Taste Test: Game Of Thrones Beer
Gambling on the idea that there may be overlapping interest in enjoying swordfights and rampant nudity while also getting drunk, Brewery Ommegang and HBO have partnered on a series of beers patterned after Game Of Thrones—a show in which people enjoy swordfights and rampant nudity while also getting drunk. And though one might expect a Game Of Thrones beer to be a thick mead, the sort of incapacitating grog that leads to rash decision-making and mad grabs for power, this first release is anything but.
It's the Iron Throne Blonde Ale—a light, crisp, smooth beer that can sneak up on you, just like the fair-haired Lannisters it's modeled after. At a full pint and 9.4 fl oz. per bottle, these are built to last through an entire episode, and they boast just enough alcoholic content that after you finish one, you probably wouldn't even notice you're sitting on a chair made of melted swords. Still, for those looking for something more substantial—a beer that matches the full dramatic weight of the show, say—you'll have to wait for heavier future varieties. Iron Throne has all the gravity and complexity of one of those "Joffrey Getting Slapped" montages, though it's every bit as suited to revisit over and over again.
And on an appropriately epic note, this also marks the end of Genevieve Koski's long reign over Taste Test, as she journeys beyond the Wall to another media kingdom (one that may or may not let her get buzzed and call it "work"). So join us while we Taste Test our tears and toast Genevieve's years of service, many of them spent happily consuming weird things for our amusement. We will miss her, and we'll think of her whenever we crack open a sandwich in a can.
Where to get it: Unlike Game Of Thrones, the Iron Throne Blonde Ale is not so easily obtained on the Internet. (We got ours directly from HBO's publicist; thanks HBO's publicist!) However, you might try your luck using Ommegang's Beer Finder to see if there's a store near you that carries it—or take a note from Daenerys, and just wander around loudly asking everyone where it is.