Craft Beer Row
When a Danish microbrewery released a custom brewed sea-buckthorn beer for the Baltic market, it appears to have lit a fire. In any case, a homegrown Estonian craft beer revolution is under way, with fully local-brewed beers now being produced by a new brewery. And a new place to drink them has opened in late January in hip North Tallinn.
Revolution and militant are appropriate words. "Põhjala Brewery is the brainchild of three friends and beer aficionados who, like many a future craft brewer, got tired of the tasteless watery lagers that the faceless megacorporations have saturated the beer market with," says the website.
"Saku-free zone," declares a sign on the door of Pudel, the new pub.
Saku, though not exactly a megacorporation, is considered mainstream, and its more innovative entries have been scoffed at by the type of beer drinker who is interested in the extremes to which hops can be concentrated and uses logarithmic scales to measure bitterness. But Saku, alongside posts bashing archrival A.le Coq, did something unprecedented last week - it acknowledged the craft beer newcomer in a Facebook status.
"We wish the new generation of brewmeisters success. And we hope with all our heart that your Double Nelson won't bruise our back too much."
But it couldn't resist something backhanded. Mentioning Põrgu, Möku and Pudel as three places that carried the beers, it then said, based on the last one's "Saku-free" sign: "If you happen to be gay, black, Russian, left-handed, be sure to call ahead and find out whether you are a suitable customer."
Craft beer aficionados howled - the mention of minority groups and discmination was completely out of left field - and posted dozens of comments.
"Pudel's door reads 'Saku free zone' so that customers wouldn't ask, 'So you got Saku Originaal, too?' [...] And all people are welcome in Pudel regardless of creed, nationality, sexual orientation or political views, the only thing is that they don't sell a certain type of beer because it's sold everywhere else," posted Põhjala's Enn Parel in response.
By Sunday, things had been patched up - for now. "So we made it to Pudel on Sunday. Friendly welcome, everyone got in, no one was told to leave, seems to be a completely tolerant place. But Originaal was indeed not available and word is it isn't coming soon. We had some beers with the guys, agreed the score was 1-1 and buried the hatchet. Beer, beer, beer!" read Saku's status.