Finland
Sinebrychoff, founded in Helsinki in 1819, calls itself the oldest brewery in the Nordic countries, and its KOFF Porter is a classic Baltic porter. Finnish farmhouses have brewed sahti, a strong ale of barley and rye filtered through juniper, for at least 500 years. Shops may sell beer up to 8%; anything stronger goes through Alko, the state retailer.
Beer styles from Finland
Baltic Porter
LagerBaltic porter: a strong, smooth, dark porter of the Baltic Sea countries, often lagered, with dried fruit and roast but no burn. Strength, bitterness, glass and classic examples.
Sahti
AleSahti: Finland's strong, sweet, cloudy farmhouse ale of barley and rye, filtered through juniper and fermented with baker's yeast. Strength, taste and history.
Breweries in Finland
Sinebrychoff
1 styleSinebrychoff, Helsinki: the oldest brewery in the Nordic countries by its own account, founded in 1819, brewer of KOFF Porter.
Hartwall (Lapin Kulta)
Hartwall: the Finnish drinks company of 1836, brewer of Lapin Kulta and Karjala at Lahti, owned by Royal Unibrew since 2013.
Lammin Sahti
1 styleLammin Sahti: Finland's oldest small brewery in continuous work by its own account, founded in 1985 and selling sahti since 1987.
Olvi
Olvi, Iisalmi: the Finnish brewery founded in 1878, the only one of its era to survive as an independent Finnish company.