Põhjala Brewery

The brewery was founded in 2011 by four Estonian beer enthusiasts, who were soon joined by head brewer Chris Pilkington, formerly of Scottish craft brewery Brewdog.[2] The first Põhjala beer, Öö Imperial Baltic Porter, was contract-brewed before the company's original brewery opened in Tallinn's Nõmme district in April 2014.[1]

In 2015 the company opened its first bar "Speakeasy" near Tallinn's main railway station.[7]

In 2018 nearly 4.9 million euros were invested in moving production to a new brewery in the Noblessner Harbour area of Tallinn.[8] The average capacity of the brewery is 1,200 hectolitres per month, and 6,000 bottles an hour can be filled on a new bottling line.[9] The facility also houses a laboratory, shop, sauna and taproom with 24 taps.[1]

In 2019 Põhjala opened a pop-up bar in the Chinese capital, Beijing.[10]

Põhjala's best selling beer is Virmalised, an India pale ale which accounts for over a quarter of total production.[11] In addition to a core range of ten beers, the brewery produces numerous specials and has collaborated with craft brewers such as To Øl, Lervig, De Struise, Jester King and Jing-A Brewing Co.[1]

The Cellar Series is a range of dark, barrel-aged beers while the Forest Series uses rare botanicals and forest ingredients.[1] 70% of Põhjala's production is exported to over 30 countries, with the largest markets being Finland, France, the Netherlands, China and Italy.[8]

The brewery has been criticised for producing its Baltic porters using top fermentation, rather than the bottom- or cold fermentation often used for the beer style.[3] In 2020 Põhjala collaborated with Polish brewers Pinta to produce Baltic Pride. It is an imperial Baltic porter, featuring a blend of fresh bottom-fermented Baltic porter and barrel aged top-fermented Baltic porter.[12]

Tallinn Craft Beer Weekend is an annual craft beer festival organised by Põhjala Brewery, which first took place in 2015. It features over 40 Estonian and international breweries showcasing over 200 of their beers.[13][14]

• 
  Põhjala Brewery in August 2019
• 
  Põhjala's first bar, "Speakeasy"
• 
  Noblessner Harbour
  (Põhjala is to the bottom right)
• 
  Barrel ageing
• 
  Põhjala bottle cap

• Beer in Estonia
• Barrel-aged beer
• Seaplane Harbour Museum - also located in Noblessner Harbour

• Meet the brewer: Chris Pilkington, Põhjala.
• Põhjala Brewery Leads Quiet Revolution in Estonian Beer.
• The Baltic Exchange — In Search of Warmth and Porter in Estonia and Denmark.

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