Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, is an odd mix of old wooden houses, Soviet-era Stalinist buildings, and gleaming modern glass-and-steel facades, all dominated by the medieval walled town. The city is popular with tourists, many of whom come by ferry from Stockholm or Helsinki.
When it comes to beer, Tallinn looks at first like any modern European capital: mostly pale lager, but with a lively craft scene when you know where to look. But there’s more to it than that. Hidden away in a cellar lies the beer bar Põrgu, which serves the latest IPAs, Baltic porters, and more, but it also serves koduõlu—the national beer style.
Although koduõlu is a farmhouse-ale style, there are two commercial breweries that produce it, and either one can often be found at Põrgu. Just order Pihtla, and you’ll get one of them—no, really! Both breweries sell their beers under that name because it’s the name of the village where both are located roughly 50 meters apart.