Brewery Ommegang Valar Morghulis

Confession time: I’ve never watched Game of Thrones, which is odd because I’m usually a sucker for quality programming that’s heavy on gratuitous sex and dragons. Luckily, you don’t have to be a fanboy to enjoy Valar Morghulis, the latest Game of Thrones collaboration between Brewery Ommegang and HBO.

Even without having a deep Thrones knowledge engrained in my psyche, this beer has its appeal. It’s a big, important looking bottle that’s obviously meant to be poured into big, important looking goblet. I can see some brutal Medieval tyrant drinking this beer while lording over his kingdom. Even the name is regal and foreboding. Apparently, “Valar Morghulis” means “all men must die.” Breezy. Game of Thrones fans chose the name as well as the style of beer (dubbel) through a Facebook poll.

The beer pours a deep, rosy mahogany with a solid head and smells faintly of berries and alcohol. Honestly, it smells like a champagne pyramid, or more accurately—like a wedding reception. It’s a wispy and ridiculously effervescent beer with a mouthfeel so light, it’s practically hollow. Think “Tiny Bubbles” by Don Ho.