Tag: Game of Thrones

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All 7 Kingdoms

What do you drink when you are in the unruly and unruled Seven Kingdoms of Westeros?
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Seven Kingdoms Hoppy Wheat Ale joins the brewery’s Game of Thrones beer series in March, 2016. “This edition is a hop-forward marriage of Belgian and American style wheat ales, that finishes strong at 6.9% alcohol by volume.

Ommegang Seven Kingdoms features Bravo, Centennial, Citra, Cascade, and Columbus hops, plus white and red wheat. Available in 750 milliliter bottles in March.”

Have it ready when the new season debuts.

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Throne Redux

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The latest season of Game of Thrones is over which means repeats for those fanatics. Which includes beer fanatics. Brewery Ommegang is re-releasing the first two offerings in the brewery’s Game of Thrones Series.

Returning are Irone Throne, the blonde ale and the stout, Take the Black all in one handy pack with a Game of Thrones glass.  You can probably foresee like Melisandre that the other two beers will probably come back as well.

You will find both beer on draft in September, along with 750ml bottles and gift sets. ERP, $22.99.

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Review – Three Eyed Raven from Ommegang

I am a season behind in Game of Thrones, the show.  But I am well caught up on the beers that pair with the show.  And though I still am unclear what Brandon Stark and the 3 Eyed Raven have to do in Westeros, I will still drink the beer.
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Here are my thoughts on the latest from Ommegang:

Brewery Ommegang has the fun and hard work of creating beers to coincide with Game of Thrones. But part of me really wants to see a dark, dank Black IPA or and Old Ale as part of this series. It would seem more fitting to me than a Belgian Golden like the initial beer, Iron Throne. Another brewery, not constrained by Belgian sensibilities, might be able to produce something drastically different from beer to beer but Ommegang has a smaller palette to paint with.

That being said, Three-Eyed Raven though works for as both a beer and an accompaniment to the show. It has a pronounced rye spice character to it along with a hearty malt presence. It has a nice little carbonated kick to it as well which amplifies the spice and makes it very zippy while still being easy to drink.

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Drogo + Detroit =

I have a feeling that Jason Momoa might be on to something or has a crystal ball because anytime that I hear that buildings and land are available, it sets me to thinking that breweries would be well served to subscribe to the theory of “Build it, and they will come”. Detroit has an opportunity to be a brewing destination a la Field of Dreams if they can governmentally help foster it through a regulatory system or at least not hinder it like the city of Los Angeles actively does.

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Check out this article from Willamette Week and prepare to be impressed by the discerning taste of the former Khal Drogo.

I,for one, will be rooting him on to succeed.

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Review – Valar Morghulis from Brewery Ommegang

With news that HBO might offer non-subscribers the chance to stream the channel in the possible works, I just might not be as harsh on this latest Game of Thrones offering from Brewery Ommegang.

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All kidding aside about the reclusive pay channel, this is the first GoT beer without a gimmicky ingredient. I say gimmicky without sarcasm too. Crazy ingredients are all well and good, but it is refreshing to see a straight-up Abbey Dubbel becoming an installment of this series.

The VM pours a dark red color and in every sensory category is quintessentially Abbey Dubbel. There is a lovely bit of spice in the beer reminiscent of the Hefeweizen profile with clove and banana mixed with a richer fig type taste and some burnt caramel. It also is both sticky on the palate while also being crisp initially.

I also like the touch of having the cork emblazoned with Valar Dohaeris (All Men Must Serve). It makes up for the somewhat hazy focused coin on the label that doesn’t work for me design wise.

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And if you like this beer, other top rated Dubbels are:
Westmalle Dubbel and Lost Abbey’s Lost and Found.

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Valar Morghulis

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The 4th beer in the collaboration between HBO’s Game of Thrones and Ommegang goes by the fan voted name Valar Morghulis Which in the lands of Westeros means “all men must die.” Brewery Ommegang conducted a Facebook poll in late December for the name which also determined the style of the new beer – “an Abbey Dubbel – which is perfectly represented by the “two-headed” coin which will adorn the labels.”

More from the press release, (edited to avoid way too much geekery about House Stark) “Valar Morghulis is brewed with pilsner and other specialty malts and hopped with Apollo and Hallertau Spalt Select hops. The hue is deep amber-brown with a persistent, creamy, off-white head. Aromas include caramel, toffee, ripe fruit, banana and slightly burnt sugar. The taste is well-balanced with rich malty sweetness, caramel and sugar, and just a touch of bitterness to balance. The finish is surprisingly dry and light on the tongue, belying the aroma and initial taste.

“The Dubbel is one of the most recognized beer styles in Belgium and this is a very tasty version of that style,” said Mike McManus, Ommegang Innovation Manager. “Valar Morghulis is a complex beer, much like the stories surrounding the phrase.”

The label art will feature the two-headed coin, given to Arya Stark by Jaqen H’ghar, one of the “Faceless Men of Braavos” – legendary assassins with the ability to change their appearance at will. Each cork will be fire-branded with “Valar Dohaeris,” which is the traditional response phrase to “Valar Morghulis” meaning “all men must serve.”

Valar Morghulis will be available at retail in fall of this year.”

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Dragons & Gold Lines

Occasionally, beer events come in pairs and this past couple days was no exception.

Sunday, Ommegang debuted their third installment from the Game of Thrones beer, Fire and Blood. Atop the Fonda and Blue Palms Brewhouse, I sipped the new beer whilst sitting in my rightful place. Well almost. The line for the Iron Throne was longer than the beer line.

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The dragon themed red ale is my favorite of the three Game of Thrones offerings very Belgian Lots of esters here. Nice amount of hops as well. Well done. Some grape notes as well. According to the Ommegang folks in attendance the fire and blood is is a combo of spelt and rye and de-seeded ancho chiles.

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As usual Brian and his crew had the show running smoothly satisfying beer nerds, Westeros fans and fans of really big turkey kegs.

Then the very next night, I headed into DTLA and Angel City Brewery to sample two of their newer offerings.  I have had more beers from this new incarnation of Angel City that fall into the OK category than “Wow!” (and I am one of the few non-fans of the Avocado beer and their French Sip) but on the other hand I do like their pilsner and their Session IPA (which was one of the first I had seen before the 2014 explosion of SIPA’s) so my enthusiasm was both lowered and raised for their new Summer Wheat.

Re-tasting the newly christened Gold Line pilsner, it holds it’s place as a go-to beer for an L.A. summer. Slight minerality/metal note. But crisp with a note of wheat and grain to it. Simple and well done.

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The new Summer Wheat is similar in composition but has a slight off note with a bit of citrus to it and a slight but strange tart note to it. The wheat taste isn’t there for me and it has a bitter finish that doesn’t work with the rest of the beer.

The winner of the night is a beer going on tap tonight that I got a sneak preview of.  It is the winner of “What Would You Brew” contest.  Emily Finch has created a blueprint that brewer Dieter Foerstner has taken to create a really complex beer.  It is a Mexican Cola beer.  It also has citrus and tamarind and it is flat out good.  Certainly in the top 3 AC DC beers.  And their will be a rum barrel version coming down the pike later this year.

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#LABW5 Pick of the Night – Sunday 9/29

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Another L.A. Beer Week comes to a close with a nod to our role in the mythmaking of the movies and TV.

Game Of Thrones “Take The Black” Stout L.A. release party at Blue Palms Brew House & The Fonda Theatre rooftop

Channel your inner White Walker and sample the 2nd offering in the Ommegang / Game of Thrones series, and Take the Black under the stars in Hollywood.  A ticket is required if not already sold out.

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Take the Black with another TV show beer

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The second Game of Thrones inspired beer is for those who are sent to to the wall to protect the kingdoms from what lies north.  Ommegang’s Iron Throne was a nice, spice driven blonde  so I am looking forward to trying this stout which is something I don’t normally associate Ommegang with.

I myself would have probably done a beer called “Spoiler Alert” with a picture of {rest of post redacted}

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Winter (and Beer) is Coming

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I will admit that I get geeky when it comes to my favorite TV shows, movies and books. I am still harboring resentment to George Lucas about the damn prequels he made. But I will watch Doctor Who and Fringe and any Bond movie because I love the mythology around the characters no matter the crazy situation.

Now Game of Thrones is a different beast. I came to this show/books after Lord of the Rings so I watch/read with that filter in place and I am just not into it like everyone else is if Top 10 Lists of TV are to be fully believed.

That being said, if Ommegang is doing the beers then I am in to trying them. I will probably not hoist them while watching the show though.
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