Sahti from Hartola saved the Easter

Thank you Hartola and Alko in Hartola. It took 40 extra kilometres but it was worth coming. We bought both "basic" and strong Finlandia Sahti. Easter Celebration was possible. As a Easter present a bottle of good sahti really delighted.

Two (cold) new plastic bottles of Finlandia Sahti.

The new plastic bottle!

Finlandia Sahti is now sold in a plastic bottle! Classic transparent glass bottle seems to be history.
Lammin Sahti is still sold in a beautiful, dark brown bottle with an old times bottle top.

At first I was shocked when I saw this new bottle but it took about 5 seconds to realize it's not THAT bad. Actually this new bottle is a handy alternative. Light, durable and lower. This new bottle suits even in my fridge! Because of the yeast sahti bottle must be stored upright. It was surprising to notice the capacity is still 0,75 l. I would have been ready to bet it is less, 0,5 l.

At the moment there is only one (!) Alko in Helsinki selling sahti. Both Finlandia Sahties (traditional and strong) and Lammin Sahti are included in a selection. You can also order 3 litres container of Joutsan Sahti. The delivery time is one week.

Yesterday I visited this sahti selling Alko. Infront of me in a queue there was a man buying (many) bottles of sahti. Looked like a beer loving tourist. If he had asked help from the personnel he probably would have been told not to buy sahti as it may BLOW in a suitcase. That's what personnel told me. Would it really blow? ...I guess I have to try...

Finlandia Sahti - where are the alternatives?

St. Urho's is one of the best pubs in Finland. It is located in the mid Helsinki, next to the Parliament House and Finlandia Hall. The musicians of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra find their way to St. Urho's after the concert. The Hall is on the other side of the main street of Helsinki.

As the reputation of St. Urho's is very good and it has introduced beers brewed by small Finnish breweries, the selection of sahtis should be better. One is not enough. Finlandia Sahti belongs to St. Urho's selection (altogether about 80 beers). It has won the competition of the "Beer of the Year" twice (Helsinki Beer Festival 1999 and 2003). Anyhow, the alternatives are needed. Finlandia Sahti is not the one and the only truth. It is not the "Pravda" of the sahtis.

There are even two Finlandia Sahtis: "regular" and strong. Which one the St. Urho's has - you have to ask. Wish they had both! And wish they had all sahtis that exists. It would not be many though.

Huvila, which is a small brewery in Savonlinna, brews Huvila Sahti. I try find and taste it as soon as possible! Maybe St. Urho's will have it in the "Sahti week" in the spring.

http://www.botta.fi/ST-URHO-S-PUB.14.0.html?&L=1
http://web.eduskunta.fi/Resource.phx/parliament/aboutparliament/presentation/parliamenthouse.htx
http://www.finlandiatalo.fi/en
http://www.finlandiatalo.fi/en/events/8907.html
http://www.finlandiasahti.fi/
http://www.panimoravintolahuvila.fi/oluttehdas/sahti_e.html