Game of Thrones has a million marketing tie-ins, and one of the most unique products we’ve seen from a television show so far is the Game of Thrones beer collection. In collaboration with Brewery Ommegang, the Game of Thrones beer collection features a different seasonal beer launched in limited releases. So far, there have been 5 beers: Iron Throne, Take the Black Stout, Fire and Blood, Valar Morgulis, and the recently-released Three-Eyed Raven. From a brunette ale to a dark saison hybrid, each beer is unique in theme and flavor.

But how do these beers measure up? Are they for beer aficionados only, or will fans of the show who enjoy a casual beer also enjoy them? We decided to pit our resident brew expert, Tushar, against beer newbie (but Game of Thrones fangirl) Mia to bring you their thoughts on the three most recent Game of Thrones beers.

Fire and Blood

Named after the words of House Targaryen, Fire and Blood bills itself as a red ale with fruity, malty notes. As implied by the name, the beer has a red hue.

Mia – Beer Newbie

The first thing I noticed is that it doesn’t have the dark beer smell which, to me, is unappealing, so that’s a plus. The first time I tried this beer, I distinctly remember saying the name was unfortunate, because it tasted like blood and burned dirt. This time around, I guess I’ve grown a taste for beer, because I actually tasted fruity notes. There is a lot of flavor in this brew, but luckily, no bitter aftertaste. It is a lighter beer than I expected from the color. Overall, I would drink this beer again, though it’s not my all-time favorite.

Tushar – Beer Journeyman

This brew actually came randomized with one of three different labels for each of Daenerys’ dragons.  Looks like Mia got Drogon on hers, but mine was Viserion looking angry as hell.

Fire and Blood is brewed with ancho chilies to give it a bit of a kick.  But don’t worry, you’re not going to burn your face off or be breathing fire when anyone utters Dracarys.  The ancho gives Fire and Blood a short-lived punch (presumably the fire) that decays pretty quickly and gives way to some mild fruity sweetness and malt flavor.  This is called a red ale (naturally, the blood) but the red ales that I’ve had over the years vary wildly in hoppiness and fruitiness – the only consistent characteristics is that they were darker than ambers, not as heavy as darks, and had a range of fruitiness from bottom to top.

Mia’s experience, at least the second time around, did have her finding those fruity notes characteristic with a red ale, but that spice and heat to me differentiates Fire and Blood.  With the spice from the ancho and that red ale sweetness, I’m sure this would get the seal of approval from House Targaryen.

I could definitely marathon some Game of Thrones and enjoy this brew on the fine spring Sunday evenings while the show takes over my TV at 9pm.

Valar Morghulis

Valar Morghulis was created for fans, by fans with an online contest determining the style and name of the beer. An Abbey Dubbel ale, Valar Morghulis is malty and has notes of caramel, toffee, ripe fruits and burnt sugar.

Mia – Beer Newbie

I had the fortune to try this beer at the San Diego Comic Con ceremonial keg tapping event last year. I wasn’t excited about going to a beer tasting, but I was excited about Game of Thrones. Suprisingly, this was the first beer that I’ve ever tried that was almost enjoyable. It’s got a much lighter flavor, so it’s not as intense as some of the other beers I’ve tried, but not watered down, either. To me, it tastes almost summery. Is it delicious? No. Is it tolerable for getting drunk on beer? Yes. Of all the beers, this is the one I’d purchase again. The only downside is it’s hard to pronounce.

Tushar – Beer Journeyman

Delicious.  Straight up and down.  Fire and Blood is advertised as a Dubbel, which is a Trappist style ale known for being a bit on the heavier side with fruit flavors. For those of you who beer regularly in more of a crafty way, this would be close in style to those chalices of Chimay Red you enjoy so much.  I found Valar Morghulis to be more flavorful than other dubbels I’ve had, with strong notes of cherries and other dark fruits, and it was surprisingly easy going down.  Even pouring it slow gave it a head of foam in my glass that stayed through the entire drink and tasted only moderately carbonated.  It’s a delicious brew, but not something I could kick back and sip on bottle after bottle.  So while this one isn’t something that should be the entire of a beer night, I would love to stock a few more bottles of this limited edition offering.

While the beer’s very good, not sure how the name ties into the style.  Sure, valar morghulis means “all men must die” in Valyrian, but not sure of the connection of an abbey dubbel to the House of Black and White or the Faceless Men.  Then again the name and style were determined by fan contest, so that’s kind of expected.

Either way, Valar Mozugis – “all men must drink.”  There’s a little lesson in High Valyrian for you kids from Tushar of the House Nene, first of his name, Mayor of Brown Town and Protector of the Realm.

Three-Eyed Raven

The newest beer in the Game of Thrones collection, Three-Eyed Raven is a Dark Saison ale, a hybrid style. It is almost black in color, this brew is yeasty, peppery, and crisp.

Mia – Beer Newbie

This is not a beer for a beer newbie. Three-Eyed Raven is VERY dark, bitter, and heavy. For me, it left a beery aftertaste that was bitter and unpleasant. Unlike the other two beers, I couldn’t discern any deeper flavor other than bitter beer. (Bitter like Bran? Who knows.) It tasted awful to me, but hey, I’m the Jon Snow of beer, so what do I know?  Both me and my drinking partner couldn’t finish this beer.

Tushar – Beer Journeyman

Like Mia said, this isn’t a beer someone just starting out in their beer journey should take their opening sips with.  Pouring dark like the wings of the raven itself, this beer does have some sweetness to it that can get lost in what some could consider a bitter finish. I didn’t experience the extreme bitterness Mia did – I found the hoppiness and spices characteristic of a Saison, even though those flavors were toned down a bit here.  At the same time it did not have the heaviness that comes with a dark beer like Ommegang’s Game of Thrones beer #2, Take the Black Stout.

Three-Eyed Raven is a dark saison ale, which actually I don’t think I’ve ever tried before.  Generally the saisons I’ve had (also called farmhouse ales) have been much lighter in color, hoppy and spicy with a good bit of carbonation.  Take a look at Ommegang’s own Hennepin as an example – it’s light with citrus and spice flavors.  So what’s the deal with this one? Ommegang’s Mike McManus answers that one: “When we zeroed in on Bran’s storyline with HBO, we knew this was the perfect opportunity to brew something with many different characteristics and attributes – a beer that’s not truly one thing or another. It is definitely the most unique beer in the series to date, which is very exciting.”

He went on to say more on how it associates to Bran – “We’re certain those fans will be just as surprised by the complexity of Three-Eyed Raven as they were by Bran’s discovery at the end of season four.”  OK, Mike, we see where you’re going here.  You could say it’s a… Stark… departure from the first four brews.  Maybe with a dual personality between dark and saison like the old man and the raven?

Mia Moore / Tushar Nene
Staff Writers
@xoMiaMoore / @tusharnene