Yorocco Beer releases Celebration Lager with Godspeed Brewery
Kamakura-based Yorocco Beer has released Celebration Lager, a collaboration with Godspeed Brewery of Toronto. Brewed to mark the 10th anniversary of Tokyo's Taiyo Sakaba, the beer is a lightly smoked pilsner-style lager built as a food-friendly celebration beer.
Hop BroSomething fun just landed from Kamakura: Celebration Lager. Yorocco Beer teamed up with Toronto's Godspeed Brewery for a beer brewed to celebrate Taiyou Sakaba's 10th anniversary.
MugiWait, an anniversary lager? And it's an international collab too? That escalated fast!
Hop BroExactly, and it's basically a smoked pils lager. A pilsner-style lager with a light smoky touch, built more for food than for showing off.
MugiWhoa, but when I hear smoked beer, I picture liquid bacon in a glass!
Hop BroThat's the clever part. With pilsner malt, smoked malt, and Spalter hops, Luke from Godspeed shaped it into a Czech lager-inspired recipe.
MugiHold on, step mash and decoction are wizard words now. Do I need a spellbook before I drink this?
Hop BroNo spellbook needed. Staged mashing means raising the mash temperature in steps, decoction means boiling part of it and returning it, and natural carbonation helps give it that soft bubble texture.
MugiOkay, so it's a gentle-bubbled lager. Crisp, but not poking me in the face. I am extremely into that.
Hop BroExactly. After the smoked malt aroma, you start noticing richness, body, and a clean finish in this balance-first build. That's very Yorocco.
MugiAnd if it wants skewers, ham katsu, potato salad, and draft lager at Taiyou Sakaba, that's basically izakaya superpower territory. My stomach is applauding.
Hop BroThat's why it works. Even as a seasonal release, it feels like the ideal table beer. I'm already craving it with ham katsu.
MugiSame. I want to drink it while saying cheers to ten years. Hop bro, you are absolutely not letting mine sell out.
Kamakura-based Yorocco Beer has released Celebration Lager as part of its latest lineup. The beer is a collaboration with Godspeed Brewery from Toronto, and it was brewed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Taiyo Sakaba, a well-known bar in Nishi-Koyama, Tokyo.
The beer is described as a pilsner-style lager with a gentle smoked character. According to the release notes, the recipe comes from Luke at Godspeed, who is known for his deep interest in lager brewing and regular trips to Czechia. The beer uses pilsner malt, smoked malt, and Spalter hops, and is brewed with step mashing, decoction, and natural carbonation.
In the glass, the smoke is meant to come through first, followed by a firm sense of malt body and a crisp finish that keeps the beer easy to drink. It is not designed as an aggressive smoked beer; instead, the balance is tuned for the table. The soft carbonation and foam texture also seem to be a key part of the experience.
Yorocco describes it as a beer that pairs well with classic izakaya dishes such as grilled skewers, ham cutlet, and potato salad. That fits the brewery's broader profile: a small local brewery in Kamakura making beers that feel rooted in place, but still approachable enough for everyday drinking.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroSomething fun just landed from Kamakura: Celebration Lager. Yorocco Beer teamed up with Toronto's Godspeed Brewery for a beer brewed to celebrate Taiyou Sakaba's 10th anniversary.
MugiWait, an anniversary lager? And it's an international collab too? That escalated fast!
Hop BroExactly, and it's basically a smoked pils lager. A pilsner-style lager with a light smoky touch, built more for food than for showing off.
MugiWhoa, but when I hear smoked beer, I picture liquid bacon in a glass!
Hop BroThat's the clever part. With pilsner malt, smoked malt, and Spalter hops, Luke from Godspeed shaped it into a Czech lager-inspired recipe.
MugiHold on, step mash and decoction are wizard words now. Do I need a spellbook before I drink this?
Hop BroNo spellbook needed. Staged mashing means raising the mash temperature in steps, decoction means boiling part of it and returning it, and natural carbonation helps give it that soft bubble texture.
MugiOkay, so it's a gentle-bubbled lager. Crisp, but not poking me in the face. I am extremely into that.
Hop BroExactly. After the smoked malt aroma, you start noticing richness, body, and a clean finish in this balance-first build. That's very Yorocco.
MugiAnd if it wants skewers, ham katsu, potato salad, and draft lager at Taiyou Sakaba, that's basically izakaya superpower territory. My stomach is applauding.
Hop BroThat's why it works. Even as a seasonal release, it feels like the ideal table beer. I'm already craving it with ham katsu.
MugiSame. I want to drink it while saying cheers to ten years. Hop bro, you are absolutely not letting mine sell out.
