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

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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