Ommegang – Barrier Relief Belgian IPA, Art of Darkness & Iron Throne

Brewery Ommegang partnered with Hurricane Sandy-damaged Barrier Brewing Company on Long Island, to create Barrier Relief Ale, a Belgian-style IPA. Sandy caused nearly $100,000 worth of damage to Barrier Brewing, which has been operating at their new location on Long Island’s South Shore for just four months. Using Barrier’s recipe, Ommegang is brewing about 400 kegs of the collaboration ale. Barrier Relief Ale will be distributed in Barrier’s market in NYC and Long Island.

“We’re rebuilding. We’ve reordered all of the equipment that we need to be operational again,” explained Barrier’s founder, Evan Klein. “The goal is to be up and running before the year is out.”

Art of Darkness has a deep brown hue, fluffy tan head, lovely lacing. Aromas of licorice and chocolate. Sweetly malty taste, earthy notes of coffee, chocolate and anise blending with subtle hopping. Smooth mouthfeel, full body, soft carbonation. The beer is well balanced, with light fruity notes common to our house yeast. The alcohol is nicely hidden yet adds to the overall complexity. The finish is long and slightly sweet.

Pair with rich cheeses, chocolate or dark-fruit desserts. On its own, it makes a fine after-dinner or late-night drink. Serve at 50*F and savor as it warms a bit and the flavors and aromas open up.

Iron Throne
Launching in tandem with the season three debut of Game of Thrones on March 31, Iron Throne, a blonde ale, is the inaugural beer in the series and the result of a creative collaboration between Brewmaster Phil Leinhart and HBO. Unlike previous efforts by brewers which were typically executed as ‘brewed under license’ arrangements or straightforward product placement pushes, the collaboration between Ommegang and HBO is focused on developing unique beers that are named and crafted to directly tie into themes and nuances of the medieval-like fantasy realm of Westeros and the surrounding kingdoms, where the competition to sit on the Iron Throne is fierce and deadly.

“No one enjoys their job more than I do – producing and developing new brews to delight lovers of fine beer,” said Phil Leinhart, Brewmaster at Brewery Ommegang, “Add to that the opportunity to collaborate on a beer based on the cultural phenomenon of Game of Thrones and exploring ways to make the beer truly reflect aspects from the show. It made us approach development in a completely new way and I think the first edition Iron Throne reveals that. With a Lannister currently on the throne, it made sense to do a delicate, but piercing Golden Blonde Ale with Noble hops. Iron Throne is certainly fair in color and soft in appearance, yet it still possesses a complexity and bite to be on guard for.”

Iron Throne will be nationally available on draft and in 750ml bottles beginning in late-March. We will be shipping through our normal distribution network which includes all states except ID, MT, WY, ND, SD and MS. We encourage you to check our Facebook page for more information and updates or utilize our beer finder to find where Ommegang products are carried near you.
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