Reykjavik: Beer and Booze Tour

Beer can explain a city. This 2.5-hour Reykjavik beer tour combines ten Icelandic craft beer samples with a short walk through the historic center. I like the smart route through three different bars, and I like the chance to try beers that are rarely found outside Iceland. The main drawback is simple: you are walking between stops, so cold weather and a full evening of drinking may not suit everyone.

The tour also gives you a useful introduction to Iceland’s unusual alcohol story, including the 74-year beer ban. Guides such as Kristjan, Arnar, Astor, and Ástþór have earned praise for being funny, welcoming, and good at drawing quiet members into the conversation. At $112, the price is fair for Iceland, though you should remember that food is not included.

Key points to know before booking

• Ten Icelandic beers in three central bars: You get a broad taste of the local brewing scene rather than one long visit to a single pub.
• A 74-year beer ban makes the history unusual: The guide explains how Iceland moved from Viking-era brewing to modern microbreweries.
• Skúli Craft Bar is the main tasting stop: Expect about an hour here, with beer and possibly whiskey in the mix.
• You can choose spirits instead of beer: The alternative includes five Icelandic schnaps and spirits, including the famous Black Death.
• Small groups make the tour social: The format leaves room to ask about food, nightlife, Reykjavik, and Icelandic customs.
• Meet precisely at Ingólfur Square: Look for the two stone pillars and a guide in a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik.

Why a Reykjavik beer walk works so well

Iceland is not a place where alcohol is casually cheap. A bar bill can climb quickly, especially if you want to sample several local beers rather than settle for one familiar lager. This tour bundles ten samples into one $112 experience, so the value improves as soon as you compare it with buying ten separate drinks in Reykjavik.

The appeal is not only the alcohol. You get a guided introduction to the city center while moving between bars, and the conversations fill in cultural details that are easy to miss on a standard sightseeing walk. I like this kind of tour early in a visit because your guide can point you toward places to eat and suggest where to continue the evening.

The group format also matters. The supplied experiences include very small groups, including one evening with only the guide and two guests. That sort of setting gives you time to ask direct questions about Icelandic culture, beer laws, and local habits without having to compete with a crowd.

You should not expect a meal or a full pub crawl with late-night energy. This is a tasting walk with a planned route and set samples. Some evenings may feel more relaxed than rowdy, which is useful if you want conversation, but less appealing if you are looking for a loud party.

Meeting your guide at Ingólfur Square

The meeting point is Ingólfur Square in central Reykjavik, beside the two stone pillars that rise more than three meters high. The square sits in front of Center Hotels Plaza at Aðalstræti 6, near the beginning of Austurstræti.

This location is easy to confuse with other places connected to Ingólfur Arnarson. Do not head to the statue of Ingólfur Arnarson or to the statue of Jón Sigurðsson at Austurvöllur. Your guide is waiting at the square with the tall stone pillars.

If you are walking down Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street, keep going straight until you reach the square. Icelandic street names can be tricky, so I would use Google Maps and arrive at least five minutes early.

Your Friend in Reykjavik guides usually wear a light blue jacket with the company name on the back. Guides named Kristjan, Arnar, Astor, and Ástþór have been singled out for their humor, warmth, and ability to explain both the drinks and the city. Since the group may be small, arriving late is especially awkward. Once the group has left, it can be difficult for the guide to find you.

Ingólfur Square and the short city orientation

The tour begins with a guided stop at Ingólfur Square, lasting about ten minutes. This is not a long sightseeing lecture. It is a quick way to place yourself in central Reykjavik before the drinking begins.

That short introduction helps you understand how the bars fit into the city center. You are not being driven from one isolated venue to another. You walk through the middle of Reykjavik, with your guide adding local context as you go.

The walking also gives the evening a useful rhythm. You sit, taste, talk, then move on before the experience becomes one extended session in the same room. Wear layers. Reykjavik weather can shift, and the route is outdoors between bars.

Skúli Craft Bar: the main tasting session

The first substantial stop is Skúli Craft Bar, where you spend about an hour. This is the most important stop for anyone booking mainly for beer, since the tour presents it as an iconic craft beer bar and includes beer and whiskey tasting here.

You can expect to sample several Icelandic beers and hear how local brewing has changed in recent decades. Most of the beer is described as Icelandic craft beer, and some selections may be difficult or impossible to find outside the country. On the right evening, you might even taste a new beer that an Icelandic microbrewery has not yet released widely.

That possibility gives the stop a sense of discovery without promising a particular label. Beer menus change, so you should think of the ten samples as a range of local styles rather than a fixed list.

The guide’s role is important here. A good host can explain why one beer tastes lighter, sweeter, stronger, or more bitter, then adjust recommendations for the group. One account describes a guide finding lighter and sweeter options for a guest who did not usually enjoy beer. That is a useful sign for mixed groups, since not everyone needs to be a serious beer fan.

The whiskey mention is also worth noting. The main package focuses on ten beers, but the route information includes beer and whiskey tasting at Skúli, while the tour also offers a spirits option. Ask your guide how the evening’s selection will work if you have a strong preference.

Session Craft Bar and a change of atmosphere

The second bar is Session Craft Bar, with about 45 minutes set aside for beer. The change of venue keeps the tasting from feeling repetitive and lets you see another part of Reykjavik’s craft beer culture.

Here, the value comes from comparison. Instead of judging Icelandic beer in one room, you can notice how different bars present their selections and how the mood changes from stop to stop. Your guide continues the conversation about brewing and drinking customs, so the tour remains more than a series of unconnected pours.

Some accounts describe the first two bars as good but fairly ordinary, with the final stop providing the strongest atmosphere. I would treat that as a helpful expectation rather than a warning. The tour’s strength is the full sequence, not a promise that every bar will be your favorite.

This is also where the small-group setup can make a difference. You can talk with people you have just met, compare tasting reactions, and ask the guide about the best place to eat afterward. Several groups continued spending time together after the official tasting ended, which suggests the social side can be as rewarding as the beer.

Ölstofa and the spirit option

The final scheduled bar is Ölstofa, with about 45 minutes devoted to beer. The published route also gives you the option of finishing at Ölstofa or Bastarður Brew Pub, and the activity information describes the tour as ending back at the meeting point. Because those details describe more than one finish arrangement, confirm the exact end point with your guide when you arrive.

Ölstofa is also connected with the alternative spirits tasting. If you choose five schnaps and spirits instead of ten beers, this part of the evening may include Iceland’s well-known Black Death, or Brennivín. The supplied information specifically notes Black Death at the final stop on one tour, so this is the place to expect the most distinctly Icelandic shot.

Brennivín is not a gentle drink for everyone. If you want the full local experience, it offers a memorable taste of Icelandic drinking culture. If you prefer beer, stick with the ten-beer option and tell the guide if you lean toward pale, sweet, light, or stronger flavors.

The final bar has also been described as having the best atmosphere of the three. That makes sense for the route: by this point, the group knows one another, the guide has had time to warm up the conversation, and the evening has gathered momentum.

The 74-year beer ban and Icelandic drinking culture

The tour’s history lesson is one of its best reasons to book. Beer was banned in Iceland for 74 years, a striking fact in a country now known for craft breweries and beer tourism.

Your guide explains the story from Viking-era brewing through the later return of beer and the rise of modern microbreweries. The point is not to turn the evening into a formal history class. Instead, the facts give meaning to what is in your glass.

I like this context because Iceland’s beer scene is relatively young compared with the brewing traditions of some European countries. You are tasting a modern revival shaped by local water, changing laws, and a strong interest in small-scale production.

The discussion also covers Iceland’s drinking culture and alcohol laws. That makes the tour useful even if you know little about beer. You learn why certain drinks matter locally and how Icelanders relate to alcohol today.

Is $112 good value in Iceland?

At $112 per person, the tour is not cheap in absolute terms. Reykjavik is an expensive city for drinks, though, and the price includes ten craft beer samples or five schnaps and spirits. It also includes a guide, a walking orientation, and visits to three bars.

For someone planning to buy several Icelandic beers anyway, the package can be good value. You avoid ordering ten full-size drinks separately, and you gain a guide who can explain what you are tasting. The value is weaker if you only want one drink or if you are not interested in local beer.

Food is not included. Some guides may provide snacks, and one experience praised Kristjan for having good snacks, but you should not treat that as part of the guaranteed package. Eat beforehand or plan dinner afterward.

The tour includes free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start and allows you to reserve now and pay later. Those terms are useful when your Iceland schedule depends on weather, flights, or changing day plans.

Who should book this tour?

I would recommend it to adults who want a social first evening in Reykjavik, especially if you enjoy trying local drinks and asking questions. It also suits a stopover, since the route gives you a quick city-center orientation without taking a full day.

It works well for mixed beer groups. A person who usually avoids beer may find a lighter or sweeter sample they enjoy, and the spirits option gives non-beer drinkers another path through the evening.

You need to be at least 20. Iceland’s legal drinking age is 20, and people under that age are not allowed inside the bars on this tour. Infants and children are not permitted, and the activity is not suitable for pregnant women.

The tour is in English. Private groups are available, which may suit families of adults, friends, or couples who want more control over the conversation and group dynamic.

Practical tips for a better evening

Wear warm layers and comfortable shoes. The walk is not long, but Icelandic weather can make even a short route feel demanding.

Bring a passport or ID card. The tour requires participants to meet the legal drinking age, so you should have identification with you.

Arrive early at Ingólfur Square. The two tall stone pillars are the best visual marker, and the light blue guide jacket should confirm you are in the right place.

Do not plan a major activity immediately afterward if you want to stay for conversation. The formal tour lasts 2.5 hours, but the social mood may encourage you to continue with new acquaintances or follow your guide’s food and nightlife suggestions.

If you are sensitive to alcohol, choose your samples slowly. Ten tastings can add up, even when each pour is smaller than a standard bar order.

Should you book the Reykjavik Beer and Booze Tour?

Book it if you want local beer, city orientation, and easy conversation in one evening. The combination of ten samples, three bars, Iceland’s unusual beer history, and helpful guides makes this more useful than a basic pub crawl.

Skip it if you dislike walking in cold weather, want a full meal included, or prefer a quiet sightseeing tour without alcohol. Also think carefully about the beer versus spirits choice before booking.

For most adults who enjoy tasting local drinks, the $112 price is defensible in Reykjavik, especially when the samples and guide are included. I would schedule it near the start of your stay, arrive early at Ingólfur Square, and use the guide’s local advice to shape the rest of your Iceland evening.

FAQ

How long does the Reykjavik beer and booze tour last?

The tour lasts 2.5 hours. Check availability for the current starting times.

How many drinks are included?

You can choose ten Icelandic craft beer samples or five different schnaps and spirits samples.

Which bars does the tour visit?

The route includes Skúli Craft Bar, Session Craft Bar, and Ölstofa.

Where does the tour begin?

Your guide meets you at Ingólfur Square in central Reykjavik, beside the two stone pillars.

How can I recognize the guide?

Your Friend in Reykjavik guides usually wear a light blue jacket with the company name on the back.

Is food included?

No. Food is not included in the tour price.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

What is the minimum age?

You must be at least 20 years old to join the tour.

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card, and wear layers suitable for Icelandic weather.

Is cancellation available?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.