Põhjala
Põhjala is a brewery from Tallinn, Estonia, founded in late 2011 by four friends with a passion for food, beer and homebrewing. They are known for porters, imperial stouts, barrel ageing and beers made with ingredients from Estonian nature. Since 2018 they have brewed at Noblessner, a former shipyard by the sea.
- LocationTallinn, Harju maakond
- Founded2011
- TypeMicrobrewery
- Untappd 3.81 · 1.9M ratings
- At Hoptimaal5 in stock · 11 in total
In stock now 5
Previously at Hoptimaal 6
Sold out. If a new batch is coming, you can ask for a heads-up on the product page.
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Four friends and a Scottish brewer in Tallinn
Põhjala was founded in Tallinn in late 2011 by four Estonian friends who cooked, travelled for food and were looking for beer that could stand next to a good meal. That beer barely existed at the time: the local market was dominated by big international producers with pale lagers without much character. Wikipedia names Enn Parel, Peeter Keek, Gren Noormets and Tiit Paananen as the founders.
A few months after the founding, the Scottish brewer Chris Pilkington joined. The team had met him during a short internship at BrewDog's first brewery in Fraserburgh. The name Põhjala roughly means Northland.
The first beer, Öö Imperial Baltic Porter, came out in early 2013 and was brewed on rented equipment. In April 2014 the first own brewery opened in the Nõmme district. In 2018 Põhjala moved to Noblessner in northern Tallinn, a former shipyard by the sea. A taproom opened under the same roof, with 24 taps, Texas-style BBQ and a sauna. Almost 40 percent of production goes abroad, to more than thirty countries.
Porters, barrel ageing and ingredients from the forest
Põhjala takes familiar beer styles and puts its own spin on them, with unexpected ingredients or long barrel ageing. Wikipedia names porters, barrel ageing and ingredients from the Estonian forests as the main focus points. According to the same source, the brewery is the largest craft brewery in the Baltic states.
The ranges show that approach well. The core range consists of lagers, IPAs, ales and porters that are brewed all year round. The Cellar Series is about beers that mature in barrels for months and become velvety soft and richly oily as a result. In the Forest Series, Põhjala uses wild ingredients it gathers itself from Estonian nature. There are also specials with extra ingredients, such as Peanut Butter Bänger.
Põhjala at Hoptimaal
At Hoptimaal you'll mostly find stouts from Põhjala, plus IPAs, a porter and a pale ale. The beers come in 33 cl and 44 cl and range in strength from 5 to 13.6%. Among others, Marble and Timeless Treasures from the Cellar Series, Cocobänger, Pime Öö, Peanut Butter Bänger and Öö are highly rated on Untappd.
Drink the IPAs and the pale ale as fresh as possible and well chilled, so the hops stay at their best. Pour the heavy stouts and the barrel-aged beers a little less cold, in a small glass. Take your time, because they only get more complex as they warm up.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Põhjala come from?
Põhjala comes from Tallinn, Estonia. The brewery was founded in late 2011 and has been based since 2018 at Noblessner, a former shipyard by the sea in northern Tallinn.
What kind of beer does Põhjala make?
Põhjala makes porters, imperial stouts, IPAs, ales and lagers, among others. Well known are the barrel-aged beers from the Cellar Series and the beers with ingredients from Estonian nature in the Forest Series.
What does the name Põhjala mean?
Põhjala roughly means Northland. The first Põhjala beers appeared in 2013, with Öö Imperial Baltic Porter as the first beer.
