Sahti: One of the World's Oldest Beer Styles

One of the world's oldest, continually-brewed styles of beer is the Finnish farm-style sahti. Rich with Nordic tradition, this centuries-old style has overcome many twists and turns throughout its history to remain a prevalent yet ancient style. The Story of Sahti The earliest written records of sahti only date back a few hundred years to the late 18th century, but casks of the traditional Finnish style were found aboard a sunken Viking ship dated back to the 9th century. Some historians even claim ancient beer styles like sahti were the motivation behind developed agriculture in Scandinavia. Traditionally, sahti was enjoyed during special occasions like weddings and harvest festivals, and in some cases it even took on a mystical persona. Weaker versions of sahti were used as refreshment for village workers. Despite Finland's lengthy beer-story, commercial breweries were not historically the norm. Many…