Women have played a key role in the history of beer, with evidence suggesting that they were likely involved in the brewing process from the earliest days of human civilization.

In ancient Egypt, women were involved in the brewing of beer, and some even worked as professional brewers. Similarly, in ancient Sumer, women were known to have brewed beer, and beer was often used as a form of payment for labor.

Finnish Sahti is a traditional beer that originated in Finland and is still brewed using traditional methods today, and believed to have been brewed by women for centuries.

Sahti is a farmhouse ale that is brewed using a combination of malted barley, rye, and occasionally wheat, as well as juniper berries and branches. The use of juniper berries and branches is what gives Sahti its unique flavor profile and sets it apart from other beer styles.

Sahti is typically brewed using a decoction mash method, where a portion of the mash is removed and boiled before being added back to the main mash. It was quite involved traditionally, taking over 4 hours with 8 different rests. This process helps to extract more flavor and color from the grains, resulting in a richer, more complex beer.

The use of juniper in Sahti provides a piney, resinous flavor and aroma, with hints of citrus and spice. The beer is typically cloudy and unfiltered, with a rich amber color and a creamy, persistent head.

A traditional Sahti Recipe would look something like this:

Traditional Sahti Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Pale Malt

• Rye Malt

• Flaked Oats

• Juniper Berries

• Spruce Tips

• Yeast (ie. house yeast, often described as Phenolic in texts)

Traditionally, hops were not used, and modern recipes rely on noble German or European varieties. A modern recipe of Sahti would also still involve the use of Spruce Tips or Juniper, however to get similar characteristics without using these ingredients, the following hops in combo could be similarly used (especially if you’re over contracted…).

Chinook: Chinook hops have a strong piney flavor that can enhance the woody and resinous flavors of juniper berries, and substitute for spruce tips.

Simcoe: Simcoe hops have a unique combination of piney, citrusy, and earthy flavors that can add complexity to a beer with juniper berries. They can provide a similar piney flavor to a beer as spruce tips if the correct lot is chosen.

Cascade: Cascade hops have a floral and spicy flavor that can provide a subtle piney note to a beer. While they are not as piney as some other hop varieties, they can still add depth and complexity to a beer that calls for spruce tips and compliment the earthiness of Juniper.

PRO-TIP: Additionally, Mash-Hopping and using a Thiol Yeast could bring out fruitier characteristics of these hops…

While it is still a relatively rare style, there are a number of American breweries that have experimented with brewing Sahti. Here are a few examples:

1. Dogfish Head : Based in Milton, Delaware, Dogfish Head has been known to brew a Sahti-style beer called Sah'tea. The beer is brewed with black tea, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and juniper berries, and is meant to mimic the flavors of a traditional Finnish Sahti.

2. The Bruery: This California-based brewery has brewed a Sahti-style beer called Saison Rue, which is brewed with rye malt, Brettanomyces yeast, and juniper berries.

3. New Belgium Brewing: This Colorado-based brewery has brewed a Sahti-style beer called Juniper Ale. The beer is brewed with a blend of barley and rye malt, as well as juniper berries, coriander, and orange peel.

4. Great Lakes Brewing Company: Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Great Lakes has brewed a Sahti-style beer called Juniper Ale. The beer is brewed with a blend of barley and rye malt, as well as juniper berries and Finnish Baker's yeast.

5. Avery Brewing Company: This Colorado-based brewery has brewed a Sahti-style beer called Majaraja, which is brewed with a blend of barley, rye, and wheat malt, as well as juniper berries, ginger, and cardamom.

Sahti is often served in wooden kuurna bowls, which are traditionally made from juniper wood and are said to enhance the beer's flavor and aroma. Finnish Sahti is a unique and flavorful beer that has been brewed for centuries and is still enjoyed by beer lovers today.