Ommegang's "Game of Thrones" - Fire and Blood Red Ale

"Dracarys!"

Moments later, something (or someone) is extra crispy.

Game of Thrones on HBO is huge at the moment. Big events and character deaths have Twitter lighting up like a red comet. The complex mythology and vast array of characters, coupled with an ultra-gritty flavor, blend the best of both the fantasy and political thriller genres.

While I'm a gigantic fan of all things sword and sorcery, truth be told, I've only seen maybe five or six episodes of the show. Not because I don't enjoy it. I think the actors are top-notch and settings grand. I'm just in the middle of the books, reading furiously to keep pace ahead of the TV show, and trying to avoid spoilers like the bloody flux. Whenever something dramatic happens on the show, it's nearly impossible not to overhear someone talking about it the next day.

So while I didn't watch the episode that aired Sunday night, I am quite familiar with the scene in the book. I can imagine the news would put the Mother of Dragons in quite the celebratory mood. She might even want to break open a barrel of ale. But what brew might best serve a Targaryen queen?

From Ommegang Brewery in New York comes the third entry in their line of Game of Thrones beers: Fire and Blood Red Ale.

Yes, Game of Thrones fans, you heard me correctly: the third GoT beer from Ommegang. Their first entry was Iron Throne Golden Ale. I missed that one, so I've no idea what it tastes like. I've yet to see it in any store, and from what I hear, it's quite hard to find any remaining bottles. Trust me, if I dig one up, the review will be up in no time.

Last year, Ommegang released Take the Black Stout. Thankfully, I caught word of this one prior to its release and was able to snag a few bottles. I never wrote a formal review, but remember the stout having a roasted and mildly smoky character. I still see bottles every now and then, so perhaps I'll pick one up in the near future and review it.

But for now, I'm feeling dragon-fire.

When buying the brew, you have the wonderfully-geeky option of choosing which dragon you'd like to adorn your bottle. Drogon, Rheagal, and Viserion each their own piece of beautiful label art.

Ommegang describes Fire and Blood as a red ale brewed with ancho chilies for an added kick. Now, about the chilies, two things: First, I have tried chili pepper beer before. More than once, actually. Each time, while the flavor was certainly unique, I found the taste to be too overpowering and in contrast with the hop and malt flavors. The acidic heat from the pepper made the beer almost acrid in taste. Thus, in the case of Fire and Blood, I was skeptical of the ancho peppers working in the flavor's favor.

Second, if we're talking about using hot peppers, isn't that more of a Dornish culinary thing?

You know what's sad? That's probably not even in my Top 10 nerdiest things I've ever said.

When I think of red ales, the first thing that comes to mind is an Irish-red. The beer pours a bold amber color and features robust malt character, sweet and nutty. Fire and Blood is far darker than I imagined, taking on an almost brown hue in the light. Imagine a deep red rust, almost like an ultra-dark copper. Not what I expected, but alluring and unique.

Upon the first sip, I was surprised how light in the body the ale was. With an ABV of 6.8%, I wasn't expecting strong alcohol kick in the first place, but this beer's almost delicate on the tongue. The carbonation is very fine and silky. This ale goes down very easy, even at room temperature.

As for flavor, I was instantly reminded of a Belgian triple. The yeast has that subtle tangy flavor that is distinct to Belgian varieties. If you've ever had Chimay, you know what I'm talking about. The sweet character of the malts goes well with the yeast upon the initial taste. But the flavor doesn't stop there. Before the hops kick in, the sweet flavor turns slightly sour on the middle of the tongue.  Not in a bad way, mind you. More like a tart kick. Think of a toned down version of a sour ale. I'm not sure of this, but I imagine that flavor is in part due to the ancho chilies. I was impressed at how nicely the flavor went with the rest of the beer. Subtle enough just to be noticeable without being overly acrid.

Finally, the hops kick in at the end and cleanse the sweet and sour from the palate. What surprised me most was how the slight touch of heat from the peppers actually blended really well with the hops. The chilies actually added a peppery flavor note to the hop-factor. Some hops like Saaz are naturally peppery in character, though mildly so. The anchos almost worked to bring amplify the hop taste, and I found myself really enjoying how well-implemented they were in the final ale.

Ommegang did a great job with "Fire and Blood" red ale. It's the first chili pepper beer that I've actually enjoyed. The ancho character is very subtle, working with the other flavors rather than dominating the taste of each sip. If you can find a bottle and are feeling adventurous, give it a try. You may not be born of fire, but you gotta start somewhere.