When it came to brewing a new West Coast IPA, Estonia’s Põhjala utilised a wealth of hop products instead of traditional T90 hop pellets from BarthHaas. The results include a boost in yield, reduced brewhouse waste as well as the maximisation of both tank and process capacity.
Founded in 2011 in Tallinn, Põhjala Brewery is one of the most respected craft breweries in Northern Europe. Known for bold, experimental recipes and technical precision, Põhjala’s approach combines Baltic tradition with international flair. From decadent barrel-aged porters to highly aromatic IPAs, the brewery values innovation just as much as it does consistency.
The collaborative brew, named Nova Lux, was designed as a modern West Coast IPA, a style that calls for a clean, assertive bitterness and a bright, aromatic hop profile. But rather than simply increasing dry hop loads or sticking with conventional hop formats, the objective was to enhance aroma and bitterness while improving brewhouse efficiency.
To accomplish this, the Põhjala team replaced traditional T90 hop pellets with a suite of BarthHaas advanced hop products including Flex for kettle bittering, Incognito in the whirlpool, Spectrum for post-fermentation dry hopping and HopAid Antifoam for increased tank utilization.
Despite a higher total hop load in Nova Lux, the use of Flex and other flowables drastically improved brewhouse performance. Martin Vahtra, Põhjala’s head brewer, explains: “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.”
More beer, less wastage
By reducing vegetal matter, Põhjala’s centrifuge runs were faster and required less downtime. HopAid Antifoam also allowed the team to exceed tank volume by 15%, pushing 115 hl into tanks designed for 100 hl, a significant boost in production without extending brew days or labour hours.
A highlight of the recipe was the inclusion of Eclipse, a proprietary variety from Hop Products Australia (HPA), a member of the BarthHaas group. Eclipse is known for its bold sweet mandarin character, light pine, and bright citrus.
Used both as T90 and in Spectrum form, it contributed depth and complexity without haze instability or harshness. “The hop character came off as very expressive… white grapefruit, pine, tangerine, pomelo, just an overall sweet citrus character,” adds Vahtra.
What started as a one-off experiment has now become part of Põhjala’s regular brewing practice. The results were clear enough to spark a permanent change.
“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,” he concludes.
For brewers facing rising raw material costs, tighter margins, and sustainability pressures, adopting liquid hop extracts and other advanced hop formats isn’t just an upgrade, it’s a necessity.
The Põhjala collaboration illustrates how brewers can use BarthHaas technology to boost yield and profitability, reduce brewhouse waste and labour, maintain clarity and quality while also maximising tank and process capacity.
Below: How traditional process compares with the recent Nova Lux collaboration
