Boilermakers: whisky and beer

To kick things off here is a homebrew dark ale (some bitter roasted malty notes) with a Deanston 12 (vanilla dominant and quite creamy). I'm so impressed with Deanston 12 as an excellent example of a 100% ex-bourbon cask, unpeated single malt. This was a good pairing with the dark bitterness of the beer being cut nicely with the vanilla maltiness of the whisky

I picked up a mixed 6 box of beers from one of my favourite NZ craft breweries. This means I had some beers that I wouldn't normally choose. This was a Hazy IPA but at only 4% it was quite fruity and not overly bitter. This went well with this ex-bourbon Kilkerran 8 at cask strength. Enjoyed while watching some youtube content about production at Highland Park. Maybe I shoul dhave been drinking HP instead?

Another boilermaker: NZ craft beer Garage Project Hapi Daze - a lovely Pacific Pale Ale with tropical fruit notes on the nose - paierd with Ardnamurchan 01.21:01. I'm really impressed with what Ardnamurchan are doing - I could drink this all day long! This is a 50/50 split of peated and unpeated spirit, matured in 65% ex-bourbon and 35% sherry casks, and bottled at 46.8% ABV. I guess this sits right in the middle of the Malt Map.

Last nights boilermaker: NZ craft beer Garage Project Aro Noir stout and Springbank 12 CS batch 10 53.2%. This beer is 7.5% and has lots of coffee, chocolate and liquorice notes. It starts off sweet but has plenty of dark bitterness for balance. The Springbank holds it's own against it and the peat compliments it beautifully. A lovely match.

I once made a traditional boilermaker with Stagg Jr. and an Oskar Blues wee-heavy. Was delicious and potent!

My favourite boilermaker is the John Lee Hooker; one bourbon, one scotch, one beer.

@paddockjudge a classic

@Hewie that is quite a kick-off for your discussion. Bravo!

Gotta say I do like a John Lee Hooker when the mood takes me but generally pair an ale with a whisky of some description. My only experiences of a traditional boiler maker (whisky in beer) is baCk in my youth - most likely a shot of Bells in a pint of Fosters. I do recall quite liking doing Jager bombs though, which is basically a shot of Jagermeister at the bottom of a pint.

I find bourbon (or blends) works best with lighter beers and light, fruity malts pair better with darker ales. No hard and fast rules though and I like to try out new pairings. Porters or stout with sherried or port finished whisky also works well.

My favourite so far is a Benglar Lancer IPA (but in the traditional, not overly hoppy style) with Talisker 10. Heaven!

@paddockjudge my ideal trio along that line would be Maker’s Mark CS, Laphroaig 10 CS, an Innis & Gunn Laphroaig Cask Finished. Sort of a boozy Inception, if you will.

@RianC I remember being horified the first time I tried Jagermeister (straight). I thought it must taste good considering everyone smashing back Jager bombs. How does something like that become so popular? I imagine Talisker 10 would go well with that IPA. And that little trio sounds fantastic @OdysseusUnbound

@Hewie - It definitely has a unique flavour! Sambuca was another one that was very popular for downing shots - must be something about that anise/fennel taste? They always seemed a popular choice for ladies too, which surprised me, certainly compared to whisky, tequila etc.

@RianC, Sambuca is 40% abv. or higher. Most liqueurs are 17% - 35% abv. The sweetness and ‘higher’ alcohol content makes Sambuca appealing to those who do not enjoy ‘the burn’, yet desire the buzz. Anisette is a milder form of this sweet-anise liqueur, usually clocking in at 17 - 24% abv. There is a huge potential for a big head the next day as a result of the high sugar content.

Equal parts white/clear Sambuca & Coffee, predates Red Bull….and it’s a much better buzz

@paddockjudge - In my student days there was a club in Manchester that did double vodka Red bulls for £1.50! Man, I could get lit of a tenner and still be buzzing for the next twenty four hours (this was when RB first came out so God on!y knows how much caffeine(?) was in it)

I'll have to try more anise based liqueurs. Must be an age thing (ha!) but they do seem to help digestion and are a lovely way to finish off a meal. Those Mediterranean folk know what they're doing

@RianC ...and Ouzo.

@RianC Pernod is another one that’s a nice digestif.

@OdysseusUnbound And absinthe as well as Raki.

@Victor - Ouzo would be my favourite but Raki is very similar (better be careful there, I bet wars have been started in that part of the world for less ). Never had Perno, I don't think.

Sorry @Hewie to go off-piste, but if anyone is a fan of fish pie I recommend adding a few splashes of ouzo/raki etc to the sauce before baking. Mmm!

@RianC is that a Freudian slip, "to go off-piste"?

@Victor - dang auto correct. I think I meant to say point.

@RianC A wee bit of smoked haddock or smoked mackerel makes a nice addition to a fish pie.

Speaking of smoked mackerel, the Old Kiln Cafe at Ardbeg used to have a delicious smoked mackerel soup. With a dram of Corryvreckan on the side? Pure heaven.

Cheers

Relaxing on this Saturday afternoon with a Red IPA. The description mentioned tropical flavour and hints of red berries which made me think the Springbank 10 would be a good match. I was right - the tropical funk of SB10 is a good complement to the tropical fruits and bitterness of this ale. Anyone else read Denzil Meyrick? Police detective stories set on the Kintyre peninsula aka Campbeltown (where he was brought up).

@BlueNote - Oh it has to include some smoked fish, usually haddock or cod, along with salmon, prawns and boiled eggs. That and cottage pie have to be the best comfort foods on earth!

@Hewie I did a marathon read on all the Denzel Meyerick D.C.I Daley books. Every malthead should read them.

This combination worked pretty well with about 20 ml dumped into the beer and the rest of the Talisker on the side.

Another Saturday afternoon and another boilermaker. Friends gave me a mixed 6-pack from a craft brewer I hadn't tried before. In there was this nod to the motherland from us down here in the antipodes - Baylands Brittania Bitter. I served it in my precious pint glass from the UK emblazoned with the name of one of my favourite real ales 'Wadworth 6X" brewed in Devizes (famous for it's flight of 29 locks on the Kennet Avon Canal). I paired this traditionally styled bitter with a Longrow Red 13 Chilean Cab Sauv. What a pairing. The rich and robust Red holds up to the beautifully malty bitter. A fantastic compliment.

Today I spent a bit of time filling sample bottles and making a whisky library from most of my open bottles. As a result I found a couple whose level is so low they need finishing off. This old label Springbank 10 is just beautiful - it may even be my desert island whisky. Funky over-ripe tropical fruits and grungy garage floors. Just marvelous stuff. So I cracked open this Hazy as I prepare a roast chicken for dinner. This hazy IPA is incredibly juicy and fruity - a perfect match for the last of this Springbank 10.

A combo of Hobgoblin ruby ale and a Ledaig 10 whilst making dinner (as you can see). Got to say this Ledaig is not as stellar as it was a few years back - quite austere and lots of heavy tannins. So, I've jazzed it up with a splash of the Deanston Amontillado cask (Cheers @Timp).
That's more like it! The little bit of nutty sweetness brings it into much better balance.

Maybe not the best partnership but still a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon (after the stress of taking my lads out on their bikes earlier ha!).

@RianC that's a shame to hear that bottle of Ledaig doesn't live up to expectations but nice way to enliven it. Yep, taking your kids oiut on bikes can be stressful aye! That Ruby Ale looks tasy though. Nice work

@Hewie - cheers, mate. It's the youngest (2) basically demanding everything his older brother (5) has. And he goes top note too! Gets it from his Mum, obviously