Put on your viking horns and get ready for a killer beer hailing from Iceland, the Einstök White Ale. After spotting the White Ale only twice before at different bars, I was incredibly excited to find this recently stocked at a nearby Wegman’s to imbibe at home. Einstök, which is derived from the Icelandic word for “unique,” is an up-and-coming brewery located near the northern coast of Iceland in the fishing village of Akureyri. At just 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle and surrounded by rugged Icelandic mountain wilderness, Einstök brews with what must be some of the purest water on the planet – and it shows.

The White Ale is a traditional Belgian-style wit beer brewed with Bavarian Noble hops, Wheat and Pilsner Malts, and Oats. It is light-bodied, crisp and well balanced, but truly shines with its refreshing citrus and coriander finish that really got me hooked.  The addition of oats seems to smooth out the flavor and add more depth than the typical wit beer. I generally prefer higher gravity beers and do not often get very excited about wits, but this beauty truly stands out from the competition due to its clarity and brightness in flavor. At a modest 5.2% ABV you can drink these all afternoon without overdoing it.

Harness your inner viking.

Other offerings from Einstök include the Arctic Pale Ale, Doppelbock, Toasted Porter, and Arctic Berry. I really look forward to trying more from them and hopefully one day getting to Iceland to check out their brewery. Their slogan is “Drekktu, Sigradu, Endurtaktu!” – Drink, conquer, repeat! Sounds good to me.

If you see this beer, pick some up and let us know what you think. Don’t forget to check out our other beer reviews here.

Cheers!

Mike and Bethany