Ommegang’s “Winter is Here” ale now on store shelves

As of the end of October, you’ll be able to find the Winter is Here double white ale, a new Game of Thrones-themed beer from Brewery Ommegang, on store shelves and on draft across the United States. Above, you can see myself and Culturess editor Cheryl Wassenaar on WiC Live, where we sample the beer and try to remain coherent enough to talk about the latest goings-on over in Belfast, where filming on season 8 is currently underway.

The Winter is Here ale is brewed with pilsner malt, white wheat malt, and soft red wheat flakes, and spiced with white pepper, sea salt, coriander and sweet orange peel. It goes down smooth, finishing with a “warming crescendo peppery spice,” according to Brewery Ommegang. I’m not exactly a beer connoisseur, but we certainly enjoyed it, maybe too much so. It’s a solid winter drink to sample as we wait for the debut of season 8. As Ommegang says in its press release, “If anything can stand against the dreaded Night King, nightmarish leader of the White Walkers, surely it must be beer.”

But then the Night King is on each 750ml bottle. Is that mixed messaging? Whatever — it’s 8.3% ABV and will quickly get you to the point where those questions don’t matter.

In addition to being sold separately, the Winter is Here double white ale is also being sold in a two-pack with the Fire and Blood red ale, one of Ommegang’s previous beers. To my knowledge, it’s not called the Fire and Ice Gift Pack, but should be. The twofer also comes with a commemorative Game of Thrones glass. If you want to know where near you to find one of the company’s brews, check our their handy beer finder page.

The suggested retail price for the Winter is Here ale is $11.99, while the gift pack is $23.99. Happy drinking!

Next: Video: The Game of Thrones crew tests a trebuchet on the set of season 8

To stay up to date on everything Game of Thrones, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Watch Game of Thrones for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channel