Beer of the Week: Yokai

Can this really be happening? After all this time? After all of what I thought were futile wishes sent up to the heavens in hopes that someday something I love would find a place in the hearts of craft-beer fans – intelligentsia and commoner alike? You know what? Against all odds, I think the answer to the above is “yes.” The modern-day lager renaissance has finally made its way into dark territory, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Yes, a crisp, clean, straw-hued lager is a thing of beauty; something a drinker can appreciate and, when executed exceptionally, a brewer can hang their hat on. But I came up in a time when craft beer was about maximizing flavor and aroma, and when it comes to bottom-fermented beer, that’s where roasty, toasty malts comes in. They add so much depth and character, in my book making for a much more interesting and enjoyable post-lawn-mowing or lengthy barstool experience. And by golly, it appears more San Diegans are finally coming around to my way of thinking, because not only are more local breweries producing lagers ranging from amber to black in appearance…their customers are buying them! Take, for instance, this week’s featured beer, Yokai. A Japanese-style lager from Scripps Ranch’s Night Parade Brewing, it’s brewed with a grain bill that includes rice as well as various dark specialty malts. The latter impart a roastiness that adds a cola-nut dimension without veering off into coffee-house domain. The result is a well-balanced, highly drinkable, lower-alcohol lager that’s plenty refreshing and a lot more flavorful than a helles or even a traditional Japanese-style lager. It does my heart good knowing Yokai is consistently one of Night Parade’s best-selling beers. It’s a tasty beer and a tangible example of the good things that can happen when brewers dare to not just go for the gold, but go beyond the gold and into obsidian territory.

We first brewed our Yokai dark Japanese-style rice lager at Night Parade in early 2023 and it quickly became one of our year-round core beers. Yokai is both simple and complex, with a bitter cocoa nose, a sweet malty palate and a slightly roasty finish. One of our most common descriptions for it is a ‘drier and roastier Negra Modelo’, but that doesn’t fully cover the aroma and flavor. Yokai gets its name from a class of mischievous spirits and is the one beer on our menu that almost all of our regular customers enjoy regardless of their preference for other hoppy, light or strong beers. It’s great when the name matches the recipe! Anyone who likes brown ales, lighter porters and stouts, black lagers and other similar beers will be right at home, too.”

James McCanna, Co-founder, Night Parade Brewing

Night Parade Brewing is located at 9879 Hibert Street in Scripps Ranch