Japan/Hokkaido: Sapporo
When one says “Sapporo”, the first thing that comes to mind is the iconic beer. The world famous Sapporo Brewery is located right in the heart of the city and is a major attraction. The brewery was established in 1876 and is the oldest in Japan. The beers are mostly lagers and the variety is quite limited. The brewery museum itself is quite small and you are free to explore it on your own – the history of beer in Japan and marketing and branding material throughout history are on display here, as well as some brewing equipment. The tasting room is at the end of the tour (the best part), and you can try a trio of beers – Classic, Black Label, and a specialty local non-export lager. Interestingly, despite being the oldest, Sapporo beer is only 4th in Japan behind Asahi, Kirin, and Suntory.
