Dunk & Egg – A “Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Literary Cocktail

For the next entry in my literary cocktail series, I decided to go with a story that has been dominating conversation recently: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. If you haven’t seen the HBO series yet, it is a delight, as well as a very different take on the Game of Thrones universe. It is, of course, also a wonderful book by George R. R. Martin, a series of stories following Dunk and Egg, a hedge knight and his squire. 

I’ll try not to give away anything in the explanation of the cocktail, for those who haven’t yet read the book or seen the show, but Dunk and Egg are an unlikely duo — to say the least — as are the two components to this cocktail. On the bottom of the drink is a layer of milk stout, a beer that is both strong and sweet. On top floats a layer of brandy, apple cider, and lemon juice shaken with an egg white to give it a nice froth.

Just like Dunk and Egg in the stories, the pairing seems strange, but the two actually work quite well together. Something like a snakebite or poor man’s black velvet — the names for a layered pint of stout and cider — the sweet, aromatic apple and brandy layer mixes with the creamy, slightly-bitter stout each time you lift the glass to your lips, delivering a unique mixture with every sip. If you are as ready as I am for a reread of the book or a rewatch of the series, now you have a tailored cocktail to go with it.

Dunk & Egg - A "Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" Literary Cocktail

An unusual duo that work together to great effect, this drink consists of a strong, sweet layer of milk stout topped with a shaken mixture of brandy, apple cider, lemon juice, and egg white.

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Course: Drinks

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 ½ oz. brandy
• 1 ½ oz. apple cider
• ½ oz. lemon juice
• 1 egg white (one is plenty for two drinks)
• 4 oz. milk stout
• cinnamon to garnish

Method

 

1. Combine the brandy, apple cider, lemon juice, and egg white in a cocktail shaker, and shake for 15 seconds.
2. Add ice to the shaker and shake for another 15 seconds.
3. Pour the stout into a goblet or stemless wine glass.
4. Carefully strain the brandy mixture into the glass, pouring it onto a spoon set right at the level of the stout. This will keep the layers of the drink divided.
5. Once the drink has settled and a nice layer of foam forms at the top, artfully garnish it with a bit of cinnamon, and serve.