From the beginning of the XX-th century manufacture and beer sale in Finland became state monopoly, here there are four big concerns producing beer, among them the largest is Hartwall, producing one of favourite Finnish beer “Lapin Kulta” (“Gold of Lapland”). Nowadays this concern is the leader, having united with the Swedish company “Pripps” and Russian “Baltic”, they together also make some grades of Finnish and other known grades of beer.
In 1818 Russian merchant bought the right, and subsequently the factory building license on beer manufacturing, and day when Russian merchant has obtained this permit, became a holiday dedicated to beer which is annually marked as Day of the Finnish beer. The name of this industrialist is Nikolay Sinebrjuhov, and the beer derivative of his name is “Koff”. Firm “Синебрюхофф” breweries are in the Finnish capital Helsinki, Tampere, Pori and Kerava.
But is also such who prefers beer “Karhu” (“Bear”), other “Karjala” (“Kareliya”) or Olvi. There are also full opponents of the Finnish beer and tend German or Czech, but for some reason and Finnish disperses quickly enough, buy both supporters, and critics of the Finnish beer. Any holiday, any sauna don’t manage in Finland without beer.
Finns love the domestic grades. Here the characteristic statement “jos kotimaisista puhutaan niin Urho on paras, Legenda ja Karhu ovat jaetulla kakkossijalla. Lapin Kulta, Karjala ja etenkin Koff ovat sitten niitä peränpitäjiä” that it is possible to translate so: “if to speak about domestic grades of beer the best is Urho, then Legenda, Karhu, Lapin Kulta, Karjala, and then “Koff”.
Other Finnish fans of beer add to this list “Vaalea Kuohu” and “Saimaan Panimon Marsalkka”. It would be desirable to pay attention that beer grades are named in honor of the president Urho Kekkonena, both marshal Mannergejm, and a name of legendary factory owner Nikolay Sinebrjuhov…
All grades are produced with the cleanest Finnish water, malt for beer is produced by the oldest Finnish company “Lahden Polttimo”, which more than 100 years makes malt, and also beer yeast that gives the chance to produce beer in house conditions. Finland develops non-polluting grain crops that will allow to tell that all components which are necessary for manufacturing of the Finnish beer are non-polluting.
Old traditions of manufacturing of beer have still remained, which is prepared on the basis of rough grinding of barley and rye with addition of special taste of juniper berries.
Sometimes cooked beer, using not only a rough grinding of barley and a rye, but added also oats grains, juniper berries, other berries, for example, a raspberry. The Finnish table beer — kalja often is made in the Finnish families on the eve of the big holidays.
Before there were many national subtleties in beer manufacturing: yeast should be dried up necessarily in a linen fabric, water should be taken only from the wells, choosing, from what water there will be the best beer, grains should be stored and sprout in a bag, dry up necessarily in a sauna, all ware should be wooden and made of a pine, juniper use was obligatory, and this plant carried out some functions: it disinfected and impacted certain relish …
The fans of this drink and many tourists gather for annual festival of beer in the Finnish capital, here it is possible to try all grades and even beer with garlic, lemon and with different wood berries…