The company, this product and the history of the hop have a related, interesting history.
1) Sapporo, with local farmers in the Sorachi 空知 area of Hokkaido, developed this hop variety in the 1984 and sold beer varieties using this hop, but these products were before their time (according to the company).
2) US hop grower Darren Gamache of Virgil Gamache Farms in Washington State obtained Sorachi Ace from the USDA Hop Cultivar Collection, cultivated it and offered it for sale in 2006.
3) during the Hop Crisis of 2008 when hop prices soared due to supply and weather problems, many brewers in the US turned to this hop variety which has a special lemony auroma. Since then it has been a steady niche hop variety in the US and Europe.
and
4) now things have come full circle with Sapporo collaborating with Darren Gamache to bring the hop back to Japan for Sapporo THAT'S HOP Sorachi Ace beer.
From what I can see this beer if only available on Amazon and possibly in special Sapporo beer halls. Amazon is also the place where most of the information about this beer can be found - very little on the website.
Key Words: Sapporo Beer, Sorachi, Hokkaido, Sorachi Ace, Hop サッポロビール ソラチエース 空知支庁 北海道 ホップ
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B01I13TX1E
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
