Fire and Blood Ale pours a cloudy reddish amber with a thick fluffy tan head. The aroma is fruity with a hint of Belgian spice. Upon tasting, I felt my palate begin a long journey much like Darnerys Targaryen is currently on in the show. I was immediately hit with the taste of fruit, rye and caramel sweetness. The sweetness lingered and then gave way to a light Belgian spice before it finished with the unique but great flavor of ancho chiles. The spice from the ancho chile was not overpowering, but it does linger briefly before it fades away long enough for you to forget it's coming back upon the next sip. The sweetness however, sticks around the entire time and flirts with being overpowering but never quite gets there.
All in all I found Fire and Blood Ale very drinkable but I could easily see how someone may not enjoy the spice of the chile pepper finish. I know it won't be for everyone and it is a bit different but in the case of a beer inspired by dragons it does seem very fitting. This is not a beer however I could see someone drinking regularly and perhaps that's why its a fitting one off. I do recommend giving it a try and as long as you know what you are in for and I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Overall I give Ommegang Game of Thrones Fire and Blood Ale a 3.75/5. A fitting beer to enjoy while watching fire breathing dragons run wild.
Rating Scale:
1 - Repugnant and undrinkable
2 - Acceptable but forgettable
3 - Good, worth a purchase
4 - Excellent, a step above the norm
5 - Truly exceptional
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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!
At the price point they sell these for I expect Emilia Clarke to have bathed in the barrels. I love the show and like the brewery but these GoT beers have been just ok to me. My brother took a tour of the brewery and asked about this mash up. Essentially the HBO and GoT folks tasted, I think Hennepin at an NYC bar and contacted them to produce the beers. The brewery is kind of iffy about these because it isn't "what they do" but HBO money talks and bullshit walks.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense. I missed the first two beers from this line because I was skeptical of a TV show themed beer. Sounded more like a cash grab then an attempt at a great beer. But I stand by what I said, I did enjoy this particular one. I think it is worth trying.
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