At BarthHaas, we’re committed to helping brewers brew smarter, not harder. Our recent collaboration with Põhjala Brewery, one of Northern Europe’s most respected craft breweries, is a powerful showcase of how advanced hop innovations, particularly liquid hop extracts, can transform brewing efficiency without sacrificing flavor, aroma, or quality.
Who Is Põhjala?
Founded in 2011 in Tallinn, Estonia, Põhjala has carved out a reputation for bold experimentation and world-class execution. Whether it’s a deep Baltic porter or a hop-saturated IPA, Põhjala brews with creativity and conviction, always pushing boundaries. Their passion for brewing and openness to innovation made them the perfect partner for this project.
The Beer: Nova Lux
For this collaboration, the Põhjala team brewed a modern West Coast IPA called Nova Lux. The aim was clear: take the clean, crisp bitterness of classic IPAs and layer it with the hop saturation and aromatics expected from today’s hop-forward beers. To do this, they leaned on a lineup of BarthHaas advanced hop products, Flex, Incognito, Spectrum, and HopAid Antifoam, to unlock not just flavor, but process efficiency.
"The bitterness that FLEX provided was incredibly clean, and the beer didn't have the green bite one might usually associate with these dry-hopping levels." - Martin Matra, Head Brewer, Põhjala
Before & After: A Side-by-Side Brewing Comparison
| Metric | Existing Beer | Nova Lux Collaboration |
Brew length (min) | 475 | 469 |
Kettle hops / target IBU | 5 kg Magnum for 25 IBU | 1.5 kg FLEX for 35 IBU |
Whirlpool hop load | 15 kg T90 | 10 kg Centennial T90 + 2 kg Centennial Incognito |
Active fermentation dry hop | 0 kg | 0 kg |
Post fermentation dry hop | 70 kg T90 | 80 kg Eclipse T90 + 30 kg Centennial T90 + 2 kg Spectrum |
Yield (Cast to FV) | 59 hl | 62.9 hl (+ 6.6%) |
Yield (Kettle) | 67 hl | 70 hl (+ 4.5%) |
With a 4–6% increase in yield, this single brew resulted in approximately 900 extra 440ml cans, that’s an additional 396 litres of beer from the same brewhouse input. In today’s economic climate, those numbers make a meaningful difference.
The Flavor Edge: Eclipse ® Shines Bright
One of the highlights of Nova Lux was the inclusion of Eclipse ® hops, used both as T90 pellets and in Spectrum form. Grown and developed by Hop Products Australia (HPA), a member of the BarthHaas group, Eclipse added vivid layers of sweet citrus and subtle pine that elevated the beer's aromatic impact.
"The hop character came off as very expressive… white grapefruit, pine, tangerine, pomelo, Just an overall sweet citrus character."
Efficiency at Every Step
The benefits of liquid hop extracts extended beyond just hop dosing:
- HopAid Antifoam enabled tanks to safely ferment up to 115 hl, despite being designed for just 100 hl.
- Reduced hop matter meant quicker, cleaner centrifuge runs and less waste overall.
- The use of Flex simplified bittering, reducing kettle losses and improving wort clarity.
"All of our production, with the same working hours, is now a lot more efficient."
Lasting Change: Flex Becomes a Brewing Staple
"We've now started using FLEX for all of our bittering additions across the board, for lagers, IPAs, barrel-aged beers… not just for yield gains, but also for the clean bitterness it brings."
Brewing Smarter with BarthHaas
This collaboration with Põhjala proves that efficiency, yield, and sensory quality can go hand-in-hand. By incorporating liquid hop extract technologies, craft brewers can increase profits, reduce waste, and deliver standout beers, all while maintaining full control over flavor and process.
At BarthHaas, we don’t just sell hops, we help you put your best beer forward, every time.
Want to see what liquid hop extracts could do for your brewery? Let’s talk.
