A Song of Ice Cold Beer: Game of Thrones Craft Beer Pairings

In advance of the season 6 premiere of Game of Thrones, we sit back on our non-iron thrones and ponder what beers some of the major characters on HBO’s perennial powerhouse would enjoy.

(Disclaimer: I tried to only include characters found in season five of the show, but The Hound is just too awesome. Also, mild spoilers follow.)

(Second Disclaimer: This was written prior to the final episode of season 5, so events from that episode are not mentioned.)

Jon Snow – Snow Blind Doppelbock – Jon Snow, Eddard Stark’s bastard son, has turned into one of the most recognizable and popular characters on the show. Played to perfection by Kit Harington, Jon Snow is one of the few characters who consistently has to do a lot of fighting. Whether it be against white walkers, wights, wildlings or ornery Crows, Jon has been forced to slay many men (some of them undead).

While Jon has a lot on his plate as the newly elected Lord Commander, he needs to unwind sometimes too. With Starr Hill Brewery’s Snow Blind Doppelbock, he can. Dank, toffee-like aromas and flavors swirl through the glass like the heavy snows that fall north of the wall.

Jon is in a position of power in a place where his illegitimacy means nothing. While he sips this warming 7.4 percent ABV brew, he might even start to believe that one day he will sit on the Iron Throne. But before he can ponder these thoughts seriously, the words of his wildling lover Ygritte return unwarranted from deep within his mind… “You know nothing, Jon Snow!”

Tyrion Lannister – Epic Brewing The Imp – While all of the acting in GoT is exemplary, Peter Dinklage’s portrayal of Tyrion Lannister has been both immensely popular and critically acclaimed. Tyrion’s eminently quotable lines are often the highlight of scenes in which he is present.

If Tyrion is good at talking, then he is even better at drinking. Epic Brewing Company’s The Imp is a generously dry-hopped Session IPA. Not only does the beer share a name with Tyrion’s pejorative nickname, this light alcohol brew (4.7% ABV) would be an excellent tipple to start a night of Tyrionesque debauchery.

Just look both ways before urinating off a balcony, lest the next entry on our list kidnaps you… (similar to what happened to Tyrion earlier this season).

Jorah Mormont – Yards Brawler – With rakish good looks, an authoritative voice and nearly peerless swordsmanship skills, Jorah Mormont is one of the best advisors Queen Daenerys could ask for.

Jorah kidnapped Tyrion in order to return to Daenerys’s good graces and they had a few wonderful “Odd Couple” scenes early this season, but Jorah was deeply troubled over Daenerys’s dismissal of him and once he was rebuffed (again) after bringing Tyrion to her side, Jorah turned to the newly reopened fighting pits to show his devotion to her.

Yards Brewing Company’s Brawler, a self-penned “Pugilist Style Ale” encapsulates Jorah’s rough-and-ready yet decidedly suave style of swashbuckling. He might be an intelligent advisor and an excellent swordsman, but he can still crack skulls if the need arises.

Daenerys Targaryen – Gulden Draak Ale – The Mother of Dragons is another character who has been with the show since the first episode. She is also regarded by many characters as the best choice for ruling Westeros.

She has walked through fire in order to hatch dragon eggs, and the subsequent hatchlings were the first dragons that had been seen for hundreds of years.

Dany has been known to be judgmental, harsh and pragmatic but she is also warm, loyal and just.

As the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys would be perfectly suited to the fabled Gulden Draak Ale. A strong Belgian ale, this delectable brew from Brouwerij Van Steenberge would satiate her desire for power, or at least powerful beverages, and set her on the path for regal rule over the Seven Kingdoms.

Jaime Lannister – Lion Stout – The symbol of House Lannister is a lion. What better way to celebrate Jaime Lannister, the exquisitely handsome figurehead of the fabled Lannister clan than with a beer that features the selfsame beast?

This Sri Lankan Tropical Stout features chocolate and coffee notes all backed by a foundation of dark roasted barley. A noble brew, Lion Stout will certainly help the Lannister Lion steel himself for whatever comes next for him (though nothing can grow his hand back).

Stannis Baratheon – 3 Floyds Dark Lord – Our first introduction to Robert Baratheon’s brother Stannis is him burning his family members at the stake because they refused to adopt his voodoo-like religion, which follows and worships The Lord of Light.

There’s no question that Stannis is now fully committed to the Lord of Light. Despite “dark” and “light” being exact antonyms, 3 Floyds Brewing Company’s revered Dark Lord Stout would perfectly encapsulate Stannis’s callous temperament.

The Lord of Light has led Stannis to do terrible, unforgivable things to many of his family members, and 3 Floyd’s coveted Imperial Stout demands long lines and online waiting lists on the annual occasion when it’s released to the public, but I don’t think anyone has been sacrificed to obtain it. Yet.

Lord Petyr Baelish – Ballast Point Indra Kunindra – Petyr Baelish, also known as Littlefinger, is a master manipulator. He has a massive spy network all over King’s Landing and is the owner of numerous brothels where the deviant tastes of royalty and nobility can be catered to with impunity (and where many secrets are divulged).

True to his name, Petyr needs a beer that he can drink while lifting his little finger. Ballast Point’s Indra Kunindra has a vast array of flavors and features a powerful curry-like aroma. Littlefinger’s Braavosi heritage lends itself to an exotic palate, something that Indra Kunindra certainly provides.

Lady Melisandre – Delirium Red – After the penultimate episode of season 5, I think most people will agree that The Red Woman is not to be trifled and she is also a manipulative witch.

Though this is probably the consensus among viewers, her power cannot be denied, as she birthed a shadow being with Stannis’s face that killed his brother Renly, who had also claimed the Iron Throne.

The Red Woman creates a sense of delirium among many men due to her seductive nature and her willingness to get naked, so Brouwerij Huyghe’s Delirium Red is the perfect beer for her.

The fiery brew not only matches her hair color, but the sweet cherry flavors within would serve as a delectable distraction as she prepares to force Stannis to sacrifice more and more of his personality and true ambition to her passionate religious fervor.

Samwell Tarly – Athena Berliner Weisse – Samwell Tarly is one of the most lovable characters on Game of Thrones. Not only is he unflappably positive in the face of mortal danger and incessant bullying, but he is also a font of knowledge about the realm. He is often heard uttering historical stories about Westeros and The Night’s Watch that many fans of the show would not hear unless they had read the books.

I would guess that Sam isn’t the biggest booze fan, as he always wants to keep his mind nimble and fresh, so I’ve chosen Creature Comforts Brewing Company’s Athena as his beer of choice.

This lightly tart and low-ABV Berliner Weisse has hints of citrus and a tangy lemon-lime aftertaste. Its zesty flavors would definitely perk Sam up for some late night reading… or White Walker killing.

The Hound – Against The Grain Kentucky Ryed Chiquen – The only character on this list who does not appear in season five (and whose fate is still unknown), is Sandor Clegane, more commonly known as The Hound.

After being burned during childhood by his brutish brother, aptly named The Mountain, The Hound became a major character after his desertion at the Battle of the Blackwater, taking Arya Stark under his wing (or in this case, paw) in order to ransom her back to her aunt.

This plan never came to fruition and he ended up getting beaten to a pulp by Brienne of Tarth. However, this beating happened well after one of The Hound’s greatest lines, spoken at a tavern with some hostile enemies nearby: “If any more words come pouring out of your **** mouth, I’m going to have to eat every **** chicken in this room!”

Because of this proclamation, only one beer would truly suit The Hound’s appetites, Against The Grain Brewery’s Kentucky Ryed Chiquen.

Packaged with chicken feathers under the foil and some rather disturbing poultry artwork, The Hound would surely be happy with this tasty whiskey barrel-aged bruiser, and at 8.6 percent ABV, he would still have room left over for some actual poultry pleasures.

Cersei Lannister – XS Old Crustacean Barleywine – Cersei’s had a good run. She’s also stayed alive for the entirety of the show’s five seasons, all while pulling invisible strings, plotting and organizing the deaths of people she doesn’t care for or people who could challenge her power in King’s Landing.

Similar to her despised brother Tyrion Cersei is also shown to be a prodigious drinker, with her preferred beverage being red wine.

Sticking close to her preferences, Cersei’s beer of choice should be strong and full-flavored and this rich Barleywine from Rogue Ales would certainly fit the bill. Downing this bottle would help Cersei plot her next unscrupulous move (if she hadn’t been locked up by the faith militant, that is).

Bronn of the Blackwater – Innis & Gunn 50 Shades Of Green – As one of the randiest characters in the show, (a trait that many GoT characters share) Bronn has plenty of tricks up his sleeve to improve his chances with the ladies.

A beautiful singing voice, roguish weather-beaten good looks and excellent swordsmanship make Bronn an almost irresistible fellow (just ask the poison-happy youngest member of The Sand Snakes).

Because of his status as a foremost paramour, Bronn surely doesn’t need anything to help him with the ladies. If he did, Innis & Gunn’s 50 Shades of Green would certainly be his best friend. Boasting 50 different hop varietals and aphrodisiacs like ginseng and gingko biloba in its ingredient list, Bronn would be singing a beautiful song indeed after imbibing this brew.

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