West Coast Lager

Brewing a lager with a step mash was one of the key goals we had in mind when upgrading our brewhouse. After three years of crafting ales, this is our very first lager—so we took our time developing the recipe.

Rather than mimicking mass-produced lagers from the big players, we wanted to create something that felt true to Yotei Brewing. That led us to the West Coast Lager style—clean and crisp, but with a more assertive hop presence. For hops, we chose one of our long-time favorites, Citra, and paired it with Apres Ski, a lager yeast from WHC Lab that’s known for its clean fermentation profile—and happens to have a name that feels right at home in Niseko.

Fermentation started at around 10°C and was gradually raised to about 14°C, with a proper diacetyl rest to ensure a clean finish. We kept our use of fining agents to a minimum, avoiding an overly “light” or stripped-down character.

Since this beer wasn’t designed for competition judging, we’re perfectly happy with a little haze—flavor takes priority. The result is a lager that we hope will appeal not only to lager purists, but also to fans of hop-forward craft beers.

Hops: Citra
Yeast: Apres Ski

For the most ecological and economical delivery, please order in multiples of 6 cans. You can mix multiple products.