An Icelandic Porsche aficionado who loves Einstök sat down with us to talk about his Icelandic heritage and more.
When did you first discover Einstök?
I forget exactly, but I think it was 2012 or maybe 2013 I think in Santa Monica. I was going back/forth between LA, Denver, and NY constantly in those years, and I can’t recall which location. The White Ale was the first Einstok I had, and I bought it and the Pale Ale for family and friends.
What is it about Einstök that makes it your absolute favorite beer?
Let me say it this way, when I found it, I quickly told my brothers and double cousin (our father’s brother married our mom’s sister), about the beer I just found from Iceland, and that I thought the brewery was darn close to what we’ve had described to us about our Grandmothers home village in Iceland. So, I have to admit I bought it on a lark. The label was fantastic, the blood heritage was fun, but to answer your question, what caused me to keep buying it all these years, was how good it is. Once I tasted the Toasted Porter that was it. And of course the Wee Heavy. The rich taste is excellent in both. So what began as the beer being the secondary reason for buying it, became the primary reason to keep buying it!
Tell us about your Icelandic heritage.
It turns out Akureyri is I’m told about 5-10 miles from the plot of land that for the 1800’s was my Grandmother’s family farm. My niece visited Iceland about 3 years ago, but did not find the exact location, so number 1 on the bucket list for my brothers and I is make that trip and find that location somehow. We do know it was close to Akureyri, and that Great Grandma Rosa Thordarson (that’s how they spelled it when they immigrated), was one of 16 children, 7 lived to adulthood. A tough land and a tough people no doubt. I know my brothers and I will not forgive ourselves for not taking our Dad to Iceland. He passed away in 2010, at 88, a WWII veteran, Bronze Medal recipient. Great Grandma Rosa lived to 93, dying in Oregon in the mid 1930’s. Sadly, our Grandmother, Christine Thordarson Town died from pneumonia just after giving birth to our Dad, he was 2 months old, in Oregon in 1922. We’ve felt such a connection to Iceland, to the heritage, to what Rosa went through, that our Dad never knew his Icelandic Mom, and it’s in our hearts.
A fellow Viking told us you race Porsche’s, tell us more.
I think the right description is 20 years of driving production Porsches on the street and a few times a year on track, turned into a serious hobby about 8 years ago. While it’s certainly a joy and a privilege to drive a Porsche, any of the models, on the street, the production car come alive on a track, and a Porsche race car, fully built into race only spec is a completely different matter altogether. The “hobby” can be all consuming, and a significant challenge, and it’s been incredibly fun. The amateur and former pro Porsche racing world is active on the west coast with two organizations, and I’ll primarily be at races with the Porsche Owners Club Racing group that has been putting races on in CA for decades.
What has been your favorite conquest so far?
How about climbing Mt Whitney’s East Buttress route in 2017, wearing an Iceland neck gator? The best recent conquest is the birth of my grandson, born Feb 7. Also, my Iceland race car, my 911 with Iceland flag too.