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All Iceland Akureyri Giant Viking Beer Can
Gastro Obscura

Giant Viking Beer Can

Akureyri is home to an oversized can of one of Iceland's favourite beers.

Akureyri, Iceland

Added By
Damien Day
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On draft   Dixontrips / Atlas Obscura User
  eliauw / Atlas Obscura User
Viking Beer Factory   eliauw / Atlas Obscura User
Beer byproduct bubbling out of the ground   zlombardo / Atlas Obscura User
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About

From 1915-1989, beer was banned in Iceland. Although it seems completely counter-intuitive compared to the image of the beer and mead-swilling Viking sailor, the malted beverage was outlawed for most of the 20th century. Today, Iceland has begun to embrace the drink, and a giant beer can at the Viking brewery in Akureyri marks that change.

Standing two stories high and reaching the top of the Viking Brewery, the golden brewski proudly greets visitors. Compared to the drab warehouse housing the brewery, the giant Viking can seem to be about half marketing and half rebellion to the 74 dry years on the chilly island.

As if making up for lost time, the last twenty years has seen remarkable growth in the brewing industry, and many brewers have gone on to embrace their roots in light of the recent prohibition including brewing the recent Viking-themed microbrew "Black Death."

If you are facing the beer can, to the left, near the corner of the building is a pipe that drains what appears to be a beer byproduct right into the street.  It probably is not potable, but it does add a nice beer smell to the area.

Related Tags

Outsider Art Monuments Statues Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

You can't miss this can from Hjalteyragata road, near the intersection of Furuvellir. The company is part of Coca-Cola European Partners.

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Community Contributors

Added By

Dampo

Edited By

hrnick, zlombardo, Blindcolour, MrCarl...

  • hrnick
  • zlombardo
  • Blindcolour
  • MrCarl
  • eliauw
  • Ragnar of Ballard
  • Dixontrips

Published

December 19, 2011

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  • https://www.google.se/maps/place/Einst%C3%B6k+%C3%96lger%C3%B0/@65.6910799,-18.0902238,428m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x48d28fa74a471957:0x39f35d59f57c45a!8m2!3d65.6899168!4d-18.0951913?hl=en
  • https://www.google.com/maps/place/Giant+Viking+Beer+Can/@65.6908265,-18.0904821,19.38z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x48d28fa0f25d3bc7:0xf667edcdd0e0087c!8m2!3d65.6908728!4d-18.0903662
Giant Viking Beer Can
17 Furuvellir
Akureyri
Iceland
65.690873, -18.090366
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