Põhjala Brewery
{{short description|Craft brewer in Tallinn, Estonia}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Põhjala Brewing AS
| logo = Pohjala-logo.png
| image = Põhjala Brewery 2 - Renee Altrov.jpg
| image_caption = Põhjala's 50 hl Rolec brewhouse
| type =
| industry = Brewing
| founded = 2011
| founders = {{ubl|Enn Parel|Peeter Keek|Gren Noormets|Tiit Paananen}}
| hq_location_city = Tallinn
| hq_location_country = Estonia
| key_people = Martin Vahtra (head brewer)
| products = Craft beer
| website = {{URL|https://pohjalabeer.com/}}
}}
File:Põhjala Beery Christmas 2019.jpg
Põhjala Brewery ({{langx|et|Põhjala pruulikoda}}) is a craft brewery in Tallinn, Estonia.{{Cite news |date=2019-04-26 |title=10 of the best things to do in Tallinn’s Kalamaja district |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/apr/26/10-best-things-to-do-tallinn-kalamaja-estonia-festivals |access-date=2024-11-07 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Its name is Estonian for "northern realm".[https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/13180999.scot-leading-estonias-beer-revolution/ Heraldscotland.com. Scot leading Estonia's beer revolution.] It is the largest craft brewery in the Baltic states[https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2019/9/30/the-baltic-exchange-in-search-of-warmth-and-porter-in-tallinn-estonia-and-copenhagen-denmark?rq=Tallinn Goodbeerhunting.com. The Baltic Exchange...] and the only one to have been included in the Ratebeer "top 100" list of world breweries.[https://estonianworld.com/business/estonias-pohjala-brewery-rated-57th-in-the-world-by-beer-connoisseurs/ Estonian World. Estonia’s Põhjala brewery rated 57th in the world by beer connoisseurs.] In 2023 the company had a turnover of 4.69 million euros.[https://creditreports.ee/pohjala-brewing Creditreports.ee. PÕHJALA BREWING AS.] Põhjala has a particular focus on porters, barrel ageing, and ingredients from the forests of Estonia.[https://pohjalabeer.com/brewery Pohjalabeer.com. (Official website).]
History
The brewery was founded in 2011 by four Estonian beer enthusiasts, who were soon joined by head brewer Chris Pilkington. 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.
In 2015 the company opened its first bar "Speakeasy" near Tallinn's main railway station.[http://www.bestbarseurope.com/tallinn/bars Bestbarseurope.com. SPEAKEASY BY PÕHJALA.]
In 2018 nearly 4.9 million euros were invested in moving production to a new brewery in the Noblessner area of Tallinn.[http://www.noblessner.ee/pohjala-pruulikoda-kolib-noblessnerisse/ Noblessner.ee. Põhjala Brewery moves to Noblessner.] (in Estonian) 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.[https://www.err.ee/910247/pohjala-vaikepruulikoda-alustas-olle-villimist-uues-tootmishoones ERR Uudised. Põhjala väikepruulikoda alustas õlle villimist uues tootmishoones.] (in Estonian) The facility also houses a laboratory, shop, sauna and taproom with 24 taps.
In 2019 Põhjala opened a pop-up bar in the Chinese capital, Beijing.[https://news.err.ee/1002823/estonian-craft-beer-brewer-opens-pop-up-bar-in-beijing ERR News. Estonian craft beer brewer opens pop-up bar in Beijing.][https://estonianworld.com/business/how-a-tallinn-brewery-landed-in-beijing/ Estonian World. How a Tallinn brewery landed in Beijing.]
In 2021 the brewery sponsored the Põhjala disc golf marathon, with 300 competitors in Jõulumäe, Estonia.[https://sport.err.ee/1608263889/pohjala-kettagolfi-maraton-toob-joulumaele-ule-300-huvilise ERR Sport. Põhjala kettagolfi maraton toob Jõulumäele üle 300 huvilise.] (in Estonian)
In 2022 Põhjala opened Põhja Konn bar in the Telliskivi area of Tallinn. It serves only Estonian craft beer from Põhjala and other local craft breweries.[https://omamaitse.delfi.ee/artikkel/120035260/pudelist-sai-pohja-konn-ollebaar-pudel-ruumides-avati-ainult-eesti-kasitooolut-pakkuv-baar Oma Maitse. Pudelist sai Põhja Konn! Õllebaar Pudel ruumides avati ainult Eesti käsitööõlut pakkuv baar.]
On 15 March 2023 Estonian president Alar Karis visited Põhjala Brewery together with German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier.[https://www.facebook.com/pohjalataproom/?locale=en_GB Facebook.com. Põhjala Tap Room.]
In April 2024 Põhjala's former head brewer Chris Pilkington and his wife Kristina opened Tuletorn Brewing, a brewpub in Tallinn's Kopli district.[https://tuletorn.beer/pages/our-story Tuletorn Brewing. Our story.]
Põhjala beers
Põhjala's best-selling beer is Virmalised, an India pale ale which accounts for over a quarter of total production.[https://flavoursofestonia.com/2019/02/19/pohjala-on-taitsa-pohjas/ Flavours of Estonia. PÕHJALA ON TÄITSA PÕHJAS!] (in Estonian) In addition to a core range of 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.
The Cellar Series is a range of dark, barrel-aged beers while the Forest Series uses rare botanicals and forest ingredients. Põhjala exported 65 percent of its production in 2021. The main foreign markets were the Netherlands, Finland, France, China, the United Kingdom and the United States.[https://majandus.postimees.ee/7514131/pohjala-pruulikoda-murdis-tagasi-plusspoolele Postimees Majandus. Põhjala pruulikoda murdis tagasi plusspoolele.] Retrieved 30 December 2022.
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. 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.[https://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/Beer/Beer-Ratings.asp?BeerID=806065 Ratebeer.com. Põhjala / Pinta Baltic Pride.]
Tallinn Craft Beer Weekend
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.[https://tcbw.ee/ Tallinn Craft Beer Weekend (Official website).][http://www.culture.ee/event/tallinn-craft-beer-weekend-2015/ Culture.ee. Tallinn Craft Beer Weekend 2015.]
Images of Põhjala Brewery
File:Põhjala Brewery & Tap Room 5 - Renee Altrov.jpg|Põhjala Brewery & Tap Room
File:EU-EE-TLN-PT-Kalamaja-Speakeasy (cropped).JPG|Põhjala's first bar, "Speakeasy"
File:Põhjala Brewery & Tap Room 2 - Renee Altrov.jpg|The Tap Room
File:Noblessner.jpg|Noblessner Harbour
(Põhjala is to the bottom right)
See also
- Beer in Estonia
- Barrel-aged beer
- Seaplane Harbour Museum - also located in Noblessner Harbour
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.beer52.com/ferment/article/119/Pohjala Meet the brewer: Chris Pilkington, Põhjala.]
- [https://beerconnoisseur.com/articles/pohjala-brewery-leads-quiet-revolution-estonian-beer Põhjala Brewery Leads Quiet Revolution in Estonian Beer.]
- [https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2019/9/30/the-baltic-exchange-in-search-of-warmth-and-porter-in-tallinn-estonia-and-copenhagen-denmark?rq=Tallinn The Baltic Exchange — In Search of Warmth and Porter in Estonia and Denmark.]
{{commons category|Põhjala Brewing}}{{Alcoholic drinks}}