Beer notes: Swan Lake Porter and Yoko
March 20, 2025
Lately I’ve been trying some craft beers, and here are two I had this week. I tend to like most beers, and I’m not that great at describing flavors, so I’ll mostly crib from the official descriptions, while noting which ones stood out to me.
Swan Lake Porter
Swan Lake Porter (スワンレイクポーター) is brewed by Swan Lake Beer (瓢湖屋敷の杜 or スワンレイクビール) of Niigata, Japan.
- Style: Robust Porter
- IBU: 30
- ABV: 6%
This was described as a black beer with creamy foam, a roasted aroma, and a bitter finish. It has won countless awards, including gold at the prestigious World Beer Cup in 2000 and 2006, making Swan Lake the first Japanese brewery to do so.
I only learned about its decorated history after drinking it; I might need to try it again to fully appreciate its significance.
-YOKO-
-YOKO- (妖狐, fox spirit) is a recent collab between Kyoto Brewing Co. (京都醸造) and Yamorido Shuzo (家守堂酒造), both of Kyoto.
- Style: Belgian Hazy Double IPA
- IBU: 40
- ABV: 8%
This was described as combining the apricot flavor of Kyoto Brewing’s house yeast with the sweet citrus aroma of New Zealand Motueka hops. Youko fox spirits are known for deceiving humans, and this beer was named for being deceptively easy to drink despite its high ABV!
I really enjoyed this one and would definitely buy it again if I get the chance, though I’m not sure how long these collab beers stick around. For more details, check out this announcement post.