I have spent a good deal of the last few days (when I was not at work) playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. So, far it has that great, open-ended epic feeling common to all of the Elder Scrolls games. The graphics are sharp, though, not flawless. The mood is dark and cataclysmic. And the storyline is, well, there are a lot of story lines, but many involve epic conflicts and dragons so far. From what I have played, the game easily stands up to its predecessors and in terms of darkness and open game play may even surpass them. I personally like the Nordic feel. This game is definitely worth checking out.

And now for the real question, what to drink while you are playing? A game like Skyrim requires something big that fits the theme. I suggest a Scandinavian beer like a Haandbryggeriet Odin’s Tipple or anything this Norwegian brewery makes. You might also try something from Nøgne ø, which is another great Norwegian Brewery. Both producers are world class. Furthermore, you cannot go wrong with anything the Danish gypsy brewer Mikkeller or his brother (who brews under the name Evil Twin) produces. The Orkney Skull Splitter also fits the theme really well. If you insist on drinking American, New Holland’s Dragon’s Milk is a tasty, barrel aged beer that blends nicely with the game’s theme. And if you really want to go all out while you play Skyrim, you should try Viking Blood Mead, the very bottle this mead comes in screams Skyrim!

On an unrelated note, I am now about halfway through Patrick Rothfuss’s “The Name of the Wind”. This book is amazing. If you are into the George R.R. Martin, Robert Jordan genre of literature, I highly recommend this book. It is detailed, interesting and extremely well written. Honestly, it is difficult to describe and one simply needs to order it from Amazon and start reading.

After writing this original post and working all day, I narrowed down the above suggestions to a list of 5 beers you should drink while playing Elder Scrolls Skyrim.
1) Orkney Skull Splitter
This scotch ale/wee heavy fits with the Nordic theme perfectly, in flavor profile, name and picture on the bottle.
2) Haandbryggeriet Odin’s Tipple
This imperial stout is big, bad and at 11% alcohol might cut playing time a little short, but sometimes it is just the right thing to do.
3) Unibrique Maudite (or anything from Unibrique)
This Belgian strong ale is sturdy, good for cold nights and takes its name from Norse mythology.
4) Kulmbacher Eisbock
This is the original eisbock, its very potent and good for the cold nights, plus, I just could not leave the Germans out of this discussion.
5) New Holland Dragon’s Milk
This imperial stout has the perfect name for Skyrim and it is a pretty solid whiskey barrel aged beer that should be available year round.