'Game Of Thrones' & Ommegang Announce New Beer: Fire And Blood Red Ale

From the press release, the next beer in the "Game of Thrones"-inspired series is being readied for market, and the brew kettle at Brewery Ommegang is running hotter than ever. Brewery Ommegang and HBO jointly announce the third beer in their successful partnership, Fire and Blood Red Ale, will release in the run-up to the show's return to air in spring 2014. The new beer, inspired by House Targaryen, features a series of labels, one for each of the three dragons on the show: Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion.

Fire and Blood follows Iron Throne Blonde Ale (spring 2013) and Take the Black Stout (available now) in the hugely popular and unique partnership between the network and Brewery Ommegang. The first beer in the series, Iron Throne, flew off retail shelves and poured through tap spigots at an unheard of pace, leading to two additional brews. Just released (and at 2.5x the scale of Iron Throne), Take the Black is enjoying similar success as fans of great beer are getting into stores early to ensure they don't miss out. Timed for the launch of Season 4, Ommegang's Fire and Blood is sure to find interest at a feverish pitch.

NYC's Serendipity 3 Teams With Ripley's Odditorium For Halloween Sundae

Believe it or not but the famous restaurant traditionally known for its Frozen Hot Chocolate is teaming with Ripley's New York City for a creepy sweet Halloween sundae.

Dessert emporium Serendipity 3 has joined with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! 42nd Street Odditorium in Times Square for the Ghoulicious and Skull-tastic Sundae. The $20 dish comes in a collectible skull cup and boasts three scoops of ice cream, hot fudge, "blood red" raspberry sauce and is topped with -- according to a press release -- "goo-filled gummy brains and bugs, a mountain of sugar-blackened whipped cream, and hauntingly sprinkled with candy blood-filled skull gummies." There will also be a bone lollipop, sour gummy spider and candy blood bag thrown into the mix. They even throw in a take-home jar of Serendipity's "Famous Hot Fudge Sauce."

Available from October 22-31, the sundae will allow the adventurous eater to received a buy one, get one free admission to Ripley's at West 42nd Street.

And what better way to digest a massively sweet dessert than to check out exhibits that include vampire killing kits, live cockroaches, to mummies and "the largest collection of real human shrunken heads"?

-Aaron Sagers

'Ace Of Cakes' Duff Goldman Launches 'Zombie Cupcake' Game

Zombies are about to get frosted in a new game from "Ace Of Cakes" chef Duff Goldman.

The owner of Baltimore's Charm City Cakes, and the star of Food Network show, will be releasing an iPhone game called "Duff's Zombie Cupcake Attack" October 17.

The game, currently available for Android phones on the Amazon store, features Duff’s voice as he battles zombie cupcakes (and the occasional spaceship) with kitchen utensils.

According to Duff, he will battle the meanest batch of desserts ever baked and “slice, whip and flambé your enemies back to the mixing bowl.”

Check out the trailer below.

-Aaron Sagers

Sugar Skulls Add Flavor To Etsy

That sweet tooth of yours might kill ya, but you might as well enjoy the ride in deathly style. Over at the Etsy shop of Dem Bones, these hand-molded sugar skulls are a nifty product for your Halloween parties or just to add an extra "ooh" to your daily cup of Oolong. Made with 100% pure cane sugar, this particular box of 36 skulls (about one pound of the good stuff) costs $17. Each skull measures 1/2" X 1' and is slightly more than two teaspoons of sugar.

-Aaron Sagers

13 Paranormal Brews to Lift Your Spirits This Season

BY LARISSA MRYKALO

It's pretty staggering how many breweries have jumped on the paranormal hayride in the past few years. If you head into your supermarket or beer distributor to purchase your favorite brew this fall, you'll be overwhelmed with the hauntingly cool names and labels featured.

That's all well and good, and we're all for cool artwork, but are these concoctions any good for drinking? We've assembled 13 paranormally-themed brews that range from IPA to pumpkin stout and everything in between.

Give them a try and let us know if they were hauntingly delicious or should be buried in the ground. And if you've suggestions on some we've missed, let us know!

General Mills announces return of Frute Brute, Fruity Yummy Mummy monster cereals

And now the circle is complete and the monsters will rise to inflict ... deliciousness at your breakfast nook.

At a blog post on their company's site, General Mills announced today that discontinued monster cereals Frute Brute and Fruity Yummy Mummy would return this fall to join their brethren Boo Berry, Count Chocula and Franken Berry on shelves.

The werewolf themed Frute Brute (formerly known at Fruit Brute, and we are curious about the dropped "I") was discontinued in 1982 after being available for eight years. Meanwhile Fruity Yummy Mummy was put back into the crypt in 1990 after only a three-year run.

As the post points out, Frute Brute in particular has a fan following because it was featured in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, but Yummy Mummy has also been missed.

For the uninitiated, Frute Brute tasted like "artificial fruit flavor cereal + marshmallow bits" while Yummy Mummy was "artificial fruit flavor frosted cereal with vanilla flavor marshmallows." But if you don't remember, no worries since they'll still taste the same.

"It’s exciting to see the passion for the return of these two cereals," says Ari Zainudden, marketing manager in Big G. "We chose the current flavors of Fruity Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute to be as close as possible to the original flavors while taking into consideration consumers’ preferences. Consumers can get a taste for what these cereals were like when they were originally on shelves."

So not only will the two long-lost monster cereals taste like they originally did, for better or worse, Target stores will also sell all five cereals in retro packaging.

Eat them all and discover whether bringing the five monsters together will fulfill some cereal prophesy -- or just contribute to a belly ache.

-Aaron Sagers

'The Snacking Dead' Parody Cookbook Available This October

Courtesy EW

Zombocalypse preppers, put away those MREs. Clarkson Potter, the publishers behind cookbook parody 50 Shades of Chicken, are bringing us a parody of The Walking Dead in The Snacking Dead.

Inside the pages of this spooky parody, you can expect to find 50 delicious undead-themed recipes such as "Guac and Load Guacamole," "Sticky ribs," "Survivalist Hero," "Swedish Fleshballs"and "Cold Blooded ice cream sandwiches." The book also provides helpful tips and tricks for having to prepare tasty meals and treats in dangerous and extreme situations.

Author D.B. Walker (see what they did there?) has included a zombie tale to accompany the photos and recipes of the ghoulish goodies. This must have for foodies and zombiphiles is available for preorder now ($14.99 for the book or $11.99 for the Kindle version), and will be hitting the shelves on Oct. 29.

-Nowal Massari

Take a bite out of Zombie Burger in Des Moines, Iowa

Zombie Burger's menu sports a Zombie newspaper

Zombie fans in Des Moines, Iowa, are damn lucky. On 300 E. Grand Avenue, there’s a food joint with a name we can’t help but love: Zombie Burger.

Some lucky stiffs over at NPR got to partake in the super cool menu recently and really seemed to enjoy the zombie-themed noms (Zoms?).

According to their review, The entire menu at the Des Moines, Iowa, burger joint is zombie-themed. There's the "T-Virus," the "Undead Elvis," the "Dead Moines." The star, though, is "The Walking Ched." It's topped with macaroni and cheese, and the bun has been replaced with breaded and deep-fried macaroni and cheese patties, which may be beating an undead horse a bit.” It’s extra cool because it looks like brains.

Ommegang takes the black for its next 'Game of Thrones' beer

Unlike the guests at the Red Wedding, the awesome news surrounding all things Thrones just won’t die. For example, the exciting reveal of the second Game of Thrones beer from HBO Global Licensing and Brewery Ommegang has just been made and we no longer want to keep you in “the dark.”

The name will be “Take the Black” and this Night’s Watch-inspired stout will pack a nice punch with 7% ABV and debut this fall.

The stout is a far cry from the pale ale that was the brewery’s first and highly successful release, “Iron Throne Blonde Ale.” The ale’s high demand caused shops to sell out and bars were “tapped” of their supply within hours. Our editor Aaron Sagers took a trip to Ommegang HQ to get an exclusive first taster of that beer and wrote about it for MTV Geek.

A recent press release revealed that, “On Brewery Ommegang's online store, 287 Game of Thrones branded glasses sold on the first day alone. To satiate the appetite of beer-drinking Game of Thrones fans with the new brew, Brewery Ommegang will double the final volumes of the previous Iron Throne Ale.”

You’ll notice that the label art features the Weirwood tree where the Night’s Watch oath is taken. The release indicates that “It's an original design created specifically for the bottle by a52, the studio that created the title design for the show's opening credits.”

Have you tried the Iron Throne Ale? Are you excited to try “Take the Black?” Or do you adhere to Lord Bolton’s philosophy that alcohol dulls the senses?

-Larissa Mrykalo

Game of Cones ice cream competition sweetens post-'Game of Thrones' summer

Despite the efforts to cheer us up after witnessing the "Red Wedding," Game of Thrones fans are still pretty bummed. Well friends, here's a little treat that may just bring joy back into your lives during our hot-as-dragonfire summer because Ice Cream Is Coming!

Social media gurus, Foursquare and Game of Thrones network, HBO, are pitting nine ice cream giants from San Francisco and NYC against each other for supreme reign over your tastebuds. In order to compete in the "Game of Cones," all you have to do is check in at your favorite spot in either city to advance their placement.

Big Gay's speical GoC pin

Not on Foursquare? You can also use the hashtag #gameofcones to cast your vote for your favorite
shop.

Running from now until June 21st, the race is on. Aside from mass quantities of tasty frozen treats, this nompetition also promises one of the most coveted prizes in GoT fandom to the winning shop; the Iron Cone.

According to Foursquare's Game of Cones leaderboard, Big Gay Ice Cream of NYC is currently ruling the realms of flavor. Of course, Big Gay is also sweetening the deal by offering loyal subjects a special Game of Cones pins when they check in at the shop.

If you're in either of the competing cities, pledge your house allegiance by checking in or tweeting, enjoy a scoop and you'll be rewarded with some killer exclusive deals.

-Nowal Massari

Oreo targets supernatural demographic

Ever meet someone who doesn’t like Oreos? Probably not. Have you ever wondered if giving one of these cream-filled chocolate cookies to the Big Bad Wolf, a Vampire, a Great White shark or giant pink squid would change them for the better? Hopefully not, but the newest commercial ponders these serious questions.

Sung by Owl City, this new ad is cute and maybe even a little annoyingly catchy and strange. Vampires drink blood but may transform into a milk drinker. The Big Bad Wolf may re-consider killing the three little pigs and, what’s that in the end? A blue zombie esque hand? A robot hand? Robots don’t eat ... ANYTHING! But hey, these are Oreos that are filled with wonder, right?

So grab a glass of milk, watch the ad (which is likely to earn further installments), and try and comprehend what we’re talking about.

Disclaimer: we’re not responsible for this either sticking in your brain or making you run out for a pack of Oreos that will ruin your diet.

-Larissa Mrykalo

Zombie pub crawl has global aim

Zombie runs and obstacles courses may be just too strenuous for some of us, but what if we want to join in on the hoards of fun? How about a pub crawl instead? You don’t even have to pretend to stagger around, moan and spew fluids! It’s the ZOMPOCALYPSE!

If you want to be a part of what is described as "the biggest pub crawl in the known universe," this might be the event for you. Necessities include, "blood and gore, ripped or tattered clothes, and a strong desire to turn the night of the living dead into a rocking, fun night of the living dead." Sounds easy enough.

This is one contagion we can get behind and it starts this May 4. You can find your city (there are lots of participating cities) and you can sign-up to get info. Let us know if you’ll be joining the fun!

Although, one bone to pick (pun intended): Are we spelling the Zombie Apocalypse as "Zombocalypse"?

-Larissa Mrykalo

Ommegang to brew 'Game of Thrones' beer

Courtesy Ommegang

What a deliciously perfect marriage! We learned from the ArtsBeat section of the New York Times that HBO will be teaming up with the Cooperstown, NY-based Brewery Ommegang to create a Game of Thrones-themed beers.

Ommegang (which hosted a great Apocalypse party last summer) is a Belgian-style brewery that will brew these beers to correspond with the themes and characters that prevail in the hit HBO series.

The season premiere of the series is March 31 and along with its debut, the first beer aptly called "Iron Throne Blonde Ale," will be available for $8.50.

According to the article, three more beers are planned, with the second to be released next fall. The others will follow in subsequent seasons.

The Ommegang press release said, "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."

Since Game of Thrones features not only lots of back-stabbing and drama but also some mirth and merriment, so pairing it with a tasty alcoholic beverage just makes good sense. What flavors would you want to try? Lannister Lager? Petyr Baelish Pale Ale?

-Larissa Mrykalo

'Squatch Speaks' for love of Cousins Subs

McCoy with Squatch, courtesy QSR

Apparently, the search for the elusive hominid, Sasquatch, a.k.a. Bigfoot, is over. It’s all due to his love for subs, a.k.a. grinders, a.k.a. hoagies (depending on your geographical location).

Cousins Subs has a great campaign going that features a very cool and, dare I say, sexy Squatch. The 40-year-old sandwich business, started by two cousins and their wives in Milwaukee, Wis., has apparently enticed the Squatch out of hiding by bribing him with their delicious product.

New HBO products makes fans hungry for 'True Blood'

courtesy HBO

Although we are a several months from new episodes of True Blood, the HBO Store is helping fans satisfy their appetite for the vampire soap with a new line of food and lifestyle products.

For instance, if you've ever wanted to indulge in Gran's or Lafayette's cooking, you will be sated once you take a bite of the True Blood: Eats, Drinks, and Bites from Bon Temps cookbook. It will tantalize your tastebuds with 85 recipes from "The Queen of Cajun Cooking," Marcelle Bienvenu. It also contains 150 photos from the hit HBO series and it is available for $29.99 in major bookstores and online.

Of course, if you're going to get cooking in Bon Temps, you'll need a cool apron. The "Don't Bite The Cook" apron warns nearby vamps to let you finish your recipe and serve dinner before you become theirs for $29.99

Speaking of human food, if you want to smell like delicious half-fae Sookie, you should try being Forsaken. A recently launched fragrance from Givaudan, Forsaken is "evocative of the dark and seductive world of True Blood" with "an addictive blend of light and
dark notes which are ultra-feminine, yet sultry." The Forsaken collection also includes a body cream, shimmering body powder and candles. You could also add in some lipstick and nail polish that incorporates the ultra-feminine scent. And it won't take too big a bite out of your wallet, with prices that range from $25-$58.

-Larissa Mrykalo

Little Baby's commercial deliciously creepy

I absolutely love this commercial for Philly's Little Baby's Ice Cream. The shot of a bug-eyed human eating ice cream off its ice cream self is the stuff of a Cronenberg film, and I take particular glee knowing how it will haunt some friend's dream. It also has a wonderfully zombie-esque quality to it because I'm pretty certain the creature here is actually about to commence eating a little baby next.

Kudos to you, Little Baby's, for adding messed-up imagery to delicious treat time that no amount of brain scrubbing will erase.

-Aaron Sagers

Zombiez: A restaurant where the food isn't too fast

Reader Raysha Harris recently sent us this tip about a zombie-themed quality fast-food (slowish food) burger joint on Vashon Island, Wash.

According to Rusty over at Laughing Squid, Zombiez isn't really gory or anything, and the zombie theme is really only present in the menu names and some decor choices. So if you're looking for a flesh-and-brains sandwich (with a side of bath salts), you'll need to shop elsewhere.

Although Rusty says the food is quite good, so maybe it's worth walking your dead self over there for a bite if you live in the area.

-Aaron Sagers

Tim Burton inspired cake zoetrope ... Caketrope

Not much to say about this other than it is a delightfully inspired video of a delicious-looking cake-zoetrope hybrid called a caketrope. Watch it, be impressed by creative people and get hungry to dig in.

'Ghost Whisperer' cooks up kitchen spirits with new paranormal cookbook

BY ERIN WOLF
If your family spends hours arguing over who has the correct recipe for dead Granny's yummy fudge bars, then you might appreciate Mary Ann Winkowski’s latest book Beyond Delicious: The Ghost Whisperer’s Cookbook.

Better known as the woman who was the inspiration for the hit CBS television show The Ghost Whisperer, Mary Ann Winkowski is a real life paranormal investigator who just happens to be able to see and communicate with dead people. Over the years in her encounters with ghosts, Mary Ann has collected hundreds of recipes from earthbound spirits whose only wishes were to pass their cooking secrets on before going into the white light and leaving this world forever.

Paranormal Pop Culture was fortunate enough to be able to sit down and ask Mary Ann Winkowski a few questions about the trials and tribulations of growing up a ghost whisperer, what pisses ghosts off the most in the kitchen, what she thinks about today’s paranormal investigator trend and how in the world she was able to collect over a hundred recipes from the great beyond and bind them together into one neat little book.

The end is beer! Celebrate apocalypse with drinking party

Now this sounds like our kind of apocalypse.

The Ommegang Belgian beer brewing company in Cooperstown, NY, is hosting an end-of-the-world party this August.

The two-day event will include camping, music, dancing, a five-course beer dinner and tastings of the best Belgian and Belgian Style beers of 50 breweries and importers from around the world. The event promises to be one of "decadence and drinking in place of destruction and doom."

Can you think of a better way to go out?

Head to the Ommegang Facebook page for a complete rundown of the event.

P.S. Kudos to Ommegang for making one of the coolest doomsday calendar spoofs we've seen.