Before I start to expound upon the virtues of Samuel Adams Norse Legend, I’m going to tell you what it is, and a little about what it is. Norse legend is, in style, brewed after Finnish sahti. Sahti? What the hell is that, you ask? Sahti is, in fact, beer. Specifically, it’s a style of Finnish homebrew made from all kinds of grain (the usual barley plus rye and perhaps wheat and/or oats). It may be spiced with hops, but if so in conjunction with the customary juniper berries. It is often aged on or filtered through juniper branches. In homebrewed examples, a stick may be used to stir the fermenting brew; yeast is allowed to collect upon it for use in the next batch. Wild yeast and bacteria may influence the brew, leaving it tart, sour and refreshing.
Commercial Finnish varieties of sahti possess a unique character of their own, though are likely less idiosyncratic than the homebrewed versions. To be sure, I only speculate here, but having read some of Michael Jackson’s reviews of hombrewed Sahti, it’s hard to imagine the same character could be replicated on a large scale. You certainly won’t see many examples of sahti here in America, and in fact I’ve only come across two: New Belgium Lips of Faith Sahti and today’s beer, Samuel Adams Norse Legend.
Both of these beers are specialty brews and not regularly produced. I first tried Norse Legend at Taco Mac when it was first released in June of 2012. My current bottle has been sitting in my DBR for about a year now.
From the label:
Legend has it that barrels of this ancient brew were found on sunken Viking ships. This Nordic ale called a Sahti took root in Finland becoming one of the oldest continuously brewed styles. Deep amber in color, the distinctive herbal citrus aroma and flavor comes from aging on a bed of juniper berries. The herbal, woodsy, and ripe citrus character of the juniper enlivens a sturdy and smooth malt backbone for a fresh and flavorful brew.
Samuel Adams Norse Legend is brewed with Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops, juniper berries, rye malt, Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Special B, and aromatic malt. It has 16 IBUs (lot a lot) and has an alcohol content of 7% by volume. I paid $5.50 for an 11-ounce glass at Taco Mac and $5.99 for a 22-ounce bomber bottle at Total Wine.
Samuel Adams Norse Legend pours to a hazy orange color with a very thick creamy head formation and an appetizing gin-like nose laced with spicy juniper. Taking a sip I get some delicious chewy caramel malt up front followed by juicy, piney ripe juniper that’s herbal and fragrant in aroma and flavor. At the last the beer is balanced perfectly by the spicy berries and a hint of grassy Hallertau hops.
I don’t see a lot of sahtis, but this is a good beer to be called one. The gin-like juniper character is the selling point for this beer, and though I think it is unlikely like a Finnish homebrewed sahti, it’s still a very interesting brew. Let’s hope we see it again.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft