Great news! Though there’s no new Game of Thrones or A Song of Ice and Fire material coming out for a while, Ommegang Brewery has just announced a new collection of delicious Game of Thrones-themed beers. So we can all enjoy the Long Night ahead with a nice buzz.
In 2018 Ommegang Brewery will launch its Royal Reserve Collection, a collectible series of four limited release beers, each designed and brewed as an homage to a beloved Game of Thrones character. The first of these beers will be the barleywine ale, Hand of the Queen, a tribute to Westeros’ highest functioning alcoholic, Tyrion Lannister.
Hand of the Queen is a rich and full-bodied version of a classic barleywine coming in at 11% The malt forward and multifaceted beer balances flavors of brandy-soaked raisins and dark fruit with lighter notes of apricot along with hints of molasses and toffee and has a finish characterized by the distinct alcoholic heat of barleywine.
Doug Campbell, president of Ommegang Brewery, weighed in on the decision to name the first beer in the collection after the fan favorite underdog.
“While technically not royalty at all, Tyrion certainly qualifies as a nobleman in our esteem,” he said. “We’ve wanted to brew for Tyrion for six seasons, and we believe his time has come. Knowing his preferences, our beer for Tyrion could only be a barleywine.”
“[W]ho better to receive our first tribute than Tyrion, the man who so famously drinks and knows things,” said Jeff Peters, Vice President of Global Licensing at HBO. “Ommegang’s collection of Game of Thrones beers has been an enduring hit with our fans, so we’re excited to offer them even more opportunities to pay tribute to their favorite characters next year by releasing four new and special releases.”
Hand of the Queen will be available throughout Ommegang’s distribution network starting in April both on draft and in 750ml bottles. The suggested retail price for a bottle is $12.99.
The remaining three beers will launch in July, October and December of 2018. We’ll be sure to update you on their names and details as they are announced throughout the year
