I visited Iceland November of last year and had an amazing time exploring the outdoors and the city of Reykjavik. The trip was a quick five days so I didn’t have the opportunity to visit a brewery, but I did spend most of the trip trying every Iceland beer I could get my hands on. Every restaurant and bar I visited, I made sure to try something new. (I want to note that be prepared to spend a lot while visiting – each beer was easily over $10!)

Despite trying a new beer (or more) each place I went, most of the Icelandic beers I tried all tasted about the same. I then went on a bit of a mission to find beers that weren’t lagers, the most popular style you’ll find here.

This post will be different than my previous posts where I list breweries I visited since I obviously didn’t go to any. Below I highlight some of the beers I tried and then give shout-outs to some of the best bars I visited.

The Beers:
Viking:
• Viking Classic- the first beer I tried after arriving to Iceland. I drank it while eating one of the best veggie burgers I’ve ever had from the oldest restaurant in Reykjavik (Prikid).
• Viking Red IPA – I picked this because the bottle was pretty, but also a red IPA sounded interesting to me. Loved!
• Viking Bara Kilo Pipar – I don’t normally order porters yet in my quest to try new beers, I ended up with a bottle of this in my hand. I tried to drink some and then passed it along to my friend.
Borg Brugghús: This microbrewery was everywhere, with many different styles. I naturally tried a bunch. My favorites were Ulfrun Nr. 34 (Session IPA), Ulfur Nr. 32 (Saison), Ulfur Nr. 3 (IPA), and Snorri Nr. 10 (a spiced beer).
Einstök: Another microbrewery seen throughout Iceland, but I’ve also seen in the states. I loved their Icelandic White Ale so much I even brought some home. I later learned they sell it at my local grocery store 🙂
Olvisholt:
• Vatnajokull Frozen in Time – Hands down one of the coolest beers I’ve ever had. If you’re in Iceland and see this beer available, get it. It’s a beer made from GLACIER LAGOON ICEBERGS. How cool is that?!
• Heim Um Bjor – I love seasonal ales and this winter ale was delicious in a festive bottle.

The Bars:
Ölstofan: If you like craft beer, this place is for you. When I was doing my research prior to the trip Olstofan was named a “landmark in the Icelandic social scene.” I don’t remember what day we went on, but it was quiet the night we were there. The bartenders were fantastic and the atmosphere was relaxed.

Kex Hostel: A gastropub within a hostel where my friend and I met friendly travelers and enjoyed some good craft beers from their excellent beer menu. The food we got to share was tasty too!

I went to more locations, but this isn’t a travel blog. If you are planning a trip to Iceland I would be happy to share my itinerary with you and give more recommendations. I wasn’t aware of the craft beer scene in Iceland until I was there, but it’s surprisingly prominent in such a small country. Spend your days full of exploring the unbelievable nature of Iceland and then sit down and enjoy some craft beer with dinner. Enjoy!