I am unable to come up with a quick answer for this. However, clearly neither style would be available today. These myths come from long before the introduction of hops. One distinction that may turn out to apply is that many peoples had a weak beer for general consumption with meals (water was not safe) and a strong beer for getting tipsy. Range beer was probably weak, sour, and flat. Old beer was probably heartier. To make beer suitable for aging you have to have a higher alcohol content and more spices. I will add a comment if I find anything definite.

Although it does not discuss the distinction between "range beer" and "old beer" I have found a Michael Jackson article that discusses his experience with old style Norse homebrews, which is probably as close to the ancient Viking beers as anyone will get. That's Michael Jackson the Beer Hunter, of course. What he described was a strong (8%) beer brewed with barley and flavored with juniper.
Source(s):
http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-000103.html


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