Skip to main content

The Night Is Dark and So Is Ommegang’s New King in the North Stout

Game of Thrones fans are a ravenous group. Lovers of the acclaimed HBO television drama can’t seem to get enough of the saga unfolding in Westeros. So what’s a fan to do between episodes, when that Game of Thrones obsession flares like a freshly-exploded vial of dragon fire? You can quench your thirst with any of the excellent Game of Thrones tie-in beers from Brewery Ommegang.

This Cooperstown, New York brewery made a name for itself with fresh takes on traditional Belgian style beers. Witte, Hennepin, Three Philosophers, and Abbey Ale are all stand-out core offerings that helped bring these classic European tastes to the American mainstream.

jon snow game of thrones
Jon Snow (Kit Harrington), aka the King in the North. Helen Sloan/HBO

A few years ago, though, Brewery Ommegang expanded its reach beyond craft beer nerds and into pop culture at large with an HBO licensing agreement. That deal was to craft an exclusive line of beers inspired by Game of Thrones. The successful limited-edition group, which includes the large-format Golden Ales Iron Throne and Bend the Knee, as well as favorites Take the Black Stout and Fire and Blood, continues to grow as fans await the release of the show’s last season (which is expected to debut in the spring of 2019).

Recommended Videos

The final beer in Brewery Ommegang’s 2018 Royal Reserve Collection is King in the North. The barrel-aged imperial stout promises notes of vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts, and is inspired by the tumultuous journey of Jon Snow. You, too, can toast the king with this 11 percent alcohol by volume brew perfect for warming spirits during the colder months of winter.

ommegang king in the north beer
The other King in the North. Ommegang

King in the North follows in the footsteps of Ommegang’s other 2018 Game of Thrones Royal Reserve Collection releases Hand of the Queen, a barleywine; Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, a sour blonde blend’ and Mother of Dragons, a smoked porter and kriek blend.

The stand-alone King in the North release is presented in a 750ml bottle with a recommended price of $13. For the holiday-timed release, the beer is also available in a twelve-ounce bottle gift pack along with 2018’s other reserve beers and a Game of Thrones-branded glass for $24.99. Both formats are in stores now.

If you want even more Game of Thrones booze, then you should also pick up The White Walker by Johnnie Walker or any of the other whiskies in the special edition Game of Thrones line from Diageo.

Lee Heidel
Lee Heidel is the managing editor of Brew/Drink/Run, a website and podcast that promotes brewing your own beer, consuming the…
Belizean rum is where it’s at and these cocktails prove it
A couple of classics, with rum front and center
Copalli Rum trio.

We're living in the rum renaissance. The spirit is no longer just a quiet backseat mixer, it's a star in its own right, playing a major role in classic cocktail recipes across the board. Perhaps best, it's wildly place-specific, showcasing the flavors of the very place its raised, whether that's Belize, Hawaii, the West Indies, or somewhere else.

Turns out, you can swap that bourbon or gin for rum in a lot of cases within the wide world of cocktails. You just need the right rum, like Copalli. The Belizean maker features white and aged rums, as well as a decidedly delicious and unique cacao rum. Whiel you can sip these offerings on their own, we suggest them in the following mixed sippers.
Old Fashioned

Read more
The best view of Washington’s Blue Mountains is at a barely year-old estate
Echolands is worth the scenic stop on your next visit to the Walla Walla Valley
A glass of wine in front of the Blue Mountains of Washington

My thoughts on the best view in Washington wine? It opened its doors in April 2024 in the Walla Walla Valley’s Mill Creek subregion. That’s when Echolands Winery unveiled a new panoramic tasting room, with the iconic Blue Mountains rising behind a medley of grapes and golden wheat.

Founders Doug Frost (holding the distinction of Master Sommelier and Master of Wine) and conservation-focused investor Brad Bergman started Echolands in 2018 and opened their downtown tasting room in 2022, nestled just a block from Walla Walla’s Main Street.

Read more
Love s’mores and coffee? This Joel McHale-approved treat combines both
The s'mores and coffee combination you didn't know you needed
Joel McHale

Just in time for s'mores season, Seattle's Best Coffee is taking coffee beyond the brew with Coffee Roast Mallows, a limited-edition variety pack created in partnership with XO Marshmallow. Inspired by the smooth taste of Seattle's Best Coffee, this cozy treat is approved by Seattle-native Joel McHale, an actor, comedian, and coffee aficionado.
Launched today, the coffee-inspired marshmallow variety pack features four toasty flavors along with a bag of Seattle's Best Coffee Campfire S'mores Flavored ground coffee. Dan Gaul, co-founder of The Manual, interviewed McHale to get the scoop on this latest release. Here's what he shared.
Why McHale loves Coffee Roast Mallows

Known for his sharp wit and passion for coffee, McHale brings the perfect blend of humor and hometown pride to “toast” as the hilarious face of Seattle's Best Coffee's new “May Smoother Coffee Bring Smoother Days” campaign. "These limited edition [coffee marshallows] are flavored and inspired by their coffee roasts—like the light roast, the dark roast, the medium, and then s’mores," says McHale. "Now, you can have this sweet treat with your coffee, or just put them in the cup like I do and eat them that way."
Growing up in the Northwest in Seattle, s'mores hold a special place in McHale's heart, reminding him of camping memories from his childhood. "You know, [our family didn’t have much money. I’m the youngest of five, so it’s not like we had a ton of money to go somewhere else. So, camping was our vacation in the summer," he shares. For him, this nostalgic coffee and s'mores duo evokes campfire feelings, taking him back to the good ol' days.
Though McHale is also a huge fan of iced coffee, he loves adding marshmallows to hot coffee for a cozy campfire feeling. Unaffected by coffee's caffeine, McHale says it doesn’t make his heart race.
What's inside each box

Read more