Gordon Strong’s Sahti

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.099 FG = 1.038
IBU = 9 SRM = 16 ABV = 9%

Ingredients
15.5 lbs. (7 kg) Pilsner malt
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) dark Munich malt
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) rye malt
1.25 lbs. (567 g) caramel rye malt (65 °L)
1 lb. (454 g) rice hulls
4 AAU Spalt hops (mash hop) (1 oz./28 g at 4% alpha acids)
1–2 small Juniperus communis branches to cover the mash tun
LalBrew Munich Classic, SafAle
WB-06, or a favorite kveik yeast of your choice.

Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride at the beginning of the mash.

This recipe uses a long, multi-step infusion mash, but no boil. The wort is not concentrated by boiling so think of this as a first-runnings beer. Mash in the grains with the rice hulls at 113 °F (45 °C) using 1.2 qts./lb. (2.5 L/kg) of water. Add the hops then hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to 122 °F (50 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to 131 °F (55 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to 140 °F (60 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to 149 °F (65 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to 158 °F (70 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Add the juniper to the mash. Raise the temperature to 167 °F (75 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to 185 °F (85 °C) and hold for 30 minutes.

Run off the wort slowly into the fermenter until you have collected 5 gallons (19 L). You many need to sparge lightly if necessary to reach this volume. Brew-in-a-bag users may have an advantage since they can wring out the wort from the grains as well. Using a larger fermenter is advisable since the fermentation can be vigorous.

Chill to 50 °F (10° C) and pitch the yeast. Allow the temperature to rise to room temperature as the fermentation gets going. When fermentation starts to slow, rack the beer gently to secondary and move to a colder location, 50 °F (10 °C) or below. Condition for one week. Try to avoid removing carbonation from the beer during transfers.

Keg without additional carbonation, or package in plastic soda bottles. Do not prime. Since the beer is biologically unstable, you will want to store below 40 °F (5 °C) and preferably consume within two weeks.

An extract recipe is not possible due to the unusual brewing technique of sahti and the fact that much of the character of the beer comes from the wort production.

Tips For Success:
While sahti is beer produced from the first runnings from the kuurna, or lauter tun, the remaining sugars would not be wasted. Traditionally a second runnings beer would be fermented to produce a table beer or “ladies sahti.” If you have the fermentation space, it seems prudent to collect these sugars and make one yourself as there will be plenty of sugars remaining in the mash.

If you cannot source fresh, green juniper branches, then you can substitute in juniper berries as well, which will provide more of a black-pepper kick compared to the pine needle-like branches. According to Mika Laitinen, adding 0.18 oz. (5 g) berries per 5 gallons (19 L) of beer directly to the fermenter (like dry hops) is a good starting point. He also adds that: “A fine sahti can be made without any juniper and it is often perceived in sahti even when not actually used, the baker’s yeast can give a similar spicy twist.”