Ingredients
The mash
- 300 gmämmimallas
- or dark rye malt
- 5 litreswater
- 150 gdark syrup
- or 150 g brown sugar
To ferment
- 1/4 teaspoondried yeast
- a very small amount
Equipment
- a large pot
- a clean fermenting bucket
- bottles with loose caps
- or plastic bottles
To serve
- cold with food
- at the Christmas table
- and at Midsummer
Directions
- Keep it short and cold to keep it low. It is not the same as a soft drink. Use plastic bottles or leave caps loose. Cold slows the fermentation right down.
- Wash all the equipment thoroughly. Rinse it all with boiling water. Put the rye malt in a large pot. Pour boiling water over all of it. Use about two litres to start with. Stir it thoroughly to wet all the malt.
- Cover it and let it steep properly. Give it about one full hour to steep. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve.
- Line it with cloth for a clearer result. Press the malt to get the last of it. Discard the spent grain afterwards. Pour carefully to leave it behind. Pour the strained liquid into a bucket.
- Add the rest of the measured water. Stir in the syrup or the sugar. Let it dissolve completely into it. Let it cool to about room temperature. It must be below thirty degrees. Wait until it is comfortable to touch. Sprinkle the tiny amount of yeast over it. Stir it in gently and thoroughly.
- Cover the bucket loosely with a cloth. Gas must be able to escape freely. Leave it somewhere cool and dark. Give it about twenty-four hours. Pour it carefully into bottles. Leave the sediment behind in the bucket. Leave a good gap at the top of each bottle.
- Put the bottles in the refrigerator. Cold slows the yeast almost to a stop. Pour it into glasses carefully. Leave the last of the sediment behind. Serve it with food at the table. It is drunk cold and lightly fizzy. Check the bottles daily for pressure.
Technique
- The atlas tags list wheat, but rye malt is what is actually used and rye is the defining grain in Finland; the recipe follows rye malt accordingly.
- Fermentation produces carbon dioxide, and in a sealed bottle that builds pressure that can burst glass, which is genuinely dangerous. Use plastic bottles or leave caps loose, squeeze the side of a plastic bottle as a pressure gauge, and refrigerate as soon as it feels firm and tastes lightly fizzy.
- Only a quarter teaspoon of yeast goes into five litres, deliberately far less than a beer needs, since more yeast means more alcohol and far more gas; it is low in alcohol but not free of it, and longer or warmer fermentation raises the level.
Substitutions
- Any dark rye malt works in place of mämmimallas.
- Brown sugar stands in for dark syrup, giving a slightly lighter result.
Variations
- Some households add a little lemon or a piece of rye bread crust.
- The sweetness varies considerably between families.
- It is drunk at the Christmas table and at Midsummer particularly.
History
Brewed from malt and rye in Finnish homes, especially for the Christmas and Midsummer tables.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kotikalja?
Kotikalja is a drink from Finland: lightly fermented rye small beer drunk at table with food. Brewed from malt and rye in Finnish homes, especially for the Christmas and Midsummer tables.
How long does Kotikalja take to make?
Kotikalja takes 20 minutes of preparation and 2 days fermenting of cooking. The recipe makes about 5 litres. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Kotikalja?
Yes, within limits. Any dark rye malt works in place of mämmimallas. Brown sugar stands in for dark syrup, giving a slightly lighter result.
What is the most important thing to get right in Kotikalja?
Add the rest of the measured water. Stir in the syrup or the sugar. Let it dissolve completely into it. Let it cool to about room temperature. It must be below thirty degrees. Wait until it is comfortable to touch. Sprinkle the tiny amount of yeast over it. Stir it in gently and thoroughly.
