Tag: Iceland

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Icelandic Brewery Tour # 3 – Vifilfell


We make our final Icelandic stop with a day to spare in the month. But here we are at Vifilfell. Also known as the Viking Beer. They are known for their Thule and Viking labeled beers but here is what I would put into a taster tray.

Organic Pils – Pilsner
Katla Geopark Lager – Helles
Thule Jólabjór Lager – American Amber
Thule Svartbjór Lager – Euro Dark
Black Death – Stout
Viking Stout – Stout

Happy New Year to everyone and if you have a hankering for Icelandic beer, your best and easiest to find are the beers of Einstok.

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Icelandic Brewery Tour # 2 – Ölgerðin


Our second Icelandic stop is at Ölgerðin which has been around since 1913 and is not only in the beer world but basically in the food and drink culture.

They are big in the Euro Pale Lagers and American style Adjunct Lagers but there are a couple other beers to add to a taster flight…

Páska Gull – Hefeweizen
Malt Jólabjór – Euro Dark Lager
Sterkur – Euro Strong Lager
Polar Beer – Euro Pale Lager (because I like the name)

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Icelandic Brewery Tour # 1 – Olvisholt

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Why Iceland as a brewery focus this month? Well it is more to do with the name combined with the wintry month of December more than anything but also, it never hurts to hear about and remember about breweries from other countries.

Plus Iceland is a unique case as brewing was banned in the country from 1915 to wait for it….1989!

So brewery culture is still taking root and growing. We start with Brewery Ölvisholt helmed by Jon Gunnlauggson and located in the south of the island near an active volcano! The brewery started in 2008.

Here is what would be in my taster tray…(italicized beers are available in the US)
Skjálfti (Premium Lager) contains a wide variety of malts an hops, resulting in more complexity, aroma and taste than the conventional Euro Lager.
Freyja is a Belgian style Witbier. Freyja is lightly spiced and easily drinkable.
Móri is the big brother of Skjalfti, containing more varieties of malt and hops. Móri is top fermented.
Lava (Smoked Imperial Stout) is quite unique in the Icelandic beer history as it is very higly rated on an international level.
Skaði – Farmhouse Ale

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In the Tap Lines for December 2016

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The holiday beers have been rolling onto the site fast. And it will continue until the Big Day arrives. Enjoy our last holiday season before the dark times

~ e-visits to three breweries from Iceland. Olgerdin, Olvisholt Brugghus & Vifilfell. Don’t forget about Einstock too.
~ special featured reviews of (wait for it) Christmas beers!
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads Valiant Ambition about George Washington & Benedict Arnold
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your December started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) December 7th – Far Bar hosts a ‘retirement’ party for Firestone Walker beers that are being discontinued.
2) December 14th – MacLeod Ales C.U.P. Hearing