Drink Pairings for Jon Snow, Joffrey, and 14 Other 'Game of Thrones' Characters
Across the country, bartenders, craft brewers, and sommeliers are drawing inspiration from Game of Thrones, HBO's hit series based on a series of fantasy novels about warring families by author George R.R. Martin. "They're some of our most popular drinks," says Erick Castro of the *GoT-*inspired cocktails he's dreamed up at Polite Provisions in San Diego. In upstate New York, Ommegang Brewery is producing a line of Game of Thrones–inspired beers that sell out within weeks of being released. Which got us thinking: Wouldn't the characters themselves make great drink inspiration? So we turned to the experts—America's best GoT-loving sommeliers and bartenders—and asked them to pick drink doppelgängers for some of our favorite characters. (Warning: minor spoilers ahead!)
1/16Tyrion Lannister: Cru Beaujolais
Witty and intelligent Tyrion is the youngest son of Tywin Lannister, the richest and most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms (the fictional Game of Thrones realm). A dwarf, he's the black sheep of the family, and constantly at odds with his sister Cersei, who blames him for their mother's death.
Sommelier Michael Muser of Michelin-starred Grace in Chicago likens Tyrion to Cru Beaujolais, a light-bodied French red made from the unsung Gamay grape. “He's overlooked, underappreciated, but if you go back in time he's the foundation,” says Muser. "None of the greats would exist without him." Not a bad pairing for a man who'd like to die at 80 with a belly full of wine.
2/16Jaime Lannister: Kölsch
Nicknamed the Kingslayer, Jaime Lannister is Tywin’s eldest son, the most celebrated swordsman in Westeros (for a while, anyway), and perhaps Tyrion’s only ally. Unfortunately, he’s also in love with his twin sister, Cersei. (Awkward!)
“The Kingslayer continues to surprise and transform throughout the series, and I am envisioning a beer that defies expectations when it comes to his character,” says Greg Engert, beer director of Churchkey in Washington, D.C. At Bluejacket, the brewery Engert helped open last year, the flagship brew Forbidden Planet does just that. It’s a clean, German-style kölsch that's dry-hopped with Australian-grown Galaxy hops. “The beer is reminiscent of an imperial IPA in the nose," says Engert, "yet drinks smooth, easy, and effervescent, and is almost two-faced.” Hint, hint?
3/16Daenerys Targaryen: Tavel Rosé
Daenerys Targaryen believes she is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, forged from the swords surrendered by a king's enemies. While the Lannister and Baratheon families have been warring over it, Daenerys has been amassing an army, earning allegiance through her strength—and her compassion. Oh, and she also has three dragons born from eggs she received as a gift at her wedding.
Rosés from Tavel, in southern France, are "typically innocuous, but l’Anglore has volcanic intensity," says master sommelier Justin Vann, creator of Houston wine consultancy PSA Wines. Just like the wine, and its creator, Eric Pfifferling, the Mother of Dragons was initially underestimated. Now she's a major power player.
4/16Petyr Baelish, a.k.a. Littlefinger: The Last Word
One of the most ambitious and dangerous men in Westeros, Petyr Baelish started out as lord of a small holding and now owns several brothels, which help him keep tabs on his political rivals.
Tom Macy, head bartender at Clover Club in Brooklyn, says The Last Word—a Prohibition-era cocktail made with green Chartreuse, maraschino, gin, and fresh lime juice—is perfect for the scheming Lord Baelish. “Littlefinger always seems to be several steps ahead of everyone,” says Macy, "and this drink, like the character, is also deceptive—both in strength and complexity."
5/16Tywin Lannister: Burgundy Grand Cru
Lord of Casterly Rock and the Hand of the King, Tywin secretly rules the Seven Kingdoms through his grandchildren King Joffrey and King Tommen.
Vann ____ says the cutthroat head of the Lannister family is unquestionably Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, one of the best and most expensive wines in the world. “Maybe that’s a little harsh to compare Aubert de Villaine (proprietor of the Domaine) to the vainglorious patriarch of House Lannister, but it’s just the vibe I get,” says Vann. "A Villaine always pays his debts."
6/16Cersei Lannister: Fernet Branca
The most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms, Cersei is Tywin’s only daughter and was married to King Robert Baratheon, but all three of her children—including King Joffrey—are the product of her relationship with her brother Jaime. Cersei despises her brother Tyrion and blames him for the death of one of her sons.
The Queen of Madness is Fernet Branca, says Erick Castro of Polite Provisions, because while Cersei may be getting more desperate, she’s still extremely dangerous. "Fernet is not for the amateur drinker. It's really herbal, earthy, and bitter," says Castro. "Cersei's not to be trifled with—and neither is Fernet."
7/16Mance Rayder: The Mance Rayder
Leader of the wildlings—free men who live beyond the wall that divides Westeros from the rest of the continent—Mance Rayder is plotting to invade the Seven Kingdoms, while also facing a threat from the zombie-like White Walkers.
“It’s an unruly drink that still has an underlying sophistication," says Castro of the cocktail he created: blanco tequila, mezcal, sweet vermouth, Cointreau, and Angostura and orange bitters. Rayder “is in tune with modern civilization, which is why he’s so good with the wildlings. He’s smart, but he’s infused that with the wildness of the North,” says Castro, who has read every A Song of Ice and Fire book and is eagerly awaiting the next installment.
8/16Melisandre: Cantillon Rosé de Gambrinus
Melisandre is a priestess who believes Stannis Baratheon, the brother of Robert Baratheon, is the rightful king. She's aiding his quest for the Iron Thrones by any means necessary—usually murder by dark magic.
Rosé de Gambrinus, a Lambic aged with raspberries that sports a reddish-pink hue, is fitting for the otherworldly Melisandre, says Engbert. The ale is created using spontaneous fermentation—the most natural and mysterious means of crafting beer. “It’s earthy, funky, and finished by a fruit-driven tartness,” says Engbert.
9/16Jon Snow: The White Lady
Jon Snow is the bastard son of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell, the former (i.e., late) Hand of the King. Brooding and brave, Snow has been trying to defend Westeros against the wildlings, and even went undercover as a wildling.
While it may sound girly, The White Lady—gin, Cointreau, fresh lemon juice, and egg whites—is fitting for the honorable, sensitive Snow. It looks simple, but it's strong, tart, and full of flavor. “It deserves more attention than it usually gets," says Macy, "and so does Jon."
10/16Margaery Tyrell: Champagne
The only daughter of Lord Mace Tyrell and his wife, Alerie, Margaery was married to Renly Baratheon and then (oh so briefly) to King Joffrey. Shrewd and politically savvy, she hasn't given up on becoming queen, setting her sights on wooing Joffrey's younger brother, Tommen.
A Champagne like André Clouet Brut Reserve NV, says Muser, ** is the perfect match for the spirited queen presumptive. Maegary is vivacious, but not just a pretty face. “She's amicable, plays well with others, accommodating, and pairs well with many different courses,” says Muser.
11/16Brienne of Tarth: White López de Heredia
Loyal, stubborn, and headstrong, the statuesque Brienne of Tarth embodies the chivalry and honor of knighthood. Likewise, the 130-year-old López de Heredia winery makes white Riojas capable of aging elegantly for decades. The Viña Tondonia White Reserva, a dry white with a mellow nuttiness, is the perfect match for towering Brienne, says Muser: “She's cast aside by many, but is truly noble, powerful, elegant, confident, and age-worthy."
12/16Bronn: Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA
A warrior-for-hire and excellent swordsman, Bronn is quick-witted, outrageous, and doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks of him. According to Kevin Hamilton, bartender at Top Hops in New York, a good, widely available beer like Sierra Nevada Torpedo is perfect for the so-called sellsword. “He’s a mercenary,” says Hamilton, "and he'll drink whatever anyone else pays him to drink—but he's not cheap."
13/16Samwell Tarly: Guinness
Overweight and shy, Samwell was seen as a disappointment by his father and sent to become a man of the Night's Watch, where he befriended Jon Snow. "Samwell is quiet, understated, mellow, and thoughtful," says Erik Olsen, manager at Brouwerij Lane in Brooklyn. "He seems like an Irish Guinness drinker for sure."
14/16Sandor Clegane: The Suffering Bastard
A former bodyguard to King Joffrey, Sandor Clegane—a.k.a. The Hound—is a skilled (and scarred) warrior who plays by his own rules, takes no B.S., and constantly (and unsurprisingly) gets into scuffles.
The Hound could easily be a massive powerhouse of a beer like Barleywine, but Macy suggests this cocktail of cognac, gin, lime cordial, ginger beer, and Angostura bitters. "This drink is ugly on paper," says Macy. "Gin, cognac, and ginger beer? Seems like it shouldn't work, but somehow does, against the odds." Like The Hound, Macy says the drink is rough around the edges, but underneath it all there's a hint of softness.
15/16Oberyn Martell: Quinta do Crasto Vinha Maria Teresa
A prince of Dorne, Oberyn has a major vendetta against the Lannisters and blames them (justly) for the death of his sister Elia.
"I had to put massive, massive thought into this one,"says Muser, who went to Orange County School of the Arts with Pedro Pascal, the actor who plays Oberyn. In the end, he selected a single-vineyard red blend from Portugal. Made with fruit from 100-year-old vines, the juice is extremely concentrated, resulting in a complex wine with flavors of dark currant, blackberry, and boysenberry. "Oberyn is powerful, hot, spicy, gritty, and ready for a fight," says Muser. Seems this sultry wine is a worthy contender.
16/16Joffrey Baratheon: Jester King Le Petit Prince
Temperamental and sadistic, King Joffrey Baratheon, Cersei's oldest son, is the guy everyone loves to hate.
Even the character on the label of Le Petit Prince, from Austin's Jester King Brewery, looks like Joffrey. "Joffrey was whiny and sniveling," says Olsen, "and this beer is sharp and slightly abrasive." Made with European noble hops and wild yeast from the Texas Hill Country, the farmhouse-style session saison has rustic wild flavors and a bit of tartness. Unlike Joffrey, it has a loyal following.
