The Boilermaker

BOILERMAKER

Boilermaker House, Melbourne

Beer and whisk(e)y - both so delightful in their own right, it was only logical they would one day be served in unison, and hence, the boilermaker was born. A boilermaker is most commonly taken as a glass of beer served with a shot glass or neat nip of whisk(e)y, and not one inside the other. With a growing appreciation for both beer and whisk(e)y, it is common to select both beer and a whisk(e)y for their flavour profiles in complimenting one another.

The boilermaker can be traced back to miners and industrial metal workers (or boilermakers) since the 1890s. In fact, if one consults the dictionary for the term “half and half” a definition arises of “a mixture of two malt liquors”.

Venues around the world now offer a curated selection of beer and whisk(e)y pairings. Australia has welcomed the boilermaker with venues such as Shady Pines Saloon, Wild Rover, The Gresham, Varnish on King, and Whisky & Alement all offering a selection of boilermakers. In the USA, a boilermaker known as a “PBJ” is served – a reference to a peanut butter and jelly (jam) sandwich, with pint of beer (PB) and a nip of Jameson Irish Whiskey (J).

Recently, boilermaker events and classes have showcased the pairing. Sydney Craft Beer Week and Good Beer Week both featured boilermaker events to educate and enlighten people on the wonderful matchmaking that is beer and whisk(e)y. Asia is also no stranger to the boilermaker with Meatliquor Singapore hosting an a boilermaker event earlier in 2016.

Taking this concept to the next level is the first Australian venue dedicated to beer and whisk(e)y pairing that finally arrived in 2015 - Boilermaker House in Melbourne’s CBD. Boilermaker House currently stock over 700 whiskies and around 40 different beers to pair them with, along with small food garnishes served with each pairing. This is the first venue in Australia to bring the boilermaker concept to the masses.

JAMESON AND THE BOILERMAKER

Jameson Irish Whiskey, with its signature smooth and mellow finish is perfect for a boilermaker. Adding to the allure of the boilermaker, Jameson released a Caskmates expression, which emerged from a conversation in 2013 between the Jameson head distiller and head brewer of Cork’s Franciscan Well Brewery. Jameson Caskmates has been finished in Irish stout-seasoned whiskey casks, with the triple-distilled smoothness still intact. It has all the classic characters of Jameson Irish Whiskey with added notes of coffee, cocoa, butterscotch and hops brought out by the stout influence, and a long sweet finish.

This rise in popularity of the boilermaker has also spawned collaborations such as Jameson Whiskey teaming up with Sydney’s Young Henrys brewery to create their take on the traditional boilermaker serve. The serve, known as “Boilermates” consists of Jameson Caskmates served neat or on the rocks, paired with a Young Henrys beer. of choice.