The Icelandic Word For Beer is Probably Really Complicated

If there’s one thing I know about Iceland, it’s chilly. I mean, the clue is in its name which literally translates as ‘Land of Ice’. So it seems especially cruel that booze was outlawed in the country from 1915 to 1989. Then, possibly connected to the excitement provoked by the release of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, beer was decriminalised on this very day.

And the Icelanders celebrated by drinking lots and lots of the stuff, having a wee and a kebab, then drinking lots more. And every year, March 1st is marked by vigorous beer drinking. But then, so are most other days. It’s chilly there.