It’s not exactly clear what HBO knows about making beer. But it knows enough to team up with folks who do. I’m personally a fan of Belgian-style beers, and Ommegang, located in Cooperstown, N.Y., makes some nice ones. That reminds me. I have a bottle of Ommegang Abbey Ale, a Belgian-style dubbel, in the fridge at home. Time to pull the cork.
I haven’t sampled Iron Throne yet. But Esquire’s Paul Schrodt has. He calls it “a good TV beer. The taste is extremely easy-drinking: malty, vaguely fruity, a little spicy, but nothing overpowering. It goes down especially smooth for being 6.5 percent ABV.”
There are more Game of Thrones brews to come from Ommegang. Why not more TV beers? Or more specifically, why not more HBO-themed beers? I prefer to spend my money on expensive beer than high-priced TV. So I consulted with a friend who is an HBO expert, Bruce Fretts, articles editor of TV Guide.
Here are his suggestions:
True Blood: True Bud Lite
Sex and the City: Tres Equis (XXX)
Veep: One Heartbeat Away From the White House Pale Ale
Deadwood: Colt .45 Single Action Malt Liquor
John Adams: Boston Lager
Six Feet Under: Miller High Death
The Sopranos: St. Paulie Walnuts’ Girl
Oz: Jailhouse Ale
Boardwalk Empire: Nucky’s Lucky Lager
I’ll get around to trying Iron Throne one of these days. Bruce sounds like he will pass. “The characters on Game of Thrones don’t look very clean,” he says. “I’m not sure I’d want to drink any beer associated with them.”
