Reykjavik, Iceland

[gm-]

Decided to do a little write up on the best beer spots in Reykjavik, since it is my home town after all.

Micro bar - Austurstræti 6, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland

Strange bar, since it looks like a small hotel bar at first. The looks deceive you, since they have the best beer selection in all of Reykjavik. Usually 8 Icelandic micro brews on tap + 1 hand pump. They also have an excellent bottle selection, around 100+ bottles, decent sour selection (around 10 different ones available).

The only downside is the price, a pint of their regular beer is around $9, a pint of Mikkeler Simcoe IIPA from a hand pump was $18, 3 Founteinen Oude Geuze 375 ml was $18 as well.



Kaldi bar, Laugarvegur 20b, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland

Bar operated by the Kaldi Microbrewery. They specialize in Czech style pilsners, and have 2 on tap, filtered and unfiltered. They also have their dark lager on tap, filtered and unfiltered, along with 3 other taps from microbrewery Gæðingur. Suffers from swarms of lumberjacks and flocks of hipsters with Kim Jong-Un haircuts.

500 ml of any beer is $10, 750 ml and 1l mugs available.



Hlemmur Square Bar, Hlemmur, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland http://www.hlemmursquare.com/the-bar-2/

Another hotel bar, crappy draft selection (only one decent beer), but good bottle selection with various beers from Mikkeler, Brew dog, and Rogue among others.

[CurtisD]

Nice, I will have to check these places out on my next trip over. My last time in Reykjavik in 2012 I think I drank a lot of Tuborg at Solon, etc.

[Houblon34]

Cool, I really want to go there someday, my gf and I have been talking about it for quite some time. The landscape is beautiful, and we're much more about landscape than a lousy resort on a crowded beach... We're going to Ireland this year, but who knows, maybe next year. I'll certainly keep this thread in mind.

[gm-]

Oh, and I should probably mention that there are direct flights to Reykjavik from Halifax 3 times a week from June - November, and they are often quite cheap ($500-600 round trip). http://www.icelandair.ca/

Icelandair also offers a free stop over for up to 7 nights, good deal if you are travelling over to Europe.

[mcgster]

Definitely on my places to go list, thanks for posting!

[chalmers]

Go! gm- knows, because everytime I see him I tell him, but the favourite part of my trip to Scotland last summer was my week in Iceland. We rented a car, and did a 4 day drive around Iceland. Of course, much too fast, but we have an incredible time nonetheless.

microbar was an awesome experience. As noted, it's the hotel bar, so if you're staying the night at the hotel (or tell them that), they'll let you stay and drink after it closes. That way you can help set up the breakfast bar plates and cutlery for the next morning like I did. It's the official/unofficial bar to get Gæðingur, Mikkeller, and To Øl in Iceland.

[gm-]

Just came back from another trip over Xmas. Micro-Bar is still the king, they had Mikkeler Santas Little Helper 2012 Cognac barrel aged on tap there when I went, for little $12 for 200 ml glass and one Evil Twin beer as well.

There are some new players that are offering decent beers though:

Skúli Craft bar, 12 craft beers on tap, and 110 in bottles. Had some greats like Mikkeler Beer Geek Breakfast on tap, Brew Dog Punk IPA, Rogue Farm Hop, along with curiosities like a horse manure smoked IPA from Borg. A great new addition, almost comparable to Micro-Bar.

Ölstofan, on Vegamotastigur, they had 3 beers from Borg on tap, IPA, Pilsner and a 12% imperial stout.

Also, if you are trying to get drunk on the cheap, Appy hour is a great app which shows you the nearest pub with happy hour, did a few crawls where we just followed the app with decent results. Be prepared to drink a lot of crappy euro lager like tuborg though.

[gm-]

Pretty good deal going on from Boston at the moment. $99 from Boston to Iceland with WOW air http://wowair.us/ . Translates to around $320 per person return.

[HidiBrew2u2]

I'll be flying with Icelandair this summer, stopover of a couple of hours at Keflavik airport. Do you know if they serve local brews at the airport and if yes, any advise on which to go for. I'd go for a Mikkeler otherwise, I do like those Danish beers.

[chalmers]

They had some Borg Brugghus (http://www.borgbrugghus.is/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) in bottles in one of the shops (maybe the Duty Free) as we left KEF, which I cracked while waiting for my flight (unsure how legal that was, but no one hassled me). I did spot a small bar (sorry, not microbar), which I *believe* had a couple of taps, but don't remember if it was good beer. There is a food court that definitely sold individual bottles of Icelandic beer, but I remember being disappointed by the options (and so was pleasantly surprised when I found the BB stuff). gm- has been through more recently and may have some insight.

http://www.dutyfree.is/en/products/icelandic-products" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I see some beer here, but Einstock and Viking are kinda sorta macro, but do at least have some flavour.

http://www.kefairport.is/English/ShopsR ... fault.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
More bars and stores listed here.

If you see Gaedinger, that's the good stuff, IMO, though the selection at the airport will be limited (if at all). Hopefully it's improved in the 3 years since I went.

[gm-]

Oops, just saw this now. They just opened a new bar there called Loksins, and it has several interesting Borg Brugghus beers on tap. They had Myrkvi (American porter) and Leifur (nordic saison) when I was there last time, in addition to brio (german pils) and Snorri (Icelandic ale with local herbs). Check that out

[gm-]

Also, for anybody visiting Reykjavik soon, Mikkeler & Friends just opened on Hverfisgata in Reykjavik. See the taplist here: http://mikkeller.dk/mikkeller-friends-reykjavik/

Some very interesting beers on tap there by To Øl and Mikkeler