Glassware: Wheat beers have wonderful, light aromatics with touches of spice that tend to bring about thoughts of summer, the addition of hops and a Belgian yeast strain gives this wheat beer even more depth. Seven Kingdoms should be enjoyed cold and glassware that accommodates all of these characteristics will best service the beer. Spiegelau released a wheat beer glass that is great for the beer but a weizen or snifter glass is a good choice. Ommegang also produces glassware for their “Game of Thrones” beers.
Description: Seven Kingdoms pours a slightly hazy, light honey hue with a foamy white head that leaves a thick amount of creamy lacing on the glass. The aroma has strong notes of semi-sweet wheat malts backed by touches of lemon rinds with notes of bananas from the Belgian yeast and subtle hints of citrus and floral from the hops. The taste brings forth a stronger presence from the sweet wheat malts and fruity yeast esters before a solid punch from the hops imparts fresh citrus fruit notes leaving behind a refreshingly bitter, clean and dry finish. The light body and moderate carbonation aid in the summerlike feel this beer imparts. Seven Kingdoms is an extremely well balanced beer and comes across as very refreshing, perfect for enjoying on a hot summer day, especially when yardwork is involved.
Food pairing: The light touches of citrus and airy qualities of the beer make it perfect for pairing with many summer favorites. If you are looking for something lighter, try pairing with a lovely summer salad with grilled chicken, fresh berries, or shrimp, with light vinaigrette. The crisp qualities from the beer lock into the toppings but the lightness of the beer will not overwhelm the lettuce and instead enhance its natural fresh qualities, while the carbonation will scrub the palate clean. Seven Kingdoms is a beer that is great for backyard barbecues and goes extremely well with chicken, ribs and hamburgers, but don’t go too overboard on the toppings as some spicy peppers may overtake the beer. This is also a great all around beer to keep stocked in the fridge for any last minute get-together and goes well with pizza.
The Final Word: This warmer weather makes a strong push toward lighter summer beers and Seven Kingdoms falls perfectly into this category. Brewery Ommegang has been brewing some great “Game of Thrones” collaboration beers that fall into a wide assortment of categories. Whether they be a spicy Belgian beer, a Belgian stout or a hoppy wheat ale, the brewery has a focus on balanced flavors and easy drinking characteristics. While the show is extremely popular the brewery could have simply brewed any beer and many fans would have flocked to them but instead they truly put thought into each beer and the results are astounding. Grab a bottle of Seven Kingdoms while you still can, these tend to sell out fast.
