SOPP Helsinki 2025
- Nadja Myllyviita
- Aug 6
- 2 min read
Wasn’t really planning to go… and yet, there I was - pouring beers with a smile at Suuret Oluet - Pienet Panimot (SOPP) Helsinki last weekend.
Sometimes the best plans are the unplanned ones, right? I got a last-minute call from Bocks Brewery asking if I could help out on Friday and Saturday - and let’s be honest, what else would I be doing on a summer weekend?
This festival is a proper celebration of Finnish craft beer, right in the heart of Helsinki, just steps away from the central train station. It runs from Wednesday to Saturday, and this year we just dodged the rain. Forecast looked grim, but we only got a few harmless drops - nothing a pint couldn’t fix!
Both Friday and Saturday started off slow, but by mid-afternoon, things picked up - and suddenly you’re in that sweet beer fest zone where the taps are flowing, conversations are buzzing, and everyone’s smiling. That’s the magic of SOPP.
As for the beers - since I’ve had the chance to taste most of them earlier this year at other festivals, I’ll highlight one that really stood out:
FOMO Best Barrel Blend wild ale - Fiskarsin Panimo 5,5%
This one was a beauty. A rare blend pulled from three standout barrels of Stock Pale Ale (out of fifty!). The result? A wild ale full of funky character, layered complexity, and an elegant finish. Tart, bright, and deeply satisfying - the kind of beer that makes you stop mid-sip and go, "wait, what is this magic?" Fiskarsin Panimo always impresses with their connection to local ingredients and wild yeasts, and this was no exception. Truly one-of-a-kind in Finland - no other brewery is quite doing it like this.
Sadly, I think in Finland this style isn’t really “the thing” yet. Not sure why that is - maybe it’s the funk, the acidity, or just how different it is from hazies and lagers. But it’s a bit of a shame when you scroll Untappd and see low scores just because people don’t quite get the style yet. Wild ales like this deserve more love, and I hope more people give them a proper chance.
So that wraps up my summer of festival work - and what a ride it's been. From pouring pints to chatting with fellow beer geeks and getting to know the brilliant brewery folks behind the taps - it’s all been an absolute blast.
Until the next brewventure — see you out there!
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