Reykjavik: Beer and Booze Tour

Reykjavik’s beer story is wonderfully odd: beer was banned in Iceland for 74 years, even while stronger drinks remained legal. This 2.5-hour walk turns that strange fact into an easygoing introduction to local brewing, drinking customs, and the city center.

I like the generous tasting lineup and the small-group feel. You visit three bars, try 10 Icelandic craft beers, and can ask guides such as Kristjan, Arnar, Astor, Aster, or Ástþór about food and nightlife afterward. The main consideration is that it is a drinking tour, not a food tour, and the pace may feel full-on if you are not used to several samples in one evening.

Key points to know before booking

• Ten Icelandic beers in three bars: Most samples are local craft beers that you may not find outside Iceland.
• A choice for spirits drinkers: You can select five schnapps and spirit samples instead of the beer tasting.
• Skúli is the main craft-beer stop: Expect about an hour here, with beer and whiskey tasting.
• A short walk adds city context: The route begins at Ingólfur Square and includes a guided introduction to the square.
• Small groups help the conversation: Guides can explain Icelandic drinking laws, brewing, food, and nightlife.
• You must be at least 20: Bring a passport or ID card, wear layers, and arrive at least five minutes early.

Why Icelandic beer makes a good Reykjavik introduction

Iceland is better known for glaciers, hot springs, and dramatic coastlines than for beer. Yet the country has a proud modern craft-brewing scene, helped by clean freshwater and a growing interest in small-batch production.

This tour gives you a useful shortcut. Instead of trying to work out the local beer scene one bar at a time, you sample a range in one evening and learn which styles suit you. That matters in Iceland, where drinks are costly and a random order at the bar can quickly become an expensive experiment.

The guide also explains the older side of the story. Icelanders brewed beer in the Viking period, but modern drinking culture took a strange turn when beer was prohibited for 74 years. The ban is one of the country’s most memorable social facts, and it helps explain why beer has a shorter legal history here than you might expect.

You are not simply drinking in three bars. You are getting a compact lesson in how Iceland moved from old brewing traditions, through strict alcohol laws, to today’s microbreweries. The tone is meant to be fun rather than academic, so this suits you if you like a bit of local history with your drink.

Meeting at Ingólfur Square

The tour begins at Ingólfur Square in central Reykjavik, beside the two stone pillars that rise more than three meters high. Your guide usually wears a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back, which should make the meeting easier.

The square is in front of Center Hotels Plaza at Aðalstræti 6, near the beginning of Austurstræti. If you are walking down Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street, continue straight until you reach the square.

This detail is worth taking seriously. The guide specifically does not meet by the statue of Ingólfur Arnarsson or the statue of Jón Sigurðsson at Austurvöllur. Those are different landmarks, and turning up at the wrong statue could leave you searching while the group moves on.

Use Google Maps or a similar map app, since Icelandic street names can be tricky to match with the English spelling you may have seen online. Arrive at least five minutes before departure. Once the tour has started, it is difficult for the guide to direct late arrivals to the right bar.

A brief look around Ingólfur Square

The square receives a short guided introduction of about 10 minutes. This is not a long sightseeing tour, and that is a plus if you want to get to the beer without spending the evening on your feet.

You will get oriented in the center before heading inside. The location also makes the tour easy to fit into a Reykjavik itinerary. You can book it early in your stay to learn where the main streets and nightlife areas are, or use it as the first part of an evening out.

I especially like the way this opening gives the drinking a sense of place. You are not being driven to anonymous bars on the edge of town. The route begins in the middle of Reykjavik and keeps you connected to the city as you move between stops.

Stop one: Skúli Craft Bar

Skúli Craft Bar is the longest stop, lasting about an hour. This is the key visit for anyone who wants to understand Icelandic craft beer, since it is an iconic craft-brew bar and may offer a beer not yet available on the wider market.

The tasting here includes beer and whiskey. Across the evening, you can expect the beer option to build toward 10 different Icelandic craft beers, most of which are hard to find outside Iceland. The precise selection can change, especially if a brewery has released something new, so treat the lineup as a chance to sample rather than a fixed menu.

An hour gives the guide time to explain what is in your glass and to adjust the suggestions to your taste. If you are already a beer fan, you can ask about local breweries and unusual styles. If you normally avoid beer, tell the guide early. One guide, for example, found lighter or sweeter choices for a guest who was not a big beer drinker.

That flexibility is one of the tour’s stronger points. You are not expected to pretend to enjoy every strong, bitter, or unusual sample. The guide can help you find something more approachable.

The main drawback is simple: an hour of tasting at the first bar can make the rest of the evening feel quicker than expected. Eat beforehand, since food is not included, and keep in mind that the samples add up even if each one is modest.

Stop two: Session Craft Bar

The second stop is Session Craft Bar, where you spend about 45 minutes tasting beer. By this point, you will have a useful reference point from Skúli, so the differences between the beers become easier to notice.

This is a good place to compare rather than simply collect samples. You might find that a beer you expected to like is less appealing than a lighter or sweeter option. The guide can keep the discussion moving and help you make sense of the local selection.

The bar itself is part of the appeal, but expectations should stay realistic. This is not a grand architectural tour, and the atmosphere may depend on the night and the size of the group. Some parts of the route are more memorable for the company and the conversation than for the room itself.

That is also why the small-group format matters. You can ask about Reykjavik, Icelandic culture, or where to eat next without trying to speak over a large crowd. If you are lucky enough to have a very small group, the evening can feel almost like a private conversation with a local guide.

Stop three: Ölstofa and the final tasting

The final listed bar is Ölstofa, with about 45 minutes set aside for more beer. The activity information also lists Ölstofa and Bastarður Brew Pub as possible drop-off locations, while the general end point is given as the meeting point. Ask your guide where the group will finish that day, particularly if you have a dinner booking or another activity afterward.

The final stop can also include the spirits option. Instead of 10 beers, you can choose five schnapps and spirits samples. One tasting mentioned by the guide program is Black Death, the familiar nickname for Icelandic Brennivín. This is a stronger route, so choose it because you enjoy schnapps and spirits, not because it sounds like an easier substitute for beer.

The last bar may be the most atmospheric part of the evening for you. One guide, Arnar, was singled out for keeping everyone involved and sharing stories about Reykjavik, while another guide, Ástþór, was praised for making the evening entertaining. The guide makes a real difference here, especially once the group is relaxed and conversation has opened up.

Do not expect the three bars to feel identical. Two may be fairly ordinary to you, while the final stop could have the best atmosphere. The value comes from the variety, the tasting, and the guide’s local knowledge rather than from every bar being a destination in its own right.

What the guide adds beyond the drinks

The strongest part of this tour is the human element. A good guide can turn a flight of beers into a conversation about Icelandic laws, Viking brewing, Reykjavik neighborhoods, and modern nightlife.

Guides named in the feedback include Kristjan, Arnar, Astor, Aster, and Ástþór. Your guide may be someone else, but these examples show the tone to expect: friendly, humorous, and ready to involve the group. The guide is not there only to carry you from bar to bar.

Use the opportunity to ask practical questions. You can get suggestions for dinner, learn where to go if you want to continue partying, and ask which Icelandic beers are worth ordering during the rest of your trip.

The group size is described as small, and private groups are available. A small group is especially useful on a tasting tour because you can talk without shouting and the guide can respond to individual preferences. It also makes it easier to meet other people. One group even stayed together after the tasting ended, which tells you something about the social side of the evening, though it is not a promised part of the tour.

Is $112 good value in Reykjavik?

The price is $112 per person. That is not a minor expense, but alcohol is expensive in Iceland, and the tour includes 10 craft beer samples or five schnapps and spirit samples. You are also paying for three bar visits, a guide, local context, and help choosing drinks you may want to order later.

For a person planning to sample Icelandic beer independently, the price can make sense. Ten separate drinks at Reykjavik prices could cost a great deal, and you would not get the same explanation of the brewing scene or the country’s alcohol laws.

The value is weaker if you do not drink much, dislike beer, or mainly want a sightseeing walk. Food is not included, hotel pickup is not included, and this is not a broad tour of Reykjavik’s major sights. You are paying for tastings and conversation.

I would eat before arriving and treat the tour as the start of your evening. That way, the tasting is not expected to replace dinner, and you can use the guide’s recommendations to choose your next stop.

Who will enjoy this beer walk most?

This tour suits you if you enjoy trying local drinks and want a relaxed way to meet people in Reykjavik. It is also a smart choice for a short stopover, since you get a city-center orientation and a solid introduction to Icelandic beer in only two and a half hours.

It works well for beer fans, but you do not need to know anything about brewing. The guides can explain the basics and suggest lighter or sweeter choices. The spirits option gives you another path if schnapps and stronger drinks appeal more.

I would be more cautious if you are looking for a quiet evening, a meal, or a full sightseeing tour. The walk is fun and casual, but the focus remains alcohol. It is not suitable for pregnant women, and nobody under 20 can join. Iceland’s legal drinking age is 20, and children and infants are not allowed inside the bars.

Bring a passport or ID card. Wear layers, since you will walk outdoors between venues and Icelandic weather can change quickly.

Booking advice and final verdict

I would book this tour early in a Reykjavik stay if you want an easy introduction to the city’s bars and local drinks. It gives you a practical list of beers to look for, a few useful nightlife tips, and enough background to understand why Icelandic beer is such a recent part of everyday drinking culture.

Book it if you value local conversation and variety more than polished sightseeing. The bars may not all impress you equally, and there is no food included, but the small group, 10 samples, and strong guides make the evening good value for a drinker who wants more than a standard pub crawl.

Skip it if you do not enjoy alcohol or want a major city tour. For everyone else, this is a sociable, well-focused way to spend an evening in central Reykjavik. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time, and you can reserve now and pay later if you want to keep your plans flexible.

FAQ

How long does the Reykjavik Beer and Booze Tour last?

The tour lasts 2.5 hours. Starting times vary, so check availability when booking.

How many drinks are included?

The beer option includes 10 Icelandic craft beer samples. You can choose five schnapps and spirit samples instead.

Which bars does the tour visit?

The listed route includes Skúli Craft Bar, Session Craft Bar, and Ölstofa. The itinerary also lists Bastarður Brew Pub as a possible drop-off location.

Where do I meet the guide?

Meet at Ingólfur Square in central Reykjavik, beside the two stone pillars. The square is in front of Center Hotels Plaza at Aðalstræti 6. Do not go to the nearby statues at Austurvöllur.

Can anyone under 20 join the tour?

No. The tour is only for people aged 20 or older, and children and infants are not allowed inside the bars. Bring a passport or ID card.

Are food and hotel transportation included?

No. Food, hotel pickup, and hotel drop-off are not included. All drinks included in the tasting are covered by the tour price.