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Thirsty Thursday

Game of Thrones inspired beer has a light malty taste

Lukas Halloran | Staff Photographer

Although the limited edition Ommegang’s Iron Throne Blonde Ale may be suited better for summertime, its fruity and frothy flavor is a must-try for Game of Thrones fans.

As one Westerosi family might say, “winter is coming,” and with it, a long break between seasons of “Game of Thrones.” But those long, cold, Game of Thrones-less winter nights do not have to be dark and full of terrors if you have an Ommegang Iron Throne Blonde Ale at your side.

Ommegang have re-released the first two beers of its Game of Thrones-inspired beer series — Iron Throne Blonde Ale and Take the Black Stout — this fall, which originally hit the shelves in 2013. Capitalizing on the massive success of the HBO show, Ommegang has decided to bring back the beers for the first time “since the merry rule of King Joffrey.” I stumbled upon the Iron Throne Blonde Ale at Tops and, as a massive Game of Thrones fan, could not pass up the opportunity to give it a try.

The Iron Throne Blonde came in a hearty 750-milliliter bottle complete with a cork that popped like a bottle of the finest Dornish wine. The beer poured to form a full and frothy head that smelled of lemon zest.

The blonde ale had an invigorating spicy flavor to it, balanced out by sweet hints of lemon peel. The Iron Throne was surprisingly smooth and had a bitter bite to it that you would not expect from a fruity blonde ale, but the sweet aftertaste of honey lingered on the tongue. The beer had a light malty taste with just enough hops and was almost as carbonated and bubbly as champagne.

While the Iron Throne Blonde Ale may be better suited for warm summer nights in Braavos, the beer would pair nicely with green beans, baked potatoes and roast chicken — a feast that the late King Robert Baratheon would enjoy — ideally in front of a roaring fire.



Ommegang’s Iron Throne Blonde Ale will only be available for a limited time, and considering the popularity of Game of Thrones I would imagine that they’ll run out quickly. So grab yourself a bottle before it’s too late, otherwise you truly do know nothing.





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