Why Iceland Banned Beer—But Not Liquor—for Nearly 75 Years

For decades, it was easier to get a bottle of vodka in Iceland than a pint of beer. The reason says more about Iceland’s politics than its temperance movement.

Of all the things that can get you through this weird time in our lives, one of the most obvious is beer.

Beer is a beverage that should be had in moderation, of course, but these are not moderate times, so it’s understandable if you find yourself enjoying your virtual happy hours more than usual.

But what if your country prohibited beer — specifically, beer, not wine or liquor? How would that change things? This is not a theoretical situation. For nearly 75 years, you could not get a full-alcohol beer in Iceland, despite most other kinds of alcohol largely being legal most of that time.

What gives? Today, we take a trip to Iceland to discuss the bizarre prohibition of beer that ended way later than it should have.

1909

The year Iceland passed a law banning the sale of alcohol of all kinds in the country. The law, based on a referendum of Icelandic citizens who had the right to vote at the time, had a lengthy grace period, and fully took effect in 1915…