136 years in the making

Brewing since 1888

Einar's Distillery proudly holds the distinction of being the very first distillery in the Faroe Islands. Rooted in the brewing legacy of the family-owned Föroya Bjór, which has been dedicated to brewing perfection since 1888.

Símun í Vági broke new ground we he began brewing Faroese beer. Símun í Vági had previously worked for Beck & Sønner, who had bought the retail outlet from the old monopoly in Klaksvik. He went to Denmark in 1883 to train as a baker. There, he also learned to brew beer. Five years later, he started his own company in Klaksvik.

The brewing took place in the basement of his home in Vági, where the first beer was brewed. We do not know how the first beer turned out, but it was likely a good beer brewed from malt.

After the referendum on the alcohol law in 1907, it was forbidden to brew beer stronger than 2.7 percent. And that was the situation for the next 74 years. Therefore, Föroya Bjór only produced weaker beer during these years. Símun í Vági was a notable man. He was a brewer, farmer, baker, and shipowner. He himself designed the distinctive logo of the ram, which has been the brewery's hallmark all these years.

The son expanded
Símun í Vági died in 1935. The Great Depression and the consequences of Wall Street led to Föroya Bjór being in dire straits. But they managed to survive. Símun í Vági and his wife, Karin had 13 children. The fourth in line was Einar Fróvin Waag. He took over from his father. Like his father, the son was bright and indefatigable. Under difficult circumstances, he laid the foundations for the company that Føroya Bjór is today.
He began producing sodas in 1936. Föroya Bjór is now the only company in the Faroe Islands that produces Faroese soda water. Föroya Bjór evolved during these years from being a smaller operation to a modern brewery. In 1952, he built a new brewery near the old brewery at Fornagørðum. The premises were expanded several times during these years, with Einar Fróvin Waag as the manager.

The third generation takes over
In 1970, the third generation came in. In 1968, Einar Waag, son of Einar Fróvin Waag and Anna Malena Joensen, went to Munich to train as a brewmaster. Two years later, he was appointed manager, just 23 years old.
Einar's daughter, Annika Waag, is now the quality and operations manager. In 1980, it again became possible to brew stronger beer in the Faroe Islands. Since then, the brewery has significantly increased its production, and a host of new beers have been brewed. Føroya Bjór has been a leader, and the quality beer has earned the company the best reviews and recognition, at home and abroad.
The company has undergone major development during these years.

A dream come true
The ban for brewing strong spirits was lifted in 2012 and a decade long dream came true.
In 2016, the first bottle of Einar´s Akvavitt hit the market, and in October that year, the first barrels of whisky were stored. The dream to develop a distillery that produces whisky and other types of strong spirits of world-class quality was underway.

Føroya Bjór has been an active participant in the Faroese community and has both supported and collaborated with individuals and associations. The company also intends to continue doing so.