Põhjala Odravein 2015

Põhjala Odravein 2015
Barley Wine
12% ABV 33cl bottle

BBE 13.04.2018

I heard rumors, that Põhjala made this barley wine using traditional wine making technology - they found a dozen of virgins, and made them stomp the juice out of barley during long winter nights. And the obtained precious juice almost required no fermentation. True story they say.

Pours cloudy brown/cherry with thick creamy head. Thin layer lingers after the head settles. Minor lacing. Aroma of malt, darker malt, and darkest malt. Some charred wood, a bit of caramelized sugar. Gently sweet, gently bitter and massively malty. Malt extract with precious alcohol. Not yeasty at all, though you can see some sediment floating.
Extremely smooth aftertaste, no hint of pure alcohol, though the ABV can be felt from the first sip.
Finish is long, slimy and oily (and it is OK with me), palette fades out slowly. 

Massive happiness after 1/2 glass insured.

I am a weakling for such brews.

Possibly will bankrupt myself and become a boozy when I get my next salary.

Saku Pühadepruul

Saku Pühadepruul
Märzen
5.3% ABV 50cl bottle

BBE 21.04.2015

Pours light orange, with frothy head. Lacing is beautiful.

Aroma of a Saku Hele that is topped up with darker crystal malt and some extra hops extract.
Tastes like a medium quality märzen. Slightly powdery aftertaste. Gently bitter as a pale lager.
Medium bodied, a little soapy and slippery. Lively carbonated brew.
When you go through 1/2 glass, it starts to fizzle out.

Drink fast!

Saku Pühadepruul

Puls Extra Lager Eripruul Kuivhumalaga

Puls Extra Lager Eripruul Kuivhumalaga
Premium Lager

5.0%ABV50cl bottle.

Surprisingly fresh, summery aroma. Honey, fruit, fresh grass and whatnot. Really nice, bready, pale lager.

Pours clear golden with thin creamy head.Medium bitter, medium sweet. Hoppy for a local Estonian lager, and that is good.Smooth, medium bodied beer.

Only negative thing about it, is that it is just a bit too sweet.

Will buy again.

At the moment, this is a second best local mass produced beer for me.(Hard Lager from A. Le Coq is still slightly better.)

http://hfpuls.ee/et/tooted

Põhjala Põhja Konn

Põhjala Põhja Konn

Imperial/Double IPA

8.8%ABV

33cl bottle. Batch 016.

Aroma of Brie and Camembert cheese mixed with boiled hops leftovers. Musky and quite nasty to my nose.
Pours clear dark amber-orange with a thick, creamy head that leaves beautiful lacing.
Hoppy mixture of strong bitterness and sweet maltiness with a perfectly thick body for its ABV.
When compared to DogHead 90min IPA or BD Hardcore IPA aroma is what I find rather weak in comparison.
IBU is solid and quite noticeable - reminds me of Mikkeller 1000IBU.


Good, thick, hoppiness. 
I will try to get it on tap also.

P.S.

Wife said it tasted like frog, so I guess Põhjala got it right :-)

http://pohjalabeer.com/

Thornbridge Kipling

Thornbridge Kipling

APA

5.2%ABV


50cl bottle. BBE 02.12.14.

Strong aroma of pine and spruce.
Fruity and somewhat resembles Brewers Gold (just made a homebrew and have some left to sniff).

Pours clear pale lager like, with a thick creamy head that stays - and that makes it an APA. Strong carbonation alongside medium body makes and extremely easily drinkable and refreshing beer.

Tempting and lovely.

Thx Anton! 

P.S. Actually, I remembered having it @Pudel Bar Tallinn 

http://www.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk/

Põhjala Virmalised

Põhjala Virmalised

IPA

6.5%ABV

33cl 001 batch.

Now this is a proper adversary to Punk IPA, that is so popular around Estonia.

Perfect IPA.

Body might be slightly better in the next batch - this one is medium bodied, oily and with a bit sharp bitter finish.

First mouthfeel is supported by lively carbonation. Then it gets a bit thin-watery-oily and after that a hoppy bitterness steps up on a flat field.

Definitely has its own character.

IMHO, the best Estonian IPA! (and is far away in the lead).

http://pohjalabeer.com/

Eesti keeles: Gambrinuse õllepäevik

Puls Vaskne Lager

Puls Vaskne Lager

Amber Lager/Vienna
5.2%ABV

50cl bottle. First batch.

Pours amber clear, with a nice head, that goes rather quickly away.

Aroma of malt, caramel and some fruity yeast.

Sweet and with a load of burnt sugar (possibly unrefined cane sugar).
Hardly can taste anything else.

Goes flat in less than 5 minutes, and becomes not such a pleasant drink. 
Was served at 6°C.

Worth a try, but I doubt that you will go for a second bottle. I will wait for a second batch, if it ever comes.

http://hfpuls.ee/et/tooted/puls-vaskne-lager