“And I will take what is mine, with fire and blood, I will take it!”
-Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals, the First Men and the Rhynoar, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons. Love her or hate here, one cannot deny that the lady has some classy titles working for her. So naturally it makes sense of the mother of dragoons to lend her house motto to this incredible Red ale, Fire and Blood.
It’s important to note that Brewery Ommegang is not some novelty Brewery cranking out swill and riding on the coattails on the Pop-Culture lightning rod that Game of Thrones has become. On the contrary, they are one of the premier micro-brew producers in the nation, specializing in Belgian-style craft beers. Their love for beer is very evident in the care they take, not only in crafting unique and notable brews, but also in the fine presentation and craftsmanship in the packaging.
In this regard, Fire and Blood matches the excellence of other Brewery Ommegang beers. The beer is offered in a thick 750ml glass bottle, and topped off with a rather large cork letting you know from the moment you lay eyes on it that this is no ordinary drink. The label is very well done, complete with an artistic representation of one of Daenerys dragons . It’s a very subtle thing; Matte Black printing, with subtle metallic ink outlining the bottle, seems true to the mythos of the Game of Thrones series, while still being more at home on the shelf of a classy bar, not just something to slosh into a Solo Cup at a Dragon*Con hotel party (Not that there’s anything wrong with that).
After uncorking it and pouring it “slowly, to not disturb yeast sediment but with vigor to make a luxurious head and to unleash the bouquet” per the instructions on the bottle, the first thing to notice is it pours a beautiful, deep fiery red with a thick and lovely head. I’ve always worried I’m not pouring a beer perfectly, but after looking at this mysterious and exotic Red Ale, I knew I wouldn’t need to worry this time.
The scent is marvelous: not too strong, not too sweet. I had recently dabbled in a local High-Gravity beer the week before that overwhelmed the scent of the beverage with thick ethanol scent. But at 6.8%, Fire and blood is just right. I couldn’t quite pick out the hints of Chili promised on the label, but there were little peaks of spicy hops mingling with the strains of Belgian yeast, giving it a sweet, slightly fruity but luxurious smell to match its deep and mysterious color.
And finally, it came time to taste it. I had high expectations of this Beer, as Ommegang is one of my favorite breweries and Game of Thrones is one of my favorite shows, but I shouldn’t have given it a thought. It was amazing. Love at first sip, truly. As it washed over my mouth, I couldn’t help but delight in its balanced but bold flavors. American microbreweries often have an affinity for overloading beers with Hops, aspiring to add character, but Fire and Blood stands on its own without the need for this. The first few smooth, delicious sips were almost hard to pin down. The malty smoothness of it all contrasts with just the right amount of carbonation, with a pleasant, spicy and almost fruity end.
Unfortunately, much like summer, this beer will not be around forever, which is a shame as this beer is really a pleaser. It’s perfect for sipping on after a long day, or to compliment the perfect meal (I chose Blackened Salmon, and grilled Kabobs). If you can find a bottle, I’d highly recommend picking it up. Even if you’re not a fan of A Game of Thrones, this is a beer worthy of paying the iron price.
- Brewer: Brewery Ommegang
- Style: Red Ale
- 6.8 APV
- Price: $12.00
- Rating: 9 out of 10
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