Winter is coming, and if you’re a fan of beer, that means it’s time for some rich, dark, stout beers to keep you warm through the cold nights.
Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY has been putting out some unique beers this year inspired by the HBO series Game of Thrones, and the final release in their Royal Reserve collection has hit the shelves as of this weekend. The collection began with Hand of the Queen, a barleywine, then followed by Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, a sour blonde blend. Third came Mother of Dragons, a smoked porter and kriek blend.
Finally, the King in the North is here. KITN is an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels. As I’ve mentioned previously, I’m a huge fan of bourbon barrel-conditioned beers, and this one does not disappoint. We shared it between the three main beer drinkers at our Thanksgiving dinner, and everyone was impressed. This is one of those delightfully chewy beers with an amazing depth of flavor, granting the supplicant a rich, delicious drinking experience. The coffee notes were amazing, especially in combination with the mellowing effect of the bourbon-barrel conditioning. I mean, bourbon coffee should totally be a thing, right?
We have a holiday party coming up in a couple weeks, and I always like to have a selection of seasonal beers available for our friends and family. I’m going to grab a few more bottles of King in the North to round out the seasonal offerings.
If this sounds like the kind of beer that would make a great addition to your holiday drinking plans, King in the North is available in stores now, with an MSRP of $13 for a 750 ml. bottle (not bad for an excellent brew like this). There’s also a four-bottle give pack of the entire Royal Reserve collection in 12 oz. bottles for $25. They should all be available at your local beverage retailers.
If you find and try King in the North, tell us how you liked it in the comments!
[Note: I was sent a bottle of King in the North for the purpose of this review; I love the holidays!]
