Why do people tend to associate Vikings and drinking? In our modern age, most people have at least heard about the ferocious men of the North and their mighty feats but were the Vikings just drunkards, ready to gulp down any alcoholic beverages in between two longship raids? The answer is actually much more complicated and fascinating than that.
The drinking culture of the Norsemen is one of the few aspects of ancient Scandinavian culture that both archeology and literature agree on. Medieval Norse-Icelandic sagas are literally filled with tales of mead-drinking, ale-brewing and beautiful Valkyries serving refreshments to fallen warriors in Valhöll. Similarly, the archeological record of the Nordic lands is full of drinking vessels, brewing equipment and images of happy drinkers.