CRAFT BEER MARKET Kyoto Porta taps CRAFTROCK BREWING Sansho Lager
CRAFT BEER MARKET Kyoto Porta has tapped CRAFTROCK BREWING's Sansho Lager again. The lager, a 2026 World Beer Cup gold winner in the Spice & Herb Beer category, is brewed with grape sansho pepper and is now available at the Kyoto Station underground beer pub.
Hop BroI’ve got a Kyoto station beer alert today: Sansho Lager is back on tap at CRAFT BEER MARKET Kyoto Porta.
MugiWhat! In a station-connected underground mall? That sounds dangerously convenient for my train schedule!
Hop BroAnd this guest beer is the real deal, with a 2026 World Beer Cup gold for the Spice/Herb Beer category. It’s brewed by CRAFTROCK BREWING as a Lager with Sansho, 5.0% ABV and 20 IBU.
MugiWait, 20 IBU sounds like a robot serial number. Is that supposed to tell me how bitter it is?
Hop BroExactly. It’s a bitterness scale, and 20 is pretty gentle, so it keeps that easy lager drinkability while the sansho aroma floats on top.
MugiNo way! But budou sansho makes me picture grapes and pepper wrestling inside the glass!
Hop BroPeaceful wrestling only. They use stone-milled sansho supplied to an eel restaurant in Hachioji, so the aroma feels layered without yelling at your taste buds.
MugiWhoa, suddenly fancy! If it’s easy with Japanese food, this could probably win with a station set meal too.
Hop BroThat’s the charm. At Porta section 521, it’s built for a pint with your meal, and the location makes it perfect between trains. I want one now.
MugiSame here, fully converted. Let’s go chase a toast with sansho lager before my self-control misses its connection!
Tap News
CRAFT BEER MARKET Kyoto Porta, a beer pub inside the Porta underground shopping street at Kyoto Station, has brought back CRAFTROCK BREWING's Sansho Lager. The location makes it easy to stop by between trains or as part of a meal-focused visit, which fits the pub's casual, food-friendly style.
What is on tap
The featured guest beer is Sansho Lager. It was first brewed last year, received strong feedback, and then won gold in the Spice & Herb Beer category at the 2026 World Beer Cup. The beer is a Lager with Sansho, at 5.0% ABV and 20 IBU. It stays firmly in lager territory while still showing the character of Japanese sansho pepper.
Ingredients and character
Sansho Lager uses grape sansho sourced for Udon Takase, a well-known eel restaurant in Hachioji, and the pepper is carefully stone-ground. According to the brewer's note, the aroma and flavor of sansho are lifted without losing the beer's lager balance. That makes it a natural fit for meals, especially Japanese food and other dishes where a clean, drinkable finish matters.
About the venue
CRAFT BEER MARKET Kyoto Porta sits in the underground Porta complex at Kyoto Station. As a beer pub, it is built for easy stop-ins and relaxed drinking, with enough flexibility to work for a quick pint or a longer food-and-beer session. A medal-winning specialty lager like Sansho Lager gives the bar a clear reason to revisit, especially for drinkers who want something distinctive but still highly drinkable.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroI’ve got a Kyoto station beer alert today: Sansho Lager is back on tap at CRAFT BEER MARKET Kyoto Porta.
MugiWhat! In a station-connected underground mall? That sounds dangerously convenient for my train schedule!
Hop BroAnd this guest beer is the real deal, with a 2026 World Beer Cup gold for the Spice/Herb Beer category. It’s brewed by CRAFTROCK BREWING as a Lager with Sansho, 5.0% ABV and 20 IBU.
MugiWait, 20 IBU sounds like a robot serial number. Is that supposed to tell me how bitter it is?
Hop BroExactly. It’s a bitterness scale, and 20 is pretty gentle, so it keeps that easy lager drinkability while the sansho aroma floats on top.
MugiNo way! But budou sansho makes me picture grapes and pepper wrestling inside the glass!
Hop BroPeaceful wrestling only. They use stone-milled sansho supplied to an eel restaurant in Hachioji, so the aroma feels layered without yelling at your taste buds.
MugiWhoa, suddenly fancy! If it’s easy with Japanese food, this could probably win with a station set meal too.
Hop BroThat’s the charm. At Porta section 521, it’s built for a pint with your meal, and the location makes it perfect between trains. I want one now.
MugiSame here, fully converted. Let’s go chase a toast with sansho lager before my self-control misses its connection!
