The beer Black Death, previously banned for sale in Iceland by The State Alcohol and Tobacco Company of Iceland (ÁTVR), will be made available for sale after all.
As reported, ÁTVR originally rejected allowing the sale of the beer in Iceland on the grounds that by law, the only things allowed to be on the label of a bottle of beer are statements related to the product, its ingredients or its properties. Black Death, which bears the motto “drink in peace” on the label, allegedly broke this law.
At the time, the owner of the label, Valgeir T. Sigurðsson, filed charges with the Ministry of Finance due to the decision. A statement from Valgeir’s lawyer over the matter said that “drink in peace” is “a positive message and a reminder of the responsibility of using the product”.
The appeal paid off, as Vísir now reports that ÁTVR’s ban on the beer has been overturned, as they did not contest Valgeir’s appeal after it was filed.
While the beer has been produced since 1989 – the year the ban on beer in Iceland was lifted – it has never been sold within the country’s state-run alcohol stores. It will be available for the general public, Valgeir estimates, some time in early May.
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