We have already introduced beer Darcy, from the Thornbridge brewery, and Beer Imperial French Saison. Today, discover the unique collaboration between Sori Brewing and Seven Island Brewery: Celtus, an exceptional craft beer that blends Greek and Estonian brewing expertise.
Celtus – Sori Brewing x Seven Island Brewery Collaboration
Sori Brewing
Sori Brewing is a renowned microbrewery located in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Founded through a successful crowdfunding campaign by investors passionate about making craft beer more accessible and of higher quality, the brewery quickly established itself as a major player in the European craft beer scene. With €1 million raised, two Finnish founders, Pyry and Heikki, left their home country to dedicate themselves fully to this ambitious brewing project.
Their dedication has paid off. Today, Sori Brewing produces approximately 3,000 hectolitres of craft beer per year and runs an extensive ageing programme with more than 200 barrels. Their portfolio includes a wide range of styles, from barrel-aged Imperial Stouts to heavily hopped IPAs and tangy sour beers. Their slogan, “Serious Beer for not so serious people,” perfectly reflects their philosophy: mastering classic styles while constantly experimenting to create bold, innovative craft beers.
Seven Island Brewery
Seven Island Brewery is located on the Greek island of Corfu, near the Albanian border. Founded by Lefteris Mesimeris and Costantin Pougatsias, two passionate craft beer enthusiasts, the brewery focuses on producing bold, flavourful, and accessible beers. Their goal is to transform the brewing world by offering high-quality craft beers packed with character and taste.
Now recognised as one of the best breweries in Greece and ranked among the top 100 breweries worldwide, Seven Island Brewery has gained international success. Its craft beers are exported to numerous countries, including Estonia, the United States, Poland, and several regions across Asia.
Rye Wine / Barleywine beer style
The Celtus collaboration beer draws inspiration from the historic Barleywine style, one of the oldest beer styles in the world. Some sources trace its origins back to Ancient Greece, where fermented grain beverages were common. However, the modern barleywine style developed in England during the 18th century. During periods of war with France, wine imports were limited, prompting brewers to create strong, wine-like beers using barley. These were often called malt wines, October beers, or malt liquors.
Barleywine was officially commercialised in the 1870s with Bass No. 1 Ale and later introduced to the United States in 1976 by Anchor Brewing Company with its famous Old Foghorn. Despite its name, barleywine is brewed from grains rather than fruit, although its alcohol content—typically between 8% and 12% ABV—is similar to wine. A variation of this style, known as Rye Wine, replaces much of the barley with rye, resulting in a spicier and more complex flavour profile. Celtus follows this model and is best enjoyed as a digestif craft beer.
Celtus craft beer
Celtus is a distinctive Rye Wine craft beer born from the Greek-Estonian collaboration between Sori Brewing and Seven Island Brewery. Rye plays a central role in Estonian agriculture, while Greece has a long-standing appreciation for wine culture, making this fusion both symbolic and flavourful.
This strong craft beer pours a deep amber colour with a creamy beige head. On the nose, it delivers intense aromas of brown sugar, caramel, wholemeal bread, and chestnut. The generous use of rye creates spicy notes reminiscent of traditional Nordic rye bread.
As the beer warms, additional esters and phenols emerge, revealing notes of banana, clove, ginger, and toasted bread, complemented by subtle smoky oak from the wood ageing process. The mouthfeel is rich, viscous, and spicy, with flavours of banana, brown sugar, nutmeg, and chestnut supported by very low carbonation. The finish is long and complex, with lingering notes of rye, oak, and malt. For optimal tasting, serve Celtus between 10 and 12°C.
Food pairing with Celtus
This powerful rye wine beer pairs perfectly with lamb chops, strong cheeses such as Gorgonzola and Roquefort, and indulgent desserts like tarte tatin or crème brûlée.
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