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Nerdarchy > Nerd Culture  > Brrp!: Getting your beer on with tabletop RPGs

Brrp!: Getting your beer on with tabletop RPGs

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Dwarfs are always chugging away at a pint of sturdy stout. Halflings and half-orcs aren’t far behind. Even elves have been known to sip a light ale from time to time. Then there are the adventuring parties, the ones who always seem to gather at … you guessed it … the tavern.

Beer seems to flow in tabletop role playing games. From skill checks involving brewing to rules pertaining to how alcohol affects characters’ abilities, it seems some kind of alcoholic drink, quite often a form of beer, is just under the surface, around the corner, or stuffed inside a backpack.

holy grail aleWhile that is often true within the game world, beer is also known at the table where players and game masters alike imbibe while throwing dice and flipping through rules books. If you happen to be an online player, more than once you’ve probably watched through your monitor as a fellow player tosses back a bottle of ale, or maybe you’ve been the one tossing back the bottle.

For some players, beer is simply a part of the game. Maybe it’s saved for special occasions or maybe bottles and cans are brought out every session, but it’s often to be found in the vicinity of ye olde gaming table. Even gamers who do not partake have to admit there are plenty who do.

Now that’s not to say anyone wants to see alcohol-fueled foolishness at the table. Overindulging just causes all kinds of problems while making the drinker(s) look like an idiot. A bottle or two during a sessions is one thing, but finishing off that twelve pack isn’t likely to make you any friends among your fellow gamers, especially after you spill your drink all over their character sheets. And you youngsters, you need to wait your turn, as there’ll still be plenty of ale flowing once you’re old enough.

Anyway, beer and drinking are sometimes part of tabletop role playing games. But if you’re gathered around the table or staring into a monitor with friends, you don’t want to drink just any old beer, do you? Of course not. You want a beer that ties in with your game, an ale that reminds you of fantastic adventure, or maybe a porter that brings up images of outer space, or even a creepy brew that speaks to you of the undead.

Below are a number of beers I’ve discovered over the years that seem quite appropriate for many a role playing gaming table. There are plenty of different beers out there, and I couldn’t mention them all, so feel free to add some of your favorites to the comments. I tried to stick with beers that are still in production or at least seasonal, and ones that can be purchased at least across the U.S., if not the world, and not just in a smaller region.

Barbarians, beasties and beer

To kick things off, it seems a natural to take a look at the beers from Wychwood Brewery of Oxfordshire. The most popular brew from these folks is probably their Hobgoblin, an ESB (Extra Special Bitter) with a light brown, sometimes reddish color and hints of fruit and caramel in the flavor. Wychwood offers plenty of other beers, one for just about any taste and season, but some I feel most appropriate to dice rolling are King Goblin, Black Wych, Imperial Red and Goliath.

skull splitterNext up, I have to mention Skull Splitter, one of the stronger beers here with a high alcohol content. Produced by The Orkney Brewery on islands in far northern Scotland, I would be remiss not to bring up this beer simply because of its name alone, and that awesome label. These brewers make some other fine drinks, such as Raven Ale and Dragonhead, but remember to taste these, not slurp them, or you just might fall asleep at the gaming table.

Then there’s Stone Brewing out of San Diego. With a gargoyle as the brewery’s mascot appearing on all their labels, just about any of their beers will do. Some personal favorites are the Stone Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, the Stone Smoked Porter, and the Stone Americano Stout.

If you’re a fan of dragons, you might want to check out Dragon’s Milk Bourbon Barrel Stout from New Holland Brewing in Michigan, while you music fans could turn to Bard’s, the Original Sorghum Malt Beer, which happens to be gluten free.

For something completely different, especially if you like to bring a little hilarity to your gaming table, you might want to look up Monty Python’s Holy Grail Ale from Black Sheep Brewery of North Yorkshire. If you like the flavor of hops with almost buttery, bread-like tones, then this beer could be right for you.

And there’s no way I could leave out the series of beers from Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown, NY, that focus upon Game of Thrones. You’ve got Take the Black Stout, the dark and sweet Three-Eyed Raven, the Fire and Blood pilsner, the dark brown Valar Morghulis, and Iron Throne, a blonde ale.

game of thrones

Where many a beer has gone before

ufo whiteSo far I’ve focused upon beers that could be related to fantasy role play, but not every game is set in a world of swords and sorcery. Some games take place in galaxies far, far away with blasters blasting and starships … uh, starshipping. But don’t fret. For you science-fiction gamers, there are also more than a few beers at hand.

When you’re in the mood for Vulcan Ale, you can literally drink a Vulcan Ale, brewed for the Federation of Beer by Shmaltz Brewing Company of Clifton Park, New York. While you’re at it, you can also enjoy a Syndicate Lager or a Klingon Warnog.

If Roswell-style action is more your game, the Harpoon Brewery of Boston has a whole series of UFO beers for you, from UFO White, UFO Gingerland, UFO Pumpkin and more.

No one can hear you scream while you’re drinking beer

Nosferatu beer labelYou horror fans have no reason to be left out, either. If you’re running a darker game, you might consider Night of the Living Stout, available in the fall from the Full Pint Brewing Company outside of Pittsburgh, or Dead Guy Ale, a fine honey-colored brew from the folks at Rogue.

And with Ravenloft returning to Dungeons & Dragons with the upcoming release of the Curse of Strahd adventure book, what better time to seek out some vampire-related beers? Great Lakes Brewing Company of Cleveland turns out some awesome brews, and each September their red ale Nosferatu is released upon the public at large. Also available is Croglin Vampire beer of Cumbrian Legendary Ales.

Last call!

Again, there are a lot of beers out there, and sometimes they come and go or disappear for a while before coming back or are only available seasonally, so I couldn’t get to all of them. If you have a favorite, or have heard of one, please let everyone know about it in the comments.

Also, remember to drink responsibly, especially at the gaming table, and as always, Stay Nerdy!

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Ty Johnston

A former newspaper editor for two decades in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, Ty now earns his lunch money as a fiction writer, mostly in the fantasy and horror genres. He is vice president of Rogue Blades Foundation, a non-profit focused upon publishing heroic literature. In his free time he enjoys tabletop and video gaming, long swording, target shooting, reading, and bourbon. Find City of Rogues and other books and e-books by Ty Johnston at Amazon.

2 Comments

  • David Friant
    February 11, 2016 at 3:54 am

    Your beer wisdom leaves me feeling shamed ole wise one. Great article.

  • Charles Gramlich
    February 11, 2016 at 3:52 pm

    Without beer, even historical wars might have been much less….war-like.

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