Our First Lager — West Coast Lager

When we upgraded our brewhouse, one thing we were especially excited to try was step-mash brewing for lagers. After three years of brewing hop-forward ales, this marks our very first foray into crafting a lager — so we took our time perfecting the recipe.

Rather than trying to mimic mass-produced lagers, we wanted to create something that truly reflected our style: bold, hop-driven, and with a clear sense of place. That’s how we landed on a West Coast Lager — crisp and refreshing, but with plenty of hop character.

For the hops, we chose one of our long-time favorites: Citra. To complement it, we selected Apres Ski, a clean-fermenting lager yeast from WHC Lab — a name that feels right at home here in Niseko.

Fermentation began at around 10°C and was gradually raised to 14°C to allow for a proper diacetyl rest. We kept fining to a minimum to avoid stripping away too much character and to preserve the beer’s texture and flavor.

This isn’t a beer we brewed for competitions — so we happily allow for a touch of natural haze in favor of flavor. The result? A lager that appeals not only to classic lager drinkers but also to craft beer fans who love ales and hop-forward brews.

We hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we enjoyed brewing it.