Kaiju Rises: A Dark Japanese Lager Where Monsters Roam Wild
5.4% ABV | Brewed in Ocean Beach, San Diego
At California Wild Ales, monsters are part of the family. They live on our walls, our labels, and in the stories behind our beers—fermentation creatures, wild things, friendly beasts born from creativity and chaos. With Kaiju, we let those monsters roam a little farther, crossing the Pacific and stepping straight into the shadowy glow of classic Japanese-style fantasy films from the 1960s and 1970s.
This is where our wild ethos meets cinematic legend.
Monsters, Then and Now
Long before CGI took over, Japanese monster films relied on imagination, atmosphere, and heart. Hand-built cities. Practical effects. Larger-than-life creatures that felt oddly human. Those films understood something we believe deeply at California Wild Ales: monsters don’t have to be scary—they just have to be memorable.
Kaiju draws inspiration from that golden era of fantasy filmmaking and from the towering presence of Godzilla—a creature that wasn’t just destruction, but symbolism, balance, and power restrained until the perfect moment. Much like our own Wild Ales Monsters, Kaiju isn’t about chaos for chaos’ sake. It’s about personality, character, and intention.
A Dark Japanese Lager with a Wild Soul
At its core, Kaiju is a Dark Japanese Lager, brewed with precision and restraint. It pours deep brown with ruby highlights and delivers subtle notes of toasted malt, light cocoa, and gentle roast—never heavy, never sweet. The body stays crisp and clean, finishing dry and refreshing.
At 5.4% ABV, Kaiju is dangerously drinkable. This is a dark lager built for long nights, repeat pours, and slow-building stories. Think discipline over excess. Balance over brute force. A monster that doesn’t need to roar to be felt.
While Kaiju leans into classic Japanese lager tradition, it still carries our signature California Wild Ales energy—thoughtful brewing, creative influence, and just a hint of mischief.
Where the Wild Things Brew: Ocean Beach, San Diego
Kaiju is brewed just blocks from the Pacific Ocean at California Wild Ales in Ocean Beach, San Diego (92107). OB has always been a place where the wild, the weird, and the wonderful coexist—making it the perfect home for a beer inspired by cult cinema and monster mythology.
If you’re searching for:
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Dark Japanese lager in San Diego
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Japanese-style lager near Ocean Beach
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Unique dark lager brewed in California
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Creative craft beer in OB
Kaiju stands tall among the city’s craft beer landscape.
Our Monsters Meet the Kaiju Universe
Our Wild Ales Monsters—born from fermentation science, barrel aging, and a little imagination—have always represented the unseen forces behind great beer. With Kaiju, those creatures step into a broader monster universe. Picture them wandering neon-lit streets, peeking out from behind miniature buildings, or standing toe-to-toe with classic cinematic beasts.
It’s playful. It’s nostalgic. And it’s undeniably us.
Why Kaiju Belongs at California Wild Ales
We’ve always believed beer should tell a story. Kaiju does exactly that—bridging Japanese-style brewing tradition, classic fantasy films, and our own wild, monster-filled identity. It’s a beer for lager lovers, film nerds, and anyone who appreciates subtlety done right.
Like the best monster movies, Kaiju rewards patience. It doesn’t overwhelm. It lingers.
Encounter the Monster
Kaiju is available at our Ocean Beach tasting room and is best enjoyed fresh, in good company, and with an appreciation for the wild things that inspire us. Whether you’re a fan of Japanese-style lagers, classic monster films, or the creative chaos that defines California Wild Ales, this one is worth the encounter.
Respect the balance.
Embrace the wild.
The monster has arrived.
