The Legend of The Lappland Blonde Ale

Inspired by the character Aino from the Finnish epic poem, “Kalevala.”  As the story goes, Aino – depicted as a lovely golden haired maiden,  is promised to be wed to the powerful sage, Vainamoinen.  Aino wants nothing to do with Vainamoinen as he is much older than her.  Instead of agreeing to marry the powerful sage, Aino chooses to drown herself in the river.   However, the spirits of the river turn her into a beautiful fish.

One day, Vainamonen goes fishing in the lake where Aino disappeared, and catches a beautiful fish.  As he goes to grasp it, it slips out of his hand and springs back into the water.  As the fish enters the water, it changes into Aino and mocks him before disappearing beneath the waters forever.  Vainamoinen obviously did not “hold on to the one he had left…”