The Best Whiskey Boilermaker Combinations

When it comes to complementary pairings, it’s tough to beat the appeal of whiskey and beer. Sure, you can drink a dram of your favorite whiskey and then enjoy a beer (or vice versa) at different points of the evening. But why not enjoy a crisp beer and a long-aged whiskey at the same time? I’m talking, of course, about the classic boilermaker.

Saying you enjoy a “boilermaker” isn’t specific enough. This is because there are two kinds of boilermakers. The first consists of dropping a shot of whiskey into a beer and drinking the whole thing down like you would with a Jager Bomb. The other method consists of imbibing a shot or glass of whiskey and then following it with a beer (or going back and forth between the two). Since I’m less likely to spend my time at a bar (or at home) chugging beers, and I actually enjoy the taste of the two drinks, I most often opt for the latter method.

While there’s some debate about where the name came from, some believe it was coined in the 1800s by skilled blacksmiths who made iron boilers for trains and ships. It’s believed that these hard-working men would order a shot of whiskey and pair it with a beer after a long day of work. Regardless of when it was created and why, boilermakers remain a classic combination that’s perfect after a long day.

The key is finding the right combination of whiskey and beer for you. First, you need to think about what whisk(e)ys you enjoy. Do you like complex, smooth single malt Scotch whisky? Do you prefer sweet, mellow bourbon? Perhaps a spicy, peppery rye is more your speed. The same choice needs to go into picking a beer. Are you a fan of rich, robust stouts; hoppy, bitter IPAs; or crisp, refreshing pilsners?

While you can experiment with various combinations, the below pairings are natural fits.

You don’t have to wait for St. Patrick’s Day to enjoy all that Ireland has to offer. A perfect boilermaker combination any time of year consists of a dry Irish stout like Guinness, Murphy’s, or Sullivan’s; and an Irish whiskey like Tullamore D.E.W., Teeling, or Red Breast. The dry, roasted malt flavor of the beer pairs perfectly with the sweet, malty, fruity flavor of the whiskey. It’s bitter meets sweet in the best way possible.

The classic boilermaker combination of a crisp, refreshing, no-frills pilsners and a sweet corn, mellow straight bourbon is about as good as it gets. Great examples include Pilsner Urquell, Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella PILS, and Trumer Pils. Pair these crisp, easy-drinking beers with Elijah Craig Small Batch, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Bib & Tucker 6 Year, or your favorite bourbon. The combination of crisp, biscuity malts, and hops in the beer works in perfect unison with the corn sweetness, vanilla, toffee, and oak of the bourbon.

If you’re looking for an under-the-radar boilermaker combination, look no further than a nice, sweet, rich porter and a classic, smooth, complex sherry matured single malt Scotch whisky. Porters like Deschutes Black Butte, Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, and Jack’s Abby Framinghammer pair well with unpeated, sherried single malt Scotch whiskies like Aberlour A’bunadh, The Macallan 12 Year Double Cask, and Glenfarclas 12 Year. The combination of roasted barley, sweet fruits, and chocolate in the porter pairs well with the dried cherries, vanilla, toffee, and oak in the sherry matured single malt Scotch whiskies.

If you’re more into bold, spicy flavors, a good boilermaker combination for you is a nice, nutty, sweet brown ale and a spicy, peppery, flavorful rye whiskey. There are a ton of great brown ales on the market, including the iconic Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale as well as Brooklyn Brown Ale and Cigar City Maduro. These beers pair well with rye whiskeys like WhistlePig Piggyback and Sazerac 6 Year, or a bold, high-proof option like Aberta Premium Cask Strength. The nutty, sweet, malty flavors of the brown ale are perfectly suited for the peppery rye, herbal, vanilla, and oak flavors of the rye whiskey.

If smoke and high alcohol content is more of your jam, a great boilermaker combination is a rich, roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee-filled imperial stout and a robust, campfire smoky, complex peated single malt Scotch whisky. Great choices include North Coast Old Rasputin, Founders Breakfast Stout, and Sierra Nevada Narwhal. Pair these bold brews with a peated single malt Scotch like Port Charlotte Heavily Peated, Lagavulin 16, or Ardbeg an Oa. The chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt flavor of the imperial stout is the perfect combination for the peat smoke, sea salt, vanilla, and oak of the peated single malt Scotch whisky.