Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.12.2016, Síða 24

The R
eykjavík G
rapevine
B
est of R
eykjavík 20
16
24
You have probably read some-
where that the Icelandic au-
thorities banned beer for very,
very many years, until 1989. But
true freedom of beer did not
really begin until 2005, when
Iceland’s first craft brewery
was established on a remote
farm in North Iceland. Up until
then, the Icelandic beer sorti-
ment totalled a few different
variations of the two house la-
gers by the two biggest (and at
the time, only) breweries in the
country. To everyone’s pleasure
(not least mine) this is quickly
changing.
EINSTÖK WHITE ALE
Although Einstök is strictly
speaking an American brew-
ery, it happens to brew in Ice-
land, using Icelandic water as
the main ingredient, so we’ll
let it slide. Their white ale is
widely available on tap around
Iceland—it’s often be the only
thing on tap besides regular
lager. Which, more often than
not, makes this my go-to beer.
It’s a Belgian witbier, infused
with orange peel and corian-
der. It pours a nice yellow with
a white haze and tastes refresh-
ing, with a citrus tang.
Good for: bar hopping
KALDI LAGER
I will include this for historical
reasons, mostly. This was the
first beer to break the monopoly
of the two big breweries here in
Iceland, and is widely loved for
that very reason. It is a well done
Czech pilsner. It tastes a little
grainy out of the bottle, but it’s
great from the tap. It is not a
challenging beer, but it stands
for something in the minds of
Icelandic beer lovers.
Good for: historic occasions
SKAÐI FARMHOUSE ALE
Brewed in the tradition of Bel-
gian saison beers, this is a
nicely balanced, fruity beer. It
is slightly herbal, and not very
sour—an all-around pleasant
beer. It pours with a big ol’ head
of foam. It’s orange, cloudy, and
very carbonated.
Good for: sunny days (we can
hope)
GÆÐINGUR STOUT
This is a great little stout. It is
only about 6% ABV, but feels
bigger. It is nicely balanced,
dark chocolate, roasted malt,
and tastes of all the things
you’d want from a stout—sweet,
bready and somewhat Irish in
character.
Good for: a school-night
GARÚN IMPERIAL STOUT
This is a personal favorite, al-
though the thick dark imperial
stout may feel a little heavy to
the uninitiated. This is a big beer
that pours almost pitch black,
with a slight yellow head. It ex-
ceeds 10% ABV, but doesn’t taste
like it, if consumed at the right
temperature. Instead, expect a
rich malted taste, infused with
coffee, licorice and chocolate.
Good for: enjoying chocolate
and blue cheese
LEIFUR NORDIC SAISON
Brewed in the spirit of the Bel-
gian Saison beers, this one is
infused with wild arctic thyme
and heather. It’s unfiltered,
fruity and carbonated, pours a
reddish-yellow, and gives you
the distinct sour aftertones that
you would associate with sai-
sons. I am not great fan of sai-
sons, but this is a beer to taste if
you’re visiting Iceland.
Good for: nature lovers and
long walks
MÓRI
This sweet amber ale pours a
beautiful red with normal white
head. It is very nicely balanced,
malty tones with a little fruit
and hops on the side. Easily en-
joyable, but not widely available.
Pick up a bottle at the place that
sells beers.
Good for: introspection
Words SVEINN BIRKIR
BJÖRNSSON
Photo ART BICNICK
DRINKING WELL
A Beer Connoisseur
Some good advice for people who like beer
• Icelandic brewers love seasonal beers: watch out for the flavour
of the month during your stay.
• The only shop that sells beer is the state-run Vínbúð, and you
can look up the closest one at www.vinbudin.is. It is both
cheaper and offers more selection than most bars.
• Two beers mentioned here are named from Icelandic ghost sto-
ries, and one is named after a troll. This bears no significance
for either this article or your enjoyment of Icelandic beer, but
we thought you might like to know.