The quote, “Beer is the proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy,” is often misattributed to Benjamin Franklin. Well, I don’t care who originally said it; I still fully agree with the sentiment! For decades, however, the Icelandic government did not agree. Beer was banned outright in Iceland with prohibition in 1915. Amazingly (and embarrassingly), beer was banned in Iceland until 1989. We have, however, come a long way. There is no longer any shortage of top-quality locally brewed beer in Iceland. RVK Brewing Co. was one of the first independent brewers to emerge from the long winter of the beer ban, and now they have opened a fantastic new taproom in my neighborhood.
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Bacalao in exchange for wine
In 1922, when Icelanders were trying to open markets to Spain for our bacalao, a special exemption was given to import Spanish wine. In 1933, the prohibition of alcohol was repealed by a slim majority in Parliament. However, beer was still banned. Nobody seems to know why. Most likely, political horsetrading was the reason for this since many politicians were fiercely opposed to lifting the prohibition. Beer may have been, in other words, a bargaining chip, and that makes sense. There was this incredible fear among many that allowing the sale of beer would result in the whole country becoming overnight alcoholics. So, the result was that the “drinking culture” was grounded in consuming strong liquors and moonshine. As somebody born in the early seventies, I can tell you this was not good for anyone.
1989 was the year of beer in Iceland
But then, on the 1st of March 1989, a wave of joy and celebration swept across the nation as modernity caught up with Iceland, and beer was again legally manufactured and sold, marking the end of a rather embarrassing era of banned beer in Iceland.
However, you might wonder if nobody drank beer in Iceland until 1989. The answer to that question is no. Beer smuggling was an unofficial national sport. You could buy a limited amount at the Keflavik International Airport Duty-Free and bring it in legally, but smuggling was rife. Beer was smuggled from the US military base in Keflavik; pilots and stewardesses smuggled beer, and fishermen and people working on transport ships returning from abroad would smuggle beer for sale or consumption. Beer was a priced rarity and often reserved for special occasions.
In an golden age of Icelandic beer
Fortunately, times have changed, and we live in a golden age of a fantastic selection of top-quality Icelandic brews. I am delighted to report that one of Iceland’s best brewers, RVK Brewing Co., opened a lovely taproom five minutes away from me. Welcome to the neighborhood, guys! I moved to my neighborhood, which is close to Hlemmur Food Hall, from the suburbs to get closer to all the good things downtown Reykjavik has to offer (without being too close to it!) and to get more nice places like RVK Brewing Co. in the ‘hood is a nice affirmation that I did indeed choose the right place.
New role for a movie theater and bingo-hall
RVK Brewing Co. opened in an old movie theater called Tónabíó, which closed in the eighties. It was then converted to a bingo hall operated by the Icelandic branch of the International Organization of Good Templars. So, the tap room is an about-face and an improvement, all wrapped up in a glorious package.
After I visited RVK Brewing Co. and tasted their wonderful selection of beers, I wondered if Sigurður Snorrason, the founder of RVK Brewing Co, was available for an interview for my magazine. He was, and here we are.
Hey Sigurður, congratulations to both of us on opening your new taproom. What made you choose Tónabíó as your new venue?
Thanks! We opened the first brewery and tap room in 2018 in a small space at Skipholt 31. Two years ago we opened a new, much larger brewery in the back of Tónabíó’s building at Skipholt 33. So it was logical that we would open up a larger tap room as well. When this space became available we jumped at the opportunity and began converting the front space into our new tap room. Bíó is Icelandic for Cinema, and we refer to our new space by the original name; Tónabíó. We are now in the process of getting approval to convert the theater into a multipurpose space for live music and other entertainment. We hope to have it all wrapped up at the end of summer.
Tell me about your company. When did you found it, and what inspired you to start RVK Brewing Co.? What have been your biggest challenges and wins?
We founded the company on Icelandic Beer Day (March 1) in 2017 and began brewing in May 2018. I had discovered craft beer while living and working in New York. But there was not a lot of craft beer available in Iceland in 2012, so I started brewing my own at home. After leaving my former job I wanted to expand this hobby of mine and bring good beer to Icelanders. Our principle is Great beer for everyone. We don’t just make heavy Stouts and IPAs, but also “Normal Beer” such as Lagers and Amber Ales. It has taken some time, but I think we are slowly getting to the point where we are being recognized by the general beer drinkers, not just the extreme craft beer drinkers.
RVK of course means Reykjavik, so we are Reykjavik Brewing Company; a small brewery with a big name. With the new brewery and tap room we have plans to become one of the largest craft breweries in Iceland. We are proud to be linked to Reykjavik, but we are also a brewery for all Icelanders and visitors to Iceland.
You have twenty-two of your beers on tap; which are your favorite?
Personally I like Hlemmur IPA. It’s a hazy IPA at 6,5% vol, so quite drinkable but also a bit dangerous if you drink a few, as these percentages can sneak up on you.
The RVK Brewing Co. has a great vibe. What will you be offering international travelers there?
We have a great selection of RVK beers in our taproom, 22 taps like you said. It’s currently open for walk-ins five days a week. We also will be offering brewery tours at some point. In our old tap room we have a great facility for groups who like to experience private beer tasting tours and possibly pairing beer with food. Just get in touch with us through our website to set something up.
Iceland has quickly become a country that produces a lot of quality beer. What explains this trend?
The beer scene in Iceland is becoming more refined. More people are drinking other beer than just lager, or are choosing beer based on other things than just price. There is pressure to keep up the quality and constantly come up with new and exciting beers. Icelandic brewers are meeting this challenge by making great beer.
What other bars or taprooms in Reykjavik do you recommend to my readers who are thirsty for quality Icelandic beer?
We have quite a lot of craft breweries in Iceland considering the population of the country. They are located all around the island and make a great place for visitors to visit. I would recommend visitors to take a look at the Iceland Craft Brewers Association’s website, and start planning your brewery tour around Iceland.
Well, this is a travel magazine, so I have to ask you, what are your favorite activities and places in Iceland?
I like to visit smaller towns around the island, like Ísafjörður, Húsavík, and Borgarfjörður eystri. All these towns just happen to have breweries which are fun to visit. I also like to go into the highlands during summer in my old and trusty 4×4. Places like Landmannalaugar, Þórsmörk and Askja are always great to visit, go for a hike there or just camp out and eat good BBQ while sipping on a cold IPA.
What advice do you have for those visiting Iceland for the first time?
Just go with it. Don’t think you need to see everything, take your time and let it just happen. Sometimes the best vacations are those when unexpected things happen.
