Legend has it that barrels of sahti were found on sunken Viking ships off the coast of Norway. This ancient Nordic ale took root in Finland becoming one of the oldest continuously brewed styles. Deep amber in color, this rugged brew’s distinctive aroma and flavor comes from aging on a bed of juniper berries. The herbal, woodsy, and ripe citrus character of the juniper enlivens a sturdy and smooth malt backbone for a fresh and flavorful brew.
From the Brewer – “One of the key characteristics of Sahti is its juniper flavor. Traditionally this was achieved through filtering through full juniper branches. Although this works well through the hand-carved kuurna, (wooden trough), it proved to be quite a challenge in our brewery. With some more experimentation we developed a recipe where we age the beer on a bed of juniper berries that impart an herbal, woodsy, and fresh evergreen character.
The distinctive juniper is combined with the dry spiciness of rye and a base of roasted sweetness from specialty malts. Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops bring a fresh citrus flavor that perfectly complements the brew’s rugged character.”
Hops: Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble hops
Malts: Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Rye, Special B, and aromatic malt
Yeast: Samuel Adams ale yeast Special Ingredients Juniper berries
Original Gravity: 17.19 Plato
Hop Bitterness (IBU’s): 16
Alcohol by volume: 7%
Format: 22oz bottles
Seasonality: Limited
From the Brewer – “An outstanding example of a classic Saison Ale-with refreshing hints of lemon and pepper. From the World Beer Championships tasting– “Golden amber color with a fine white blanket. Aromas of apricot yogurt, praline and meringue with supple, dryish medium-to-full body and a tangy starfruit, Brazil nut, and root vegetable snap on the finish.
From the Brewer – “The color of sunshine, with a light fruity aroma and a hint of fruity acidity, Goose Island Summertime is the perfect summer session ale. A Kölsch beer brewed in the traditional German fashion, you’ll find yourself enjoying and savoring each sip of summertime as much as you do those hot summer days and cool summer nights.”
From the Brewer – “Our India Pale Ale recalls a time when ales shipped from England to India were highly hopped to preserve their distinct taste during the long journey. The result is a hop lover’s dream with a fruity aroma, set off by a dry malt middle, and long hop finish.”
A link to the ales of Saxony that have all but vanished, Verloren (translating to “lost”) is a peculiar yet captivating brew. This gose style (pronounced “goes-uh”), with its base of an unfiltered wheat ale, is light and refreshing yet also has a softness to it. Verloren’s flavor is brought to life by an unexpected touch of salt for a mineral quality, and coriander for a peppery spice. The result is an unusual and delicate brew that’s full of flavors to discover.
From the Brewer – “Saranac Blueberry Blonde Ale is a traditional blonde ale with a kick of juicy blueberry. You’ll notice a light golden haze from wheat malt and oats and a low hop bitterness, which really shows off the fruit. With a medium-light body and fresh blueberry flavor, we’re sure we’ve captured refreshment in a bottle!”
From the Brewer – “A Northwest interpretation of a classic English style, golden copper in color and loaded with New World hop flavor and aroma. Extremely drinkable.”
From the Brewer – “Pyramid’s summer variety pack offers a quartet of brews that are perfect for summer’s memorable moments, whatever they may be. Our flagship Hefeweizen is joined by Apricot Ale, an award-winning wheat beer, our refreshing summer seasonal Curve Ball Blonde Ale and a limited edition Pale Ale, celebrating the first Pyramid beer ever brewed in 1984, available in the variety pack only.”
From the Brewer – “A group of hop-heads and publicans challenged our Beer Camp brewers to push the extremes of whole-cone hop brewing. The result is this: a 100 IBU, whole-cone hurricane of flavor. Simply put —Hoptimum: the biggest whole-cone IPA we have ever produced. Aggressively hopped, dry-hopped, AND torpedoed with our exclusive new hop varieties for ultra-intense flavors and aromas.
From the Brewer – “Blonde made its debut as the original recipe Kosmos Spoetzl brought to the “Little Brewery.” A golden lager that pays sincere tribute to its Bohemian roots, Shiner Blonde carries a distinctive flavor followed by a satisfying, smooth finish. Although our Blonde owes its heritage to the German homeland, it represents the best of a true American lager. That’s our Shiner Blonde – red, white and brewed.”
