Beer and Cider · Tallinn, Estonia
Pohjala
Estonia's leading craft brewery, born from a love of Baltic porter.
- Founded
- 2011
- Based in
- Tallinn, Estonia
Making it since
2011
Their story
Põhjala was started in Tallinn in late 2011 by four Estonian friends. A few months in, Scottish brewer Chris Pilkington joined and brought brewing know-how that was hard to find in Estonia at the time. The name means "northern land" and comes from Finno-Ugric mythology.
Their first beer, Öö, an imperial Baltic porter, arrived in early 2013. The brewery opened its first site in the Nõmme district in 2014, then moved in 2018 to a former shipyard by the sea in Noblessner, North Tallinn. Head brewer Martin Vahtra, who took the role in 2023, leans into local ingredients.
How it's made
Põhjala brews in its seaside Noblessner brewery in Tallinn, combining technical precision with Estonian and local ingredients. The range runs from dark Baltic porters, the style that launched the brewery, to sours and alcohol-free beers.
Why we carry them
We like Põhjala for showing how exciting Baltic brewing has become. Start with one of their porters if you like rich, dark beers.
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