Today we tapped Dogfish Head's Sah'tea and it's already being talked about. The guys at Dogfish Head brewery did their take on a Sahti, a 9th century Finnish proto-beer. The Sahti style is said to be one of the only primitive beers to survive in Western Europe. Many compare Sahtis to German Hefeweizens, but due to the exposure to wild yeast and bacteria a tartness is present making this style akin to the Lambics. At 9.0% Alc, this ale is suprisingly an easy drinker. The traditional juniper flavor is in the forefront from the use of juniper berries straight from Finnland; then followed by a rolling sweetness, spices and herbal notes provided by the rye and added black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and black pepper. The brewing process of this beer is pretty fascinating, they caramelize the wort with white hot river rocks. Check out the video below for more details about this brew from Lead Brewer Bryan Selders and come down and enjoy a glass of this finely crafted ale before its gone.
