Alcohol In Iceland: 10 Fiery Must-Try Icelandic Drinks

Iceland's signature distilled beverage is Brennivín, a clear schnapps.  More intense, this bad boy is better known as "Black Death."

Why? Black labels covered ugly green bottles to allegedly deter alcohol drinkers.  People also drank a lot of Brennivín and blacked out.

Brennivín is an Aquavit or Akvavit and definitely rocked it during the Icelandic beer ban.  Cheap and accessible, this licorice-tasting substance gained fame.

Get ready for a boozy etymology lesson, too:

While Brennivín differs from Vodka, being a flavored spirit, it is pretty similar. 

Brennivín loosely translates to "burning wine," whereas vodka comes from the Slavic word "voda," meaning water. 

Add voda to aquavit, and we have the "water of life," or aqua vitae.  My kind of language.  Brennivín is produced over an open flame, hence its more charred name.

Although I mostly discovered Sambuca-like flavors, Brennivín is said to have notes of cumin, caraway, and dill. My palate just isn't that refined.

Why are we so fascinated with the Vikings?  Because they drank ale and mead, of course! 

There is a historical debate about when the Norsemen started consuming the good stuff.

We found Víking beer listed on almost every bar and restaurant menu in Iceland.  I felt like I was looking at Bud.

I remember reading a few reviews that agreed this beer isn't mind-blowing. For the longest time, I stayed away. 

However, Víking beer is a classic Iceland drink that you cannot skip.  An old school lager, Víking Gylltur is actually pretty smooth and not as watery as you'd think. 

I wouldn't go crazy ordering more than one, but when in Iceland...

Víking is brewed in Akureyri, Iceland

I love a drink that burns like the ice on your feet at the Blue Lagoon. For fiery Iceland spirits, my recommendation? Flóki Single Malt Whiskey.

Founded in 2009, Flóki produces whiskey, premium gin, and of course the Icelandic liquor specialty, Brennivín. 

Unfortunately, we did not have time to tour the Eimverk Distillery, which is home to Iceland's first whiskey.  I blame the snow and that must-see Golden Circle.

The distillery is only about 20 to 25-minutes outside of downtown Reykjavík.

Like the popular Einstök beer, Borg Brugghús has quite the beer monopoly.

Borg beers, like Víking, exist all over Iceland.  You cannot go wrong with sampling them throughout your Icelandic vacation.

My Iceland Borg beer of choice: the Nordic Saison.  After a few, I'm sure that you, too, can channel your inner Viking.

My favorite tidbit of knowledge here is that one of the brewers, Árnason, likes to ferment everything: sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and kombucha to name a few.  A man after my own heart.

When I say Birkir, I mean the Icelandic snaps and not the soccer [American soccer] player.  I still don't quite understand the difference between schnapps and snaps beside the more Swedish origin.

Known for using natural ingredients, the Foss Distillery produces Birkir. Hoping to capture nature in a bottle, this Iceland drink is pretty dang poetic.

Best described by Foss Distillery:

"Our aim with Björk and Birkir is to capture the experience of a spring night in Iceland, the moment when, after [the] rain has cleared, the dew settles on the leaves of the birch trees on a wooded hillside."

I think the Foss Distillery might be the new Walt Whitman of
booze.  I think I might be in love.

With that said, Birkir is infused with Icelandic birch, tasting a bit deliciously woody. I am not a poet.

Imagine sipping on sweet Icelandic blueberries after dinner. On Valentine's Day, we have to honor those that we love.

If you are a sweet port drinker, this Icelandic liquor is for you.

Established in 2009, the Reykjavík Distillery offers a unique story similar to the hidden people you can read about in Sarah Moss's Names for the Sea.

Local elf, Benedikt -- on an edict from his King -- presented distilling methods to the institution. These secrets included small-batch distillation, the art of using locally produced products, and natural infusion.

That's one smart little elf, and personally, I love the hidden people and elfish traditions and beliefs carried across the Icelandic landscape. 

I hope that drinking more of this sweet Icelandic alcoholic beverage puts me on the elf 'A' list.  There is only one way to find out.

I loved RVK Brewing in downtown Reykjavík.  While we walked from our hotel, you can also drive over to enjoy an Icelandic beer flight.

Founded by a former NYC finance guru, RVK offers a selection of great beers ranging from white and sour to dark and barrel infused.  The taproom is open for pints and flights, and you can also email for a tour.

Imagine sipping local Icelandic beers while watching the snow drift down from the sky as you await your fresh fish dinner reservations. 

Ensconced in a small faux DJ station in one corner and tanks for brewing in another, I could have relaxed here all afternoon.

It's no secret that we loved Vík, and for Icelandic drinks paired with the Northern Lights, you cannot go wrong.

Vík is also a great rest stop along Ring Road to see the glaciers. After this boozy Icelandic alcohol list, you can check out our 7-Day Iceland Itinerary to make sure you don't miss the Smiðjan Brugghús.

If you are looking for delicious burgers and a huge selection of beer, Smiðjan is the place to be.  Not only do they produce their own draft beers, but they also showcase a large variety of Icelandic brews.

My husband, who has Celiacs, also found a delicious rhubarb cider here -- claimed to be the only one produced in Iceland.

I loved this Mori Red Ale from Ölvisholt Brugghús.  Located in Selfoss, we sadly did not make it to the brewery itself.

The taproom is in a former cowshed; I'm feeling pretty bummed that we missed out since we got married in a barn. 

I'm not going to lie: the snow and ice made us wimp out, and we instead settled on a tavern lunch in Selfoss.  I have so many regrets here.

Opened in 2007, this microbrewery is located at an old dairy farm close to the magnificence of southern Ring Road.  Although we missed the actual brewery, I sampled their beers next to Skógafoss in Skógar.

I'm not going to lie.  This brew tasted even better watching the falls and birds from a toasty tourist pitstop. I am a sellout.

With all of this boozy history, let's talk about an alcoholic drink with a splash of warm water.  Don't forget to pick up your free drink at the Blue Lagoon Spa.

We arrived at the Blue Lagoon at 8 AM in the morning, which might be a little early to drink, even for us.  Who am I kidding here?

We floated around for awhile debating when it was socially acceptable to grab our free Icelandic drink.  The Blue Lagoon offers beer and wine selections plus smoothies and juice.

Notably, we also couldn't find the bar in the dark. Commence panic mode.

Much bigger than expected, the Blue Lagoon pool has pockets of tucked-away areas.  Face masks are easy to find. 

The bar took a second to find, and the minute we saw others with drinks, we went on the hunt for ours.

The bar is to the right once you slide into the toasty waters.

Mimosas are not on the menu, but somehow I scored one anyway.  I looked sad, thirsty, and tired. 

Coming straight from a red-eye flight with no sleep, this little drink powered me up...for a nap.