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Iron Throne Blonde Ale – Brewery Ommegang

📅 2013-03-29   Belgian BlondeBrewery Ommegang


                The first in the series of four Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire) themed ales, Iron Throne Blonde was released by Brewery Ommegang earlier this month, just in time for the Game of Thrones Season 3 premiere. As a huge fan of the ASoIaF book series, an avid viewer of the show and a huge fan of Ommegang, I was thrilled when this beer was announced earlier this year.  Joining excellent craft beer with a seriously epic fantasy series potentially leads to an even more epic pairing.

                According to Brewmaster Phil Leinhart, the Iron Throne Belgian Blonde is inspired by the Lannisters, the current occupants of the Iron Throne.  Known for being “decadent yet sophisticated, the Lannisters are perhaps the most complex of the families of Westeros with shades of glory, greed and wickedness.  Much like the ruling Lannister family a good Belgian Blonde should be smooth and complex, yet have moderate spicy notes to keep things interesting.  Those of you who have read the books or watched the series know that there is more going on with the Lannisters than meets the eye, from the noble intentions of Jaime and Tyrion, to the political infighting of Cersei, to the downright wickedness of Joffrey, the Lannisters are quite possibly the most complex and interesting family in all of Westeros.  Being the most complex, it is only fitting that they be represented by a subtle, yet complex style, the subtle political maneuvering of Tyrion paired with Jaime’s more brash nature.

                Rather than get too into the books and show, on to the Review.  


                Over at Beeradvocate, Iron Throne Blonde Ale currently has a score of 87.  At ratebeer, it has a score of 90 overall and a 94 for style.



They Say:


                Brewery Ommegang and HBO are partnering on a series of beers in support of the critically-acclaimed drama Game of Thrones. Launching in tandem with the season three debut, Iron Throne is the inaugural beer in the series.


                Iron Throne is a blonde ale at 6.5% ABV and brewed with a robust amount of pils, honey malt, aroma malts and red wheat. Gentle hopping includes Styrian Golding and Hallertau Spalter Select, appropriately noble hops. Spiced with grains of paradise and lemon peel. Hue is a slightly hazy golden amber. Head is full and fluffy. Finish is crisp, backed by a touch of spice and hops. Aroma is a bit grassy with a hint of lemon fruitiness from the lemon peel. Taste is lightly malty, rounded out by honey malt sweetness.


                Available in limited quantities in 750ml bottles and 1/6 BBL kegs starting in late March 2013.

From the Bottle

                Blonde ale with malty sweetness and a touch of fruity spiciness, noble hop aromas and notes of citrus, suitable to serve to kings, or pretenders to the Iron Throne.

I Say:

                Iron Throne Blonde Ale pours a brilliantly clear blonde with subtle orange hues.  It has a thick, creamy, brilliant white rocky head that holds excellent retention through the entire glass and leaves behind intricate lacing.  The aroma is subtle and complex with sweet pilsner notes up front, supported by lemony and apricot fruity esters, with slightly spicy and earthy hop notes.  Sweet alcohols and low level phenolics round out the aroma, providing additional complexity.

                Sweet pilsner malts, moderately spicy phenols are immediately apparent in the flavor.  Sweet throughout, lemony and apricot fruity esters balance nicely with floral honey notes.  Iron Throne Blonde is extremely smooth and sweet, yet finishes semi-dry and clean.  It is medium bodied with a moderately high level of carbonation.

                Iron Throne Blonde Ale is a very subtle yet complex beer.  The sweet malts are expertly tempered by earthy/spicy noble hops and moderate phenolics while the carbonation helps to dry out the sweetness of the beer in the finish.  So good, it makes me want to smack King Joffrey!


                If you are planning on watching the Season 3 premiere of Game of Thrones like I am, then no other beer will pair as well with the experience.  There were still plenty of bottles at Ray’s Liquor in Wauwatosa, so if you are in the area stop by and pick up a few bottles!  If you don’t watch the Game of Thrones series yet, then you should definitely start, although you may want to read the books first.

                That’s all for today, have a great weekend, Happy early Easter!

                Happy Drinking!

Frequently asked questions

What is Iron Throne Blonde Ale?
The first in a series of four Game of Thrones-themed ales from Brewery Ommegang, inspired by the Lannisters. It launched in tandem with the show's season three debut.
What are the stats on Iron Throne?
A 6.5% ABV blonde ale brewed with a robust amount of pils, honey malt, aroma malts and red wheat, gently hopped with Styrian Golding and Hallertau Spalter Select, and spiced with grains of paradise and lemon peel.
What does it taste like?
Sweet pilsner malts with moderately spicy phenols up front, lemony and apricot fruity esters balancing floral honey notes. It finishes semi-dry and clean, with a medium body and moderate-to-high carbonation.
Was Iron Throne easy to find at release?
Yes. The author noted plenty of bottles still available at Ray's Liquor in Wauwatosa in late March 2013.

Sources

Editorial note: grammar and clarity of the original 2013 post were lightly corrected in 2026. Facts, opinions, and ratings are the author's own.