Heavy Bough
Pipeworks Brewing Co.

 

22 ounce bottle into a tulip glass. Had 1/20/19.

Pours a medium amber, with a one inch foamy head and some slippery, foamy lacing. Aromas of juniper, cola, malt, some apple, light yeast and oak, faint cherries, peppercorn as it warms. The flavor is fairly similar to the nose- malt, juniper, some apples and cola, light cherries, a little oak. A little bready, with a light sour note on the finish. Smooth, a good medium body, well carbonated.

Don’t get the chance to have a Sahti beer very often, but this stands up to any I’ve had to date. Would have liked more juniper, but it has more than others. Felt like there were more flavors here than I could identify. Very enjoyable at a good price point for a hard to find style. Worth a purchase.

Opaque brown; small bubble head (must be more than barley in the mash?) Solid, almost yeast like aroma although it is evidently an ale, not a lager.

Very well balanced IBU. No IPA, this!

+3 points for freshness - purchased at a Trader Joe’s outside Chicago.

-1 for 2 bottles with caps that leaked when stored on their sides in a wine rack.

+1 for metal foil lines label that comes off nicely sonyou can refill the bottle with your own brew!

Appearance - The beee poured the color of dark rusty water with an off-white head.

Smell - Ginger and light juniper were at the front of the nose. There seemed to be a big malty presence.

Taste - At the front, there was a dry maltiness with some hidden juniper. For a sahti, the spice seemed underdone. The light sweetness brought to mind cola.

Mouthfeel - Carbonation seemed to be appropriate for the style with a light body.

Overall - Among the rare style sahti, this would not make the upper tier.

 

 

It noses ripe papaya. The taste was classic, yet improved, sahti; not too dry on the finish. The style has a particular flavor that may be acquired and craved by some. Juniper seems balanced, but not overwhelming.