The Saaremaa Folk Culture Society wants the island’s disappearing Christmas beer tradition to be included in the Estonian intangible cultural heritage list, reports ERR News.
On Estonia’s largest island, Saaremaa, Christmas beer brewing from water, hops and malt is increasingly losing popularity. Home-brewed beer on the Christmas table has become a rarity, especially compared to the times when it was brewed in every home during the holidays.
Brewer Peeter Laum is brewing Christmas beer this year in exactly the same way his predecessors did decades before him, and he can swear that his technology has never let him down or made beer lovers rush to find amenities. Laum said his
success may lie in the fact that his ancestors and grandfather used the exact same equipment:
“And I keep using it. Or maybe all the residue that has built up in those barrels over time gives the beer its proper flavor — who knows.” The brewer added that the barrels have been in use for so long that if he makes beer the way his ancestors did, the result will not disappoint.
Laum’s beer is ready after about four days, and the brewer emphasized that it needs silence, peace and stable heat while it ferments. When it comes to the taste qualities of home-brewed beer, two assessments are usually heard – “That’s good beer” and “Eh, it’ll do the job.”
The brewer added that Christmas beer should last until Candlemas in February, and it can also be stored for that long, as long as it is not drunk.
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