The Boilermaker: Combinations For A Whisky Classic

The etymology of “boilermaker” as a drink is uncertain, but most educated guesses place it as an abbreviation of “boilermaker’s delight,” a reference to the end-of-workday drink enjoyed by early 20th-century laborers who built and maintained all varieties of steam engines. In its classic form, it involves a shot glass of whisky, typically bourbon, dropped into a mug of lager and consumed in one go.

A more refined version might be best expressed as a shot and a beer, with both beer and whisky sipped separately but jointly, raising the question: Why whisky with beer?

For James MacDonald, owner of Toronto’s Bar Hop, the answer is simple. “I think beer and whisky are a natural fit, both individually and side by side, as they share many ingredients and flavors,” he says, “At Bar Hop, we find that each is regularly enjoyed by many of the same customers, people in search of quality and variety.”

But the proper partnership of beer and whisky requires some thought, says H. Joseph Ehrmann, owner of San Francisco’s Elixir, who annually assembles a menu of beer and spirits pairings for SF Beer Week. "I look at pairing a whisky with a beer like any ingredient combination in a cocktail; you have to find complementary flavors and balance," he says, "It's a physically layered drinking experience: you get one experience first, followed by a second, and in the end, the two combine to create a third."

A good starting point for such a partnership is to consider the whisky's general character: spicy, sweet, subtle, or smoky.

For a spice-forward whisky like a straight rye, look to the world of craft beer and the style known as Rye Pale Ale, or RPA. The spice of the grain and heft of the hops perform admirably together, leading us to the delightful pairing of an assertive but not aggressive straight rye such as Sazerac 18 year old with a classic American-style pale ale like the iconic Sierra Nevada.

Sweet malty whiskies pair best with similarly malt-dominated ales, from rich brown ales to chocolaty porters. For an ideal pairing, however, the more biscuity maltiness one would find in a British-style best bitter or pale ale goes down as a treat, accenting the whisky's fruitiness while unveiling greater depth in the beer's malt profile.

When it comes to more nuanced whiskies, like Japanese blends, look for a beer with enough sweetness to support the spirit's subtle charms, but without overwhelming bitterness or a pronounced dark malt character. The consummate Bavarian refresher known as helles, a bright, blonde, quaffable lager, performs exceptionally well here, as witnessed by a Hofbräu Original paired with Toki, preferably neat, but equally so over a single cube.

Smoky whiskies pair well with beer, as the roasty malt in porters, stouts, or the German black lager style known as schwarzbier can easily complement them. For the peatiest of Islays, though, look to the roast and hop character of a classic American craft stout like Bell's Kalamazoo.

Craft Well-Thought Boilermakers With These 3 Whisky and Beer Pairings

Glenfiddich Gran Reserva and Silly Scotch Ale

The mix of fruity, rum cask-accented 21 year old single malt with the cooked caramel and chocolate of the beer produces an experience best described as pure decadence.

Writer's Tears Copper Pot and Firestone Walker DBA Pale Ale

The biscuity malt and crisp hops of the beer combine to enhance the whiskey's stone fruit flavors, creating a bold, vibrant sensation.

Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 and Paulaner Hefe-Weizen Wheat Ale

The yeasty fruitiness of the whiskey meets a similarly banana-like yeast character in this palate-refreshing beer; happiness ensues.