Icelandic Arctic Pale Ale

Brewed by Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company)
Style: Arctic Pale Ale
Akureyri, Iceland

It wasn’t that long ago that beer, all beer, was banned in the tiny North Atlantic island. Due to religious reasons, alcohol was not allowed, for fear of its corrupting influence. This was changed in 1933 in a nationwide referendum where 57.7% of the voters approved of lifting the ban. But before we congratulate common sense, beer was only to be allowed if it had an alcohol content not more than 2.25%. Of course this just led to a thriving black market in stronger strength beers smuggled into the country and also beers sold by home brewers that were laced with strong spirits. Finally in May 1988, the government passed legislation legalizing beer above 2.25% ABV. The lifting of restrictions on beer is celebrated as Beer Day on March the 1’st, a day that all beer lovers on the island hold dear. Since then beer, wine and spirits are sold widely and consumed as in any other country.

Located just 60 miles south of the Arctic circle in the ﬁshing port of Akureyri is the brewery Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company). Tapping into pure fresh water that comes directly from prehistoric glaciers flowing down from the majestic Hlíðarfjall Mountain and ancient lava fields, Einstök are able to produce top quality craft brews.

At present, Einstök brews Icelandic White Ale, Icelandic Arctic Pale Ale, Icelandic Toasted Porter, and two seasonal brews: Icelandic Arctic Berry Ale and Icelandic Doppelbock, selling all over Iceland and further afield to the USA, Scandinavia, most countries in Western Europe, and some in the east, such as Poland and the Baltic States, making it the largest exporter of alcoholic beverages from Iceland. Not bad for a brewery that has only been on the go since 2011.

Review: 330 ml Bottle of Einstok Icelandic Arctic Pale ale: ABV: 5.6%

Rather cool pic of a stern looking Viking on the bottle.

On pour I get a deep dark orange coloured beer with a decent sized white frothy head. Looks good, very appetizing. Head maintains well and lasts. Not a bad looking beer..

Smell is not bad, nice n fruity, malty, and a bit sour but with nice fruity notes. Citrus is fine on the nose.

On taste, fuck me, found the initial taste very hard hitting and very hoppy. It this really a regular pale ale? Tastes more like an IPA, fuck me. I think they called it an Arctic Pale Ale to differentiate between the two. Its their own creation, a Viking version of a pale ale!
Too hoppy for me, a bit bitter, very difficult to enjoy, at least initially.

But it managed to settle down after a while, or perhaps I did, and I gradually started to enjoy it after a few more sips. It is really a slow burner that takes its time on your taste buds.

It certainly is a tasty beer, with a lot of interesting flavours. Got malts, the cascade hops which are very present, caramels and grains.

By the end of it I liked the beer, it certainly grew on me over the course of the session. I also got to see why they called it an Arctic Ale rather than an IPA, as it does lighten up near the end, thaws out!

An interesting beer that I would like to try again for sure. Liked it, it grew on me!