Sapporo Beerfest has become a much-anticipated Manila event, with good beer, an excellent Japanese spread, familiar faces, and a few new reasons to stay for another round.
There are events you cover, and then there are events that have become part of your own social calendar. Sapporo Beerfest has become the latter for me. I’ve attended every Manila edition since it started three years ago, and I have to say: it gets better every year. The formula is simple enough—Sapporo beer, Japanese food, music, activities, and a room full of people in the mood for a good time—but somehow the combination keeps getting more enjoyable.
This year’s two-night edition, held Sept. 18 and 19 at Yawaragi on the fifth floor of Hotel Okura Manila, was no exception. Both nights were sold out, and the crowd had the familiar mix I’ve come to associate with the event: Japanese diplomats and members of Manila’s Japanese community, expats, business and industry people, hospitality personalities, friends, colleagues, and plenty of guests who were clearly there because someone had told them there would be very good beer and very good food.
They were not misinformed.
The beer situation was excellent
I’ve been drinking and writing about beer long enough to know what I like in a glass, and Sapporo gives you three distinct personalities to play with at Beerfest.
Sapporo Premium is the easygoing one: crisp, clean, lightly bitter, and particularly good with seafood. It has enough carbonation to refresh the palate without getting in the way of delicate flavors, which makes it a natural partner for sushi, sashimi, and tempura.
Sapporo Premium Black has more heft. Its darker malt character and roasted notes make it better suited to the smoky, savory end of the spread, particularly grilled dishes. It’s the beer I reach for when the food gets a little more substantial.
And then there is the Holiday Beer, my personal pick and a Beerfest tradition I look forward to every year. The 50/50 blend of Premium and Premium Black gives you the brightness of the lager alongside some of the deeper malt character of the Black. It lands neatly between the two, with enough character to stand up to richer food while retaining that refreshing quality that makes you want another glass. That versatility is part of why I keep coming back to it. A good food beer should complement what’s on the plate without hijacking the culinary conversation, and the Holiday Beer manages that particularly well across the Yawaragi spread. Some favorites earn their status without even trying too hard, really.
The crowd came hungry
Yawaragi itself is another reason I look forward to the Beerfest. This is the kind of buffet where “I’ll just have a look” is a dangerous proposition, one which never really ends at just looking—and so much for that self-defeating plan.
As someone who “flexes” her primarily plant-based diet for seafood (I don’t eat any other type of meat), I’ve come to look forward to the buffet’s premium, pristine bounty of the sea. This year, as in previous years, there was an appetizing array to explore, from super-fresh, melt-in-your-mouth sushi and sashimi to agemono, teppanyaki selections, grilled specialties, and live cooking stations loaded with seafood offerings. For the carnivores, meanwhile, the carving station, Japanese sausages, grilled meats, and other hearty selections offered plenty of temptation.
And then, of course…dessert. We all know that a secret second stomach magically activates for indulgences like these: a mouthwatering medley of matcha-based treats, moist mochi, and mounds of otaku-approved ice cream flavors.
Year after year, my strategy of having “just one serving” of everything remains aspirational at best, although I’m perfectly happy to keep failing at this particular goal.
It’s become a proper night out
What I like about Sapporo Beerfest, as well, is that it never feels like you’re simply sitting down to dinner with a beer package attached (or vise versa). There’s music, DJ sets, live performances, activities, challenges, and keepsakes to keep things moving.
The convivial atmosphere is likewise a big part of the appeal. By now, Beerfest has become one of those occasions where you know you’ll run into people you haven’t seen in a while, along with the usual suspects from Manila’s Japanese and expat social scene. For me, that familiarity is part of the charm. Three years in, Sapporo Beerfest has become one of those Manila evenings you already know you’ll want to make time for.
150 years, and still pouring
This year, in particular, there was plenty to celebrate. Sapporo commemorated 150 years of Japanese brewing heritage, tracing its origins to Hokkaido in 1876. That anniversary also landed in a significant year for the Philippines and Japan, with 2026 marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Those are impressive numbers, certainly, but I appreciated that this year’s Beerfest, while leveraging those milestones, didn’t become a history lesson. Both anniversaries were there in the background while everyone got on with the considerably more enjoyable business of actually celebrating the occasions.
Raymond Joseph, Philippine Wine Merchants’ Director of Sales and Marketing, summed up the spirit of the evening in his welcome remarks: “Just enjoy the beer, enjoy all that delicious cuisine, but more importantly experience Sapporo and let’s build relationships and have a meaningful night. Kanpai, Sapporo!”
There was even a little Sapporo history on display, including an anime-style wall telling the story of the brand and its beginnings in Hokkaido. I always enjoy these little touches at events because they give you something to wander over to between plates and pours.
And speaking of beginnings, the story of Sapporo’s first German-trained brewmaster, Seibei Nakagawa, remains a good one. He was only 17 when he left Japan for Germany to study brewing, eventually returning to establish the beloved brand and shape the country’s brewing tradition.
One hundred and fifty years later, there we were, at an acclaimed Japanese buffet restaurant in Manila, drinking the result. It doesn’t get much more deliciously cross-cultural than that.
See you next year?
At this point, I suspect the answer is already yes.
Sapporo Beerfest in Manila has taken on a personality of its own—and has definitely created enough buzz to warrant the brisk ticket sales each year. This event ticks all the beer-lovers’ boxes: amazing ale and abundant aliments, mood-lifting music, a sizzling social scene, and more than enough engaging energy to keep you from settling too comfortably into one corner all night.
Mostly, though, it has become a gregarious gathering. You go for the Sapporo beer and the Yawaragi buffet, and you lose count of pours and servings. But you stay because you’ve bumped into someone you haven’t seen in months, or maybe you’ve made a new friend or two, and you’re raising your nth glass of Holiday Blend because it’s your new (or your old) favorite. And before you know it, the evening is winding to a satisfying close.
In all, I’d say that’s a pretty good tradition to have on the Manila calendar.
Kanpai, Sapporo!
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