Holiday cheer: The Christmas beer is here!

Christmas beer at ÁTVR. Smaller breweries are producing more and …

Christmas beer at ÁTVR. Smaller breweries are producing more and more varieties of Christmas beer. mbl.is/Árni Sæberg

Today heralds the arrival of the Christmas beer at the ÁTVR state alcohol shop. Over 29 varieties are available, both local and international. Historian and beer conoisseur Stefán Pálsson says that the beer palate of Icelanders has become more refined over the years. 

"In the last four years the arrival of the Christmas beer has developed into this madness that now breaks out every year," explains Pálsson. "All kinds of people, even those who are not big beer drinkers run to the alcohol shop as soon as the Christmas beer arrives and work places often have a Christmas beer tasting event. The most popular Christmas beers are from breweries Ölgerðin and Vífilfell but smaller breweries are jumping on the bandwagon and most of them are producing two different kinds of Christmas beer this year. "They're aiming for the customers who like to purchase one of each kind." 

Pálsson adds that Icelandic microbreweries are on the rise despite the economic crash in 2008, and people are more willing to pay more for a good beer. 

A few of the Icelandic Christmas beer varieties on offer.

A few of the Icelandic Christmas beer varieties on offer. mbl.is/Árni Sæberg

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