Kotikalja Recipe

Kotikalja Recipe

Kotikalja is a mildly fermented, lightly carbonated Finnish malt beverage with a sweet, bready flavor and low alcohol content. Traditionally homemade, it’s brewed using rye malt, sugar, water, and yeast. This drink is best enjoyed fresh and cold within a few days of bottling.

Ingredients (Makes approx. 1.3 gallons)

  • 1¾ to 2 cups crushed rye malt (lightly toasted if desired)
  • ¾ to 1 cup granulated sugar (adjust for sweetness)
  • 1¼ gallons (5 quarts) boiling water
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon dry baker’s yeast
  • (Optional) 3–4 tablespoons rye malt extract or dark malt extract for deeper color and flavor

Steps to Make It

A. Malt Preparation (Optional but recommended)

  1. Lightly toast crushed rye malt in an oven at 325°F (160°C) for 10–15 minutes until fragrant and golden brown. Avoid burning. Let cool.

B. Mash and Mix

  1. Place the crushed malt and sugar into a large, sanitized container (at least 2 gallons in capacity).
  2. Carefully pour the boiling water over the malt and sugar. Stir thoroughly to dissolve the sugar.
  3. Let the mixture sit for 15–20 minutes, allowing flavors to steep.

C. Cool and Ferment

  1. Once the mixture cools to room temperature (68°F or 20°C), strain it through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean fermenting container.
  2. In a small cup, dissolve the dry yeast in a few tablespoons of the cooled liquid. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then add it to the full batch.
  3. Cover the container with a clean towel or a lid (loosely, to allow gas to escape), and let it sit at room temperature for 18–24 hours to lightly ferment.

D. Bottle and Carbonate

  1. After fermentation, chill the mixture slightly (~50°F or 10°C) to help the yeast settle.
  2. Carefully pour the drink into clean bottles, leaving sediment behind. Optionally, add 1 teaspoon of sugar or 1 raisin per bottle to promote mild carbonation.
  3. Cap and store at room temperature for 1–2 days, then refrigerate.

Storage & Serving

  • Serve cold in a beer mug or stein.
  • Best consumed within 3–4 days for optimal flavor and freshness.
  • Keep refrigerated in sealed bottles to maintain carbonation and prevent spoilage.

(Updated: 6/13/25)

Ale Flip Recipe

Ingredients

12 oz Beer

1 oz Brandy

1 oz Lemon Juice

1 Egg Yolk

1/4 tsp (ground) Ginger

1 tbsp Sugar

Ale Flip Directions

Heat the lemon juice with 2 ounces of ale, the ginger and the sugar in a saucepan over moderate heat until the sugar has dissolved. Beat the egg yolk into the brandy in a bowl. Beat the lemon juice mixture from the saucepan into the bowl with the egg, and beat together. Transfer to a beer mug. Add the rest of the ale, stir well, and serve.

Serve Ale Flip in a Beer Mug

AJ’s Bubbling Brew Recipe

Ingredients

1 oz Southern Comfort

12 oz Beer

1 oz Vodka

1 oz Peppermint Schnapps

1 oz Tequila

AJ’s Bubbling Brew Directions

Carefully pour the Rum, Tequila, Southern Comfort, and Peppermint Schnapps into the glass, light on fire, and quickly add the beer. After adding the beer, stir the mixture and watch it bubble forth.

Serve AJ’s Bubbling Brew in a Pilsner Glass

Atomic Bomb Recipe

Ingredients

2 dl Beer

1/2 liter Aquavit

Atomic Bomb Directions

Fill a small glass with bear and put in a pint. Fill pint with Loitens linje.

Serve Atomic Bomb in a Beer Mug

Amer Biere Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup Beer

1 oz Amer Picon

1/3 oz Lemon Syrup

Amer Biere Directions

Pour amer picon and lemon syrup into a beer mug. Fill the mug with beer and stir.

Serve Amer Biere in a Beer Mug

Root Beer Barrel Recipe

Ingredients

1/8 oz Beer

Root Beer Barrel Directions

1. Place a shot glass filled with root beer schnapps into a tumbler three-quarters filled with beer. (Beer should be just short of shot glass rim.)

Serve Root Beer Barrel in a Beer Mug