Beer of the Week - Brewery Ommegang Fire and Blood Ale

A Complex Red Ale with a Lingering Ancho Chile Spice

I first tried this Ommegang Fire and Blood at Bru in Lake Forest, since then I have been obsessed with the Chipotle flavored Red Ale. Brewery Ommegang is a micro brew based out of Cooperstown, which normally focuses on Belgian Ales. Brewery Ommegang collaborated with HBO, to craft Fire and Blood to coincide with season of Game of Thrones. This is a dark red beer with a slightly smooth, malty and fruity characteristic that gently bites the throat on the way down.

Ommegang Fire and Blood Ale Bottle

The beer is named after the House Targaryen’s moto, “Fire and Blood.” The bottles depicts one of the three dragons who are attached to the Dragon MILF character Daenery Targaryen.

Game of Thrones Daenarys Targaryen with her Dragon, the picture on the bottle. Original Source HBO Game of Thrones Season 3

Anatomy of Ommegang Fire and Blood Ale

Bellow are the ingredients and critical details of the beer. I am not a beer afaficionado by any means, although I have made my own home brew. I did my research on the ingredients, so that you can understand what goes into the beer

Malt/Grains:

• Pilsner –Pilsner is typically used in a pale lager and has a strong, sweet malt flavor.
• Cara-60 - This is a mid-range caramel malt that is used in porters and stouts. Cara-60 provides a full caramel flavor and provides some body to the beer
• Midnight Wheat - This is a dark roasted wheat that provides smooth chocolate/coffee / smoky flavor and aroma. Dragons do smell smoky don’t they?
• Flaked rye – Flaked rye provides a spicy, dry, crisp flavor
• Spelt – I don’t know much about spelt, but I read that it provides a nuttier flavor

Hops:

• CTZ – Blend of Columbus, tomahawk and Zeus hops . It is used in IPAs, so it will provide a bittering element to the beer with citrus, herb, wood aromas.
• Styrian Golding – This is a German/Chezech origin hop. It gives a spicy / earthy aroma. This hop is used in UK and Belgian ales
• German Tettnang: This is a classic noble hop with spicy and fruity aroma / flavor. Tettnang is typically used in German ales and Wheat Beers

Spices: De-seeded Ancho chilies

ABV: 6.8 %

Format : 750ml bottles and kegs

Price: Currently $6.99 at Total Wine

Rating

Appearance (3/5) - Fire and Ice pours with a deep red hue, almost black ,just like my heart. When poured into a glass, it has a foamy off-white head, that persists while you drink it.

Smell (4/5) - The spiced up red ale has a persistent aroma of the Ancho chili, caramel and perhaps soaked raisins.

Flavor (4/5) -The flavor is earthy from the malts and a little fruity up front from the hops. The flavor transitions to floral, malt, fruity prunes. The flavor has a slow and low chile warming sensation through the swallow. 4/5

Mouth Feel (4/5) - This beer has a moderate to high carbonation, which keeps the overall mouth feel light. The spiciness is more of a low level heat that persists into the throat, but not on the tongue. 4/5

Overall Score (3.75/5) - This is a very good beer, especially for the price range and reputation of the brewery. This is a complex and solid beer. For my tastes I thought it was very drinkable, as I easily polished off the entire 750 ml by myself, without abusing my palate. This beer is good for someone who likes a full bodied beer and does not mind the spicy overtones. This beer reminds me of a nutty Dutchman who got drunk in Tijuana.

Brewery Ommegang Fire and Blood

Ommegang Fire and Blood Availability

I would drink this Fire and Blood again, although my time is limited to find it. Brewery Ommegang only made a limited supply of the beer, so buy it if you can find it. This beer can be purchased at BevMo, Total Wine.. Enter your zip code into this website to find your closest store selling fire and blood. http://www.ommegang.com/#!locator

Food and Mood Pairing

I would enjoy this Brewery Ommegang Fire and Blood, both on a hot summer afternoon and while ice fishing in Milwaukee.

I would pair this beer with any grilled meat, pepper meat , corn beef, pastrami, sharp cheese, BBQ Sauce laced meat, Avocados. Since we are introducing heat from the beer, you could also pair it with sweeter food like chocolate or sweet BBQ sauce, to balance out the capsicum in the Ancho chili.