My friend Mark and I have been trying for some time to re-create a traditional Finnish Sahti. The process has made me a bit obsessed with the style. I like to try any and all commercial examples I can find. Some get pretty close to the “sahti from a bucket” that Mark describes from a bar visit in Finland. Others are good beer, but they’re not really sahti. Huvila Arctic Circle Ale is one that gets pretty close to the real thing.  Here’s my notes:

Arctic Circle Ale
Malmgårdin Panimo, Malmgård, Finland
Style: Sahti
Serving Style: 16 oz bottle

Aroma: Copious caramel and melanoidin malt. Dark rye-bread crusts. Vaguely woody spruce notes in the background, but very light. Black licorice and molasses. Sweet. A bit like Nyquil, but in a good way.

Appearance: Drinking it out of a hotel paper cup. I can’t see it. Seems to be dark brown, but I can’t really tell. The tan head is very creamy and super long-lasting. Leaves not just lace, but thick rings of foam on the cup.

Flavor: Malt is the main player, and thick, rich malt it is. Burnt caramel and melanoidins carry over from the aroma. Black Strap molasses. The spicy bite of rye moderates the sweetness, stimulating my memories of great German Roggenbrot (man I miss the bread in Germany).  Juniper offers woody spruce and gin notes in the background. Never takes over. Alcohol is apparent even though it is just a hint over 7%. Fleeting tastes of bitter cocoa nibs and dried, dark fruits. Bitterness is low, just enough to keep it from being cloying.

Mouthfeel: Thick, rich, and creamy with low carbonation. Warming alcohol.

Overall Impression: A bit like rye bread smeared with molasses and sprinkled with spruce needles. It gives the impression of a beer that is much stronger than it is. Based on traditional sahti, an ancient Finnish brew that is still made much as it was 500 years ago, Arctic Circle Ale is a heavy-duty, throw-back of a winter warmer from above the Arctic Circle. Sip and savor.