First Contact with the Borg Úlfur No. 3 IPA: Resistance is Futile
Ten days ago we touched down at Keflavik Airport ready to kick off an exploration of Iceland’s fast growing craft beer industry. Unlike many airports around the world, travellers arriving in Keflavik exit through the Duty Free shop, providing one last opportunity to stock up on goods and provisions before encountering beer prices that would make many travellers from North America or mainland Europe alike take pause. Keen to get the ball rolling, we purchased a six pack of Úlfrún No. 34 Session IPA by Borg Brugghús and a six pack of Viking Lager. We noticed that an IPA (the Borg Úlfur) was also on offer but unfortunately the Keflavik Duty Free was sold out.
That afternoon, we kicked off our tour of Reykjavik at one of the city’s top rated craft beer bars: Skúli Craft Bar. Specializing in Icelandic craft beer and featuring primarily beers by Borg Brugghús, Skúli was a great place to familiarize ourselves with an emerging industry. We sampled the Bríó Nr. 1 (Pilsner), Sólveig Nr. 25 (Wheat), Snorri Nr. 10 (Icelandic Ale), Leifur Nr. 32 (Nordic Saison), Úlfrún No. 34 (Session IPA), and the Surtur Nr. 38 (Imperial Stout). Unfortunately, they too were out of the Úlfur Nr. 3 IPA. The bartender at Skúli mentioned that the increase in tourists from North America had made it difficult to keep the award winning IPA in stock. For the next week, from city to city, bar to bar, shop to shop, the same sentiment was shared. Borg beer was abound with the exception of the Borg Úlfur IPA, and finding it had now become somewhat of an obsession.
On the final day of our road trip, as we approached Reykjavik along the southern route, we had all but given up hope we’d find the Borg Úlfur IPA. After a quick stop in Hvolsvöllur to fill up our tank, we noticed a souvenir and craft shop across the road called Una Local Product and stopped in.
While the products on offer were similar to those we’d encountered across the country, a small fridge selling water, juice and beer caught my eye. In it was the Borg Úlfur, the award winning medium bodied IPA that had eluded us since we landed. While we had to wait until we got to Reykjavik to try it out, we paused to take a quick photo.
For more information on Borg Brugghús visit there website here – or check out the Borg Úlfur IPA over at RateBeer.
