Hammerheart Loyly Sahti Ale.
8.9% ABV. Hammerheart Brewing, Lino Lakes (for now), MN.
Clear, ruby hued, slight off-white head.
In the nose: berries, oak, bark, smoke. Juniper and moss. Slightly spicy, fairly fruity. And smoke.
In the mouth: Smooth, malty, supple. No bitterness, but well-balanced. Juniper berries and branches lend a lot of flavor, playing happily with the malt. Medium bodied, easy drinking, bright. and fruity. Tasty stuff, and I enjoy it. The juniper does a good job filling in for hops...for a minute. And there's just enough smoke in here to keep it Hammerhearty.
This makes the fourth sahti here in the Nib, and only the second by Hammerheart. The other two were from Venn and Harriet. It would be interesting to try one from Finland, but they don't get out here. And I certainly haven't seen any sent out to market from a large regional or national brewer. Do I have to fly to Finland to try a true one, and know what they're all about, for sure. Maybe....may be.
Actually, further research shows that I'd had two more sahtis in the past, one from Dogfish Head, and one called Arctic Circle Ale from Malmgardin Panimo of Malmgard, Finland. And oddly enough, that last one appears to have been added to the BeerAdvocate.com database by yours truly. How the heck did that happen? It was only twelve years ago, why can't I remember?
Löyly is a Minnesota take on a traditional Northern European Shti. It is brewed utilizing a hand hewn kuurna (hollowed out log) with juniper branches and juniper berries. The beer takes it's name from the Finnish world for the heat and steam that envelops you while in the sauna.
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