Reykjavík Grapevine - 21.10.2005, Side 20

{ 22 }Grapevine Airwaves 2005 Friday October 21 – Issue 1 of 3
BY BART CAMERON
Icelandic Beer—Thule
Icelandic beer has a heavy, extremely hoppy taste, similar
to Carlsberg. Locals prefer Viking Gullfoss over Egill’s two
to one, but many Americans prefer Thule, which is the most
accessible of the local beers.
International Beer—Cobra from India
You can’t buy it everywhere in the world, but at the Kringlan
Vínbúð, pick up this outstandingly rich pilsner. It comes in
a small can, but people will still respect you, cause you’re
drinking Cobra.
Malt Liquor—Faxe 10
If you miss Olde English 800 or Mickeys, or you just want to
get angry, grab the black can of Faxe. It’s expensive, as beers
are rated according to their alcohol content, but it also takes a
long time to drink, so perhaps that’s value.
Brennivín
There is only one. The traditional Icelandic spirit is consumed
in the winter over heavy foods, typically. But tourists should
try it. Though beware, it is strong.
Whiskey—Jameson
All the superstars and musicians in town drink Jack Daniels.
But Jameson sells at a much lower price for outstanding
blended Irish whiskey. There simply is no cheap bourbon in
this country, so if you didn’t bring it yourself, give up.
Landi (Moonshine)—Don’t do this.
Causes brain damage. The unfunny kind.
BY BART CAMERON AND HELGI ÞÓR HARÐASON
When the nicest guy in rock, Dave Grohl, recently visited Iceland again, he
insisted that the local rotgut, Brennivín, was the best liquor in the world.
Rumour is that he wants to import it to America on the large scale.
Brennivín is a fine, hard caraway-flavoured schnapps, traditionally served as
cold as possible. So cold that the liquor gels, if possible. To achieve this effect,
place the bottle inside a milk carton full of water, and let it freeze overnight.
This allows the bottle to maintain a solid block of ice.
Grapevine decided that if Brennivín is going to be the next big hard alcohol,
there should be some appropriate Brennivín cocktails. For the most part,
this led to gastrological disasters, which we will list below, but one charming
bartender at Sirkus, the place in Iceland you’re least likely to order or be
served a cocktail, invented the definitive Brennivín cocktail, the Nohito—with
alternative spelling No-Heat-O, if you’re in the mood.
To enjoy a Nohito, combine one part Brennivín, one-and-a-half parts Martini
Bianco, one-half part dark rum, lemon and lime, a dash of Bols Peppermint,
and top off with three parts ginger ale. The result is a full-bodied, sneaky drink
reminiscent of Burt Reynolds in his 70s heyday. Yes, that smooth.
After investigating rumours from the North, our reporter swears by the
ultimate Icelandic cocktail. He calls it the Mountain King. Ingredients are two
parts Brennivín, four parts mysa (the dairy runoff you get when you make
yoghurt, available for purchase in most grocery stores), and Mountain Dew.
The other classic from the North was the 1972 — not quite a cocktail but
extremely popular in Húsavík. Coca-Cola is rested on a radiator until extremely
warm, then combined with three shots of Brennivín.
Along the disaster category, the first is Brennivín and Magic energy drink,
which both tasted bad and produced dastardly effects on mind and liver,
something called the Pink Pig, made at Sirkus, which was nicknamed the
Appendix by a man who claimed his appendix burst after one sip, and the OC,
Original Confusion, a Brennivín and Egils Appelsín orange soda beverage that
hurt a great deal.
The long and short of it is this: Brennivín can work well in cocktails, namely
the Nohito and the Mountain King, but be extremely careful. You’re playing
with something a lot more powerful than fire. And the fact that it can have
such disastrous consequences makes the whole experience that much more
pleasurable.
DRINK
DRINK
The Nohito and
Other Brennivín Cocktails
How We Get Our Drink On