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Sapporo Premium Black

Sapporo Brewery
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🌍 Japan · Dark Lager · One of 22 Dark Lagers in hopIQ

Sapporo's first dark beer is a deep black lager with a creamy head, brewed from roasted dark malts with a restrained hop charge. The roast brings notes of coffee and dark chocolate, backed by caramel, toast and a sweet, rounded malt fullness. Despite the colour the body stays fairly light, and the finish turns clean and crisp with a light roasted bitterness and a faint hop spice.

ABV
5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter19 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
deep amber20
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Lean body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

A sharp texture drives the beer — a clean, direct pour with room for the palate to fill in.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Dark Lager.
Malt character
roasted
chocolate
coffee
caramel
malty
toasty
Fermentation & yeast
clean

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Sapporo Premium Black

Appearance

Sapporo Premium Black presents a deep, opaque black color that belies its surprisingly light body. A creamy, persistent head crowns the glass, suggesting quality carbonation and malt presence. The visual presentation is striking and inviting, with excellent clarity given its dark roast character.

deep blackcreamy headopaquewell-carbonated

Aroma

The nose leads with prominent roasted malt character, delivering warm notes of coffee and dark chocolate with subtle caramel undertones. The restrained hop profile allows the roast to shine without overwhelming spice or bitterness. A light toasty sweetness rounds out the aromatic profile, inviting further exploration.

roasted maltcoffeedark chocolatecaramel

Taste

Entry is smooth and malty with integrated roast flavors creating a balanced chocolate and coffee foundation. The mid-palate reveals creamy caramel and toast notes supported by a light, clean body that defies the beer's dark appearance. A restrained hop bitterness builds gently toward the finish, with faint spice notes adding complexity without harshness.

chocolate-forwardsmooth entrybalanced roastlight-bodied

Finish

The finish turns clean and crisp with a light roasted bitterness that fades gracefully. A faint hop spice lingers briefly before yielding to a dry, refreshing aftertaste.

cleancrispdry finish
80
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
80
Appearance
85
Finish
78
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Sapporo Premium Black

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein
Recommended for this style

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Sapporo Premium Black

About Dark Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Dark Lager?

Dark Lager is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Dark Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, chocolate, coffee character as Sapporo Premium Black will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Dark Lagers in hopIQ

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