Sahti is a traditional
beer from
Finland made from a variety of
grains,
malted and unmalted, including
barley,
rye,
wheat, and
oats; sometimes
bread made from these grains is fermented instead of malt itself. Traditionally the beer is flavored with
juniper berries in addition to, or instead of,
hops; the mash is filtered through juniper twigs through a trough-shaped tun called a
kuurna in
Finnish. Sahti has a distinct banana flavor due to the production of
isoamyl acetate by the yeast. Sahti is a top-fermented brew (
ale), and while baking
yeast has been used traditionally, ale yeast may also be used in fermenting.
