Yokohama XPA 7C's Hop Version
Sankt Gallen Brewery

Having a pint of this hand-pumped from the cask at Vivo! in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. The first thing I noticed was the sweet scent of this beer... I could smell it as the server brought it to me! Very strong hop scent with something fruity like apricot or mikan. The head on this cask ale was beautifully creamy in texture and in hue like melting whipped cream on strudel. The beer is a beautiful orange-leather color similar to the original Yokohama XPA, cloudy in the same way as well. The lacing this brew leaves around the glass looks like bacteria in a petrie dish, reminding me how alive this brew is in my mouth and in my stomach. There is a magnificent coexistence of sweetness and bitter notes that remain.

The 7 C's of the name stand for the different hops used to create this brew: Cascade, Chinook, Centennial, Citra, Crystal, Challenger, and Columbus. If you can find this anywhere, get yourself a pint and enjoy!