A path for micro-breweries was opened with the 1994 easing of the minimum volume requirements placed on brewers; two such breweries are now operating in Hokkaido. Hops, one of the main ingredients in beer, is a plant suitable to Hokkaido's cool climate and the wild hop, Humulus lupulus L. var. cordifolius Maxim, grows naturally. As the amount of this naturally occurring crop is sufficient to support the needs of micro-breweries, this study examined the possibility of using Hokkaido's wild hops to brew a completely distinctive beer. After evaluating the resultant brew, the following conclusions were drawn: 1) The beer exhibited a distinctive aroma; 2) It was distinguishable from the Pilsner beers popular in Japan; 3) It was received more favorably by young people than elderly; and 4) Wild hops have market potential as a finishing product that lends a distinctive aroma. However, the selection of the base beer is critical, as is the amount of the hops used.