Sapporo Breweries
Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan · Est. 1876
Tally's Take
Why this matters
Japan's oldest continuous beer brand, founded by a German-trained brewmaster in Hokkaido. Black Label has outlasted every trend sent at it.
The Beer Library
Beers
Sapporo Premium
Year-RoundPale Lager
Japan's oldest beer brand, created by a government project to develop the wild northern island of Hokkaido. The star on the can is the pioneers' emblem.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Sapporo Draft Beer Black Label
Year-RoundPale lager
Japan Pass 1. Current domestic flagship identified by Sapporo.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →YEBISU Beer
Year-RoundPremium lager
Japan Pass 1. Released 1890. Current brand with 1890 historical origin; production interruptions and revival are documented in notes.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Sapporo Lager
CURRENT HERITAGE RANGEPasteurized lager
Japan Pass 1. Released 1888. Official timeline identifies Sapporo Lager as a pasteurized beer from 1888.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Sapporo Classic
REGIONALHokkaido-exclusive lager
Japan Pass 1. Current Hokkaido anchor; detailed specification deferred.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Sapporo Premium Beer
EXPORT / INTERNATIONALPale lager
Japan Pass 1. Official group page identifies it as the international beer offer.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Sapporo Premium Alcohol Free
NON-ALCOHOLNon-alcoholic beer-taste beverage
Japan Pass 1. Official product page states 0.00% ABV.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Show your working
Sources
- controlConfirmed
Sapporo Breweries is controlled by Public company.
Sapporo Holdings Fact Book · Sapporo Holdings · 2025-06
BreweryHigh reliabilityAccessed 2026-08-05Reviewed 2026-08-05
Only the claims above are sourced. Everything else on this page is the archive's own research and has not yet been tied to a document — which is worth knowing rather than hiding.
Straight answers
Common questions about Sapporo Breweries
- Who owns Sapporo Breweries?
- Sapporo Breweries is owned by Sapporo Holdings. Sapporo Breweries is based in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
- Is Sapporo Breweries still independent?
- No. Sapporo Breweries is owned by Sapporo Holdings and is no longer independent.
- When was Sapporo Breweries founded?
- Sapporo Breweries was founded in 1876 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
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