Mämmi & Beer

A Perfect Easter Pairing

Cheers!

Let’s talk Easter — not bunnies and chocolate eggs (though I won’t say no to the chocolate), but about one of Finland’s most misunderstood holiday treats: mämmi. If you’re not from around here, picture a dessert that looks… well, like it’s already been digested. But hold your judgment — because behind that dark, sticky appearance is a malty, sweet, rye-packed flavor bomb that’s basically begging to be paired with the right beer. So this Easter, I went full malt-mode and paired mämmi with Raja Doppelbock from Kanavan Panimo — and yeah, it was the perfect malty match. I even braved a surprise snow to snap a few pics.

Kanavan panimo - Raja Doppelbock (8%) 

Kanavan Panimo - Raja Doppelbock 8%

the 500th brew from Kanavan Panimo — a proper love letter to tradition. We’re talking zero gimmicks — just fresh Salpausselkä ridge water, 500 kilos of Munich malt, 5,000 grams of hops, and a good dose of yeast (cheers to Untappd for the info). That’s it. No shortcuts, no over-the-top flavor bombs. Brewed with double mashing, Raja brings deep, bready, slightly caramelized malt notes in a bold yet beautifully balanced way.

So why does it work with mämmi?

Well, mämmi is basically a cold, dark rye porridge sweetened — and it’s made today almost exactly like it was back in 1751, when one of the earliest mämmi recipes was documented. It actually dates back to the Middle Ages, and while it might not win any beauty contests, it’s been winning Finnish hearts for centuries — especially with a splash of cream, or my personal favorite: vanilla cream. That deep rye flavor in mämmi? The maltiness in the doppelbock? They’re basically long-lost siblings. The beer lifts the dessert’s roasted notes and cuts through the sweetness with its gentle bitterness and bubbles, while the mämmi softens the alcohol warmth and highlights the beer’s toasty depth.

Mämmi and beer - Kanavan Panimo

Mämmi and beer - Kanavan Panimo

Mämmi and beer for easter

Together? A cozy, malty Easter miracle.

So next time you spot mämmi in the store, don’t walk past it — grab a pack, chill a doppelbock, and give your taste buds a little holiday adventure. It’s weird. It’s wonderful — it’s tradition.