Directory

Paihalas is a brewery and blender, located in Sodankylä, is the passion project of Samuli Koivistoinen. Having relocated from Helsinki to Lapland, Samuli took the plunge in starting his own small-batch brewery of arctic wild ale. Paihalas oak-aged beers use indigenous yeasts and bacteria, incorporating local groundwater, and wild herbs and berries for flavouring. Paihalas (Páihálâš) means "local" in Inari Sámi, and Samuli strives to keep production and sourcing as local as possible. The brewery is a tribute to the ancient Kemi Sámi culture and Kemi Sámi, which was the main spoken language in Sodankylä until the 1700s.

Vakka-Taimi is a specialist seedling grower run by Vesa Muurinen. What began as a small hobby nursery has grown into a wide-ranging collection of trees, shrubs, vines, and perennials. Alongside their core nursery work, Vakka-Taimi is actively trialling nut-producing species to see how they perform in the Finnish climate. Testing and observation are a central part of their work. The Muurila gardens, first planted in the early 1990s, now host more than 80 species and are open to visitors. Throughout the year, the garden holds seasonal events such as magnolia, rose and peony days, sharing knowledge and encouraging curiosity around plants that might shape future growing in Finland.