little to make this standout. Slight chocolate and coffee tastes. There are notes of toast and some light caramel. Cool steel can!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

I don't know others beers from Japan, but this one is really good. A good strong flavor and aroma.