If you like your beers light on calories and alcohol, Sapporo Pure is a new Japanese lager you should consider. Dive into this “diet” beer’s tasting notes, nutritional info, pairing and servings suggestions, and where to find your own.
Overview of Sapporo Pure
Many drinkers find most beers heavy and fattening. So Sapporo USA launched Pure in the spring of 2021 looking to quench their thirst. It’s branded as an “exceptional light beer,” a phrase we will explore later.
The low calorie and carbohydrate statistics for this beer are indeed impressive if you’re looking to watch your weight. Pure’s modest alcohol content is less intoxicating, as well. Both of these ideas work best with moderate consumption, of course.
Sapporo Pure is brewed in San Jose, California by Sapporo USA. So like all Sapporo beers in the US market, it is not brewed in Japan. This is a common practice for multi-national beer brewers but worth pointing out.
Sapporo Pure Tasting Notes
Sapporo Pure has a light golden color. It’s crystal clear with a weak head retention.
The aroma of Pure is really pleasant. Toasted malt and dough dominate. Additional aromas of fresh flowers, dried grass, honey, and Meyer lemon peel add complexity.
Compared to the nose on Sapporo Pure, the taste is a bit underwhelming. It’s dry, very light, and has only a faint bitterness. The texture is semi-soft and carbonation is moderate. Tasting notes are dominated by lightly toasted malt and fresh bread. There’s also a touch of salinity.
Exceptional Light Beer?
Sapporo Pure is a pretty good beer for those looking to avoid calories and carbs. Most beers have significantly higher amounts of each. We recommend it for anyone that doesn’t like the taste of beer or that wants one that won’t bog them down.
There is some stiff competition in the light beer category. Most of these other beers, which we’ll discuss later, have more flavor and character. So is Pure an “exceptional light beer?” We think a better phrase would be “exceptionally light beer.”
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Pure Light Beer – Calories and Carbs
Sapporo Pure exists for consumers that want a balanced lifestyle. This means lighter beers with fewer calories and less alcohol. Sapporo Pure is effectively a good “diet beer.” It’s also sessionable.
Below are the specs on this light beer.
- Alcohol by Volume 4.0%
- Calories 90
- Carbohydrates 2.4 grams
- Protein 1.0 grams
- Fat 0.0 grams
Is Pure Gluten Free?
No, Sapporo Pure is not gluten-free. Nearly every beer contains at least some malted barley, which contains gluten, and Pure is no exception.
This means that drinkers with celiac disease shouldn’t consume this product. Sapporo Pure is relatively low in gluten, however. So if you’re looking to avoid excessive amounts of gluten, but still enjoy beer, this lager is a good choice in moderation.
Sapporo Pure Serving Suggestions
Sapporo Pure is best served from cold to chilled. This accentuates its fresh and mild nature.
Using a beer glass will always improve the drinking experience. The aromas and flavors are more noticeable and enjoyable this way. The ideal type would be the tall, thin pilsner glass.
It’s also true that rules are meant to be broken. There’s nothing wrong with keeping it simple and enjoying Suntory Pure straight from the can. If you do so, this lager will seem even lighter. You won’t detect any aroma and flavors will be muted in this case. But Pure isn’t about big flavors anyway.
Pairing Recommendations
Ultra light beers like Sapporo Pure are best paired with correspondingly light food. Simple sushi rolls (like kappa, oshinko, and avocado), sashimi, nigiri, and salads will not clash with this beer, or vice versa.
Tempura is relatively light for being fried. It also tastes good with Sapporo Pure. This lager’s carbonation and low alcohol nature also serve as a refreshing palate cleanser.
Check out these other Sapporo beer posts from The Japanese Bar:
- Sapporo Premium: America’s top-selling Japanese beer brand
- Sapporo Reserve: Sapporo takes on Kirin
Similar Beers to Pure
Sapporo Pure shares a flavor profile with its other Sapporo siblings. It most resembles Sapporo Light in flavor, though Pure is even lighter in flavor and intensity.
Kirin Light is also a similar beer, but is again more flavorful and full-bodied than Pure.
Non Japanese Beers
There are also a host of other popular competing industrial lagers.
Corona Light has the same low alcohol content as Pure, but with twice the carbs and 10% more calories. It also has a bit more flavor and hops character.
Another solid competitor is Heineken Light. This lager only has 3.3% ABV, which is less than Pure. It is more robust in other areas with 99 calories, and 11 grams of carbs. Despite its reduced alcohol content, Heineken Light is a lager with more flavor and hop character (for a light beer).
Amstel Light is a good alternative to Heineken Light and has only 5 carbs. Again, it’s a more robust and flavorful beer than Sapporo Pure.
On paper, Michelob Ultra is the most similar beer to Pure. It has a low alcohol content of only 4.2%, 95 calories, and 2.6 carbs. They’re also transparent about the ingredients they use, which are barley, rice, Herkules hops, and water. This lager beer may be Sapporo Pure’s toughest competition. It wins in the flavor and hops departments, but if you’re looking for less of these elements, you’ll prefer Pure.
Finally, Miller Lite is the original light beer, so it’s worth comparing to Pure. It clocks in at only 3.2 carbs, 96 calories, and 4.2% ABV. We think Pure is a winner in taste and smoothness, however.
Is Sapporo Pure a Japanese Beer?
Sapporo is the oldest beer brand* from Japan. And their beer was first introduced into the US in 1964. However, for many years, the beers available here have been brewed in Canada, the US, and Vietnam. Sapporo Pure is no different, as it’s brewed in San Jose, California.
So is it a Japanese beer? The answer is subjective. Sapporo owns and operates the brewery where Pure is brewed. In comparison, many Toyotas are built in the US, but they are still considered Japanese cars.
Our conclusion is that Sapporo Pure is sort of a Japanese beer.
*The brewery that would eventually become Kirin was around before Sapporo.
Why Brew “Japanese Beer” in the US?
Beer has a short shelf-life and is relatively unstable. The travel time and shipping environment from Japan to the United States increases the chances of faulty Sapporos reaching consumers’ glasses.
Another factor at play is the shipping cost. The distance from Tokyo to Los Angeles alone is nearly 5,500 miles. There’s also export and import fees plus logistics. Removing these costs from the equation decreases the ultimate price and is also much more sustainable.
If you’re a fan of Japanese craft beers (we are!), then you know how expensive they can be. And there’s always a risk that the beer is at less than 100%. For this reason, we’re cool with Sapporo beers being brewed closer to home.
What Ingredients are Used to Make Sapporo Pure?
Sapporo USA doesn’t list the ingredients used to make Pure. However, some reasonable assumptions can be made.
The fact that Sapporo doesn’t claim this beer is made with only malted barley is telling. Additionally, most Sapporo beers, including Premium and Light are brewed with malted barley, rice, corn, and starch. So it’s likely that Sapporo Pure contains some adjunct grains.
The type of hops used to brew Pure are also a mystery. Hop extract may be used, as well.
Learn More about Sapporo Beer and its History
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