Beer in Finland: history, traditions and breweries
In Finland one of Europe’s oldest beer styles lives on: sahti, brewed with juniper and filtered through a wooden trough.
History
Beer is so old in Finland that the national epic, the Kalevala, gives it a creation story of its own: Osmotar brews the first beer, but it will not ferment. Only the honey brought by a bee makes it foam.
The Sinebrychoff brewery, founded in Helsinki in 1819, is the oldest brewery still operating in Finland and the other Nordic countries. Finland had prohibition from 1 June 1919 to 5 April 1932; a referendum ended it.
In 1969 grocery shops were allowed to sell medium-strength beer for the first time, “keskiolut” with up to 4.7% alcohol. Beer consumption rose sharply afterwards.
Since June 2024 supermarkets may sell beer up to 8 % ABV. Stronger beer is only available from the state monopoly Alko and in bars and restaurants.
Traditions and drinking culture
Sahti is still brewed on farms and in villages in southern Finland, especially in Häme. The wort is not boiled but runs through the “kuurna”, a hollowed-out wooden trough lined with juniper branches. It is often fermented with baker’s yeast.
For many Finns a cold beer belongs with the sauna. The toast is “Kippis!”.
Fun facts
- In the Kalevala three helpers try to make the first beer ferment: a squirrel brings cones, a marten brings foam from the mouths of fighting bears – only the bee with its honey succeeds.
- Sahti is protected as a traditional speciality in the European Union.
- At the wife-carrying contest in Sonkajärvi, the fastest couple wins the wife’s body weight in beer.
- Since 1995 the “SpåraKoff”, a red tram with a bar on board, has run through Helsinki in summer.
- If you order “kalja” in Finland you get a weak, often home-brewed grain drink, similar to kvass.
Typical beer styles
Beer cities and their stories
Helsinki
Nikolai Sinebrychoff founded the oldest brewery in the Nordic countries here in 1819. The family’s former home now houses the Sinebrychoff Art Museum.
Kerava
Sinebrychoff now brews in Kerava, north of Helsinki; the brewery belongs to Carlsberg.
Lammi
This village in Häme is a stronghold of sahti, which is still filtered through a wooden trough in the old way.
Iisalmi
Home of Olvi, the largest Finnish-owned brewery.
Lahti
The Hartwall brewery brews Lapin Kulta, “the gold of Lapland”, here, among others.
Sonkajärvi
This village in Savonia has hosted the Wife Carrying World Championships since 1992. The prize: the wife’s weight in beer.
Breweries and their stories
Sinebrychoff
The oldest brewery still operating in the Nordic countries, known for its strong porter. Today it belongs to Carlsberg.
Known for: Koff, Sinebrychoff Porter
Olvi
The largest Finnish-owned brewery.
Known for: Olvi III, Sandels
Hartwall
Brews Lapin Kulta and Karjala and belongs to Heineken.
Known for: Lapin Kulta, Karjala
Timeline
- 1819Helsinki
Nikolai Sinebrychoff founds what is today the oldest brewery in the Nordic countries in Helsinki.
- 1835whole country
The national epic Kalevala is published. In it, Osmotar brews the first beer – only a bee’s honey makes it foam.
- 1878Iisalmi
Olvi is founded in Iisalmi – today the largest Finnish-owned brewery.
- 1919whole country
Prohibition begins in Finland on 1 June. Only a referendum ends it in 1932.
- 1969whole country
Grocery shops are allowed to sell medium-strength beer for the first time. Beer consumption rises sharply.
- 1992Sonkajärvi
The first Wife Carrying World Championship takes place in Sonkajärvi – the prize is beer.
- 1995Helsinki
For Sinebrychoff’s anniversary, the “SpåraKoff”, a tram with a bar, runs for the first time.
- 2002Lammi
The EU protects sahti as a traditional speciality. In Lammi it is still filtered through a wooden trough the old way.
- 2024whole country
Since June, supermarkets may sell beer up to 8 % ABV.
- todayKerava
Today Sinebrychoff brews in Kerava north of Helsinki and belongs to Carlsberg.
- todayLahti
In Lahti, Hartwall brews Lapin Kulta, “Lapland’s gold”, and Karjala.