Zao Brewery rolls out six standard beers in Yamagata City's Zao area; events at Road Station Yamagata Zao are also lively
Zao Brewery in Yamagata City's Zao area offers craft beers that make use of Zao's spring water and Yamagata specialties. At Road Station Yamagata Zao, the May event and vendor schedule has also been announced, further strengthening its presence as a hub for regional sightseeing.
Hop BroToday we're talking about Zao Brewery in Yamagata City's Zao area, which has been going strong as Yamagata City's first brewery. It combines Zao's spring water with Yamagata ingredients to make a beer you can only get here.
MugiWow! A beer you can only get here already sounds delicious! And Yamagata ingredients somehow make it feel like a real feast!
Hop BroAnd the attached restaurant, Crang Dining, lets you pair freshly brewed beer with food. It's designed not just as a beer on its own, but also as something that works beautifully with a meal.
MugiWhat? The appeal of something that works with a meal? Beer really goes that well with food? That sounds like you're talking about wine or something.
Hop BroExactly, that's the thing. The pairing changes everything. For example, SNOW MONSTER, known as Japan's first white craft beer, has a soft look and flavor that fits Zao's atmosphere perfectly.
MugiJapan's first? That instantly makes me curious! A white craft beer? Does it look like a snowy mountain? The name alone feels so photogenic!
Hop BroIt's photogenic, and it also has real character. YAMAGATA さくらんぼ ALE is a fruity beer made with Yamagata-grown cherries, while MATSUNOMORI ALE ~Re-fresh~ is an aromatic brew inspired by Zao's pines and forests.
MugiWhoa, inspired by pines and forests? That's basically like being swallowed by the woods! But with both fruit and forest notes, the flavor journey sounds way too busy!
Hop BroOn top of that, ZAO CLASSIC IPA is designed to evoke nighttime Zao Onsen, with a firm bitterness forming its backbone. And ZAO駒草ALE, named by the mayor of Yamagata City, adds even more breadth to the six standard beers.
MugiWow, having six standard beers gives you so many options! Even beginners would have fun choosing. And if the events and markets at Road Station Yamagata Zao are buzzing too, it's the kind of place where you drink beer, wander around, and end up wanting another one!
Hop BroExactly. Because you can wander around the road station, you can experience Zao's appeal all at once through beer. The next time you go, it's going to be a case of one beer first, no, make that two.
MugiYep, one beer first, no, make that two! Beer brewed with Zao's spring water has to taste amazing when you drink it on site.
Zao Brewery continues its journey in Yamagata City's Zao district as "Yamagata City's first craft brewery." At the brewery's core is the idea of blending spring water nurtured by Zao's nature with Yamagata ingredients to share a beer that can only be made here. At the attached restaurant, "Crang Dining," guests can enjoy freshly brewed beer paired with dishes made using Yamagata ingredients.
The standard lineup also clearly reflects the character of the land. These include SNOW MONSTER, known as Japan's first white craft beer; YAMAGATA さくらんぼ ALE, made with Yamagata-grown cherries; MATSUNOMORI ALE ~Re-fresh~, inspired by Zao's pines and forests; and ZAO CLASSIC IPA, modeled after nighttime Zao Onsen. Each one is designed around what makes Yamagata Zao distinctive. In addition, ZAO 駒草 ALE, named by the mayor of Yamagata City, has been added, expanding the range even further.
Road Station Yamagata Zao is a mixed-use complex equipped with the multipurpose Juhyo Hall, an event plaza, and an Imoni plaza, and it serves as a venue for events and workshops. In the event and vendor lineup for May 2026 as well, numerous markets and hands-on events are listed, and the effort to bring Yamagata's food and craftsmanship to visitors continues. For Zao Brewery as well, this kind of local sightseeing loop is likely to become an important stage for introducing Zao's appeal through beer.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday we're talking about Zao Brewery in Yamagata City's Zao area, which has been going strong as Yamagata City's first brewery. It combines Zao's spring water with Yamagata ingredients to make a beer you can only get here.
MugiWow! A beer you can only get here already sounds delicious! And Yamagata ingredients somehow make it feel like a real feast!
Hop BroAnd the attached restaurant, Crang Dining, lets you pair freshly brewed beer with food. It's designed not just as a beer on its own, but also as something that works beautifully with a meal.
MugiWhat? The appeal of something that works with a meal? Beer really goes that well with food? That sounds like you're talking about wine or something.
Hop BroExactly, that's the thing. The pairing changes everything. For example, SNOW MONSTER, known as Japan's first white craft beer, has a soft look and flavor that fits Zao's atmosphere perfectly.
MugiJapan's first? That instantly makes me curious! A white craft beer? Does it look like a snowy mountain? The name alone feels so photogenic!
Hop BroIt's photogenic, and it also has real character. YAMAGATA さくらんぼ ALE is a fruity beer made with Yamagata-grown cherries, while MATSUNOMORI ALE ~Re-fresh~ is an aromatic brew inspired by Zao's pines and forests.
MugiWhoa, inspired by pines and forests? That's basically like being swallowed by the woods! But with both fruit and forest notes, the flavor journey sounds way too busy!
Hop BroOn top of that, ZAO CLASSIC IPA is designed to evoke nighttime Zao Onsen, with a firm bitterness forming its backbone. And ZAO駒草ALE, named by the mayor of Yamagata City, adds even more breadth to the six standard beers.
MugiWow, having six standard beers gives you so many options! Even beginners would have fun choosing. And if the events and markets at Road Station Yamagata Zao are buzzing too, it's the kind of place where you drink beer, wander around, and end up wanting another one!
Hop BroExactly. Because you can wander around the road station, you can experience Zao's appeal all at once through beer. The next time you go, it's going to be a case of one beer first, no, make that two.
MugiYep, one beer first, no, make that two! Beer brewed with Zao's spring water has to taste amazing when you drink it on site.
