Starward Whisky has just opened the door to a rich and cheeky take on the iconic boilermaker combo.
With the release of the scrumptious ‘Stout Cask’ limited edition, now’s your chance to double down on everything you know and love about stout beer with the backing of a delicious limited-edition single malt Aussie whisky.
But let’s be honest, it’s not like you ever need another excuse for a boilermaker. An ice-cold beer with a dram of whisky? It’s a tale as old as time. There’s a good reason why this god-tier duo has become a fast favourite in bars the world over.
It’s outrageously simple and the combinations are endless, that’s for certain, but in a first for Starward, dark beer lovers can now bring the pairing full circle with this new Stout Cask single malt.
The latest Special Projects whisky is a celebration of craft that first blends two classically Starward flavour profiles – red wine and small format apera casks – and finishes them in stout barrels sourced from Brick Lane’s coveted ‘Trilogy of Fear’ series for an additional 18 months.
The boilermaker takes its name from those who first popularised it – Irish migrant workers across the United States crafting boilers for steam locomotives in the late 1800s. Now, the boilermaker is an almost holy celebration of two of life’s finest passions, whisky and beer; a perfect combination of winter warmers that has become greater than the sum of its parts.
Five Delicious Ways To Enjoy A Boilermaker
The boilermaker has become a post-work happy hour favourite, and while your choices may seem overwhelming, the easy option is to go for what you like in a beer with what you love in a whisky.
Kicking it off with the new Stout Cask, we’ve gone one step further and dissected the entire Starward range to bring you five of the best boilermakers for winter. There’s no need to stop at one, why not try them all?
Pairing 1: Starward Stout Cask x Imperial Stout
Let’s start with the most relevant. At 52% ABV, the Starward Stout Cask is a punchy single malt that is built with a rich roasted, chocolatey character and balanced with Starward tropical fruit and vanilla for notes of cacao, stone fruit and cookies.
The adaptable profile means the Starward Stout Cask would pair well with many different dark beers but we recommend using a barrel-aged Imperial Stout for those delicious, weighty notes. The intensity of the Imperial Stout is mirrored by the Starward Stout Cask, presenting the perfect depth of flavour by elevating both the beer and the whisky.
Pairing 2: Starward Two-Fold x Pilsner
For your next pairing, you’re going to want to take the bright, vibrant Starward Two-Fold Double Grain Australian whisky, with its enriching vanilla notes, and pair that up with a crisp pale lager – ideally a pilsner.
What you’ll be doing here is really accentuating those tropical notes. The pilsner’s bitter palate and floral hops will work well with the fruity whisky, making a sessionable boilermaker you could have year-round.
Pairing 3: Starward Nova x Pale Ale
Starward’s signature single malt is built on those really big juicy red fruit and soft oak spice notes so you’ll need a beer that’s full-bodied yet mild to complement the spirit.
Nothing fits that bill better than a Pale Ale, adding a hint of citrus to the mix to play well with the whisky’s elegant body. Much like the second pairing, it’s a year-round boilermaker that’ll fit any season.
Pairing 4: Starward Fortis x IPA
You’ll want a big, bold, hop-forward beer if you’ve got a bottle of Starward Fortis to play around with at home. The excellent single malt is not only a favourite due to its velvety smoothness, but the notes massage the palate with plenty of red berries, toasted malt and a juicy long finish.
For that, grab a fruit-forward IPA. The fruitier the better. What you’ll get is the perfect dance of flavours in your boilermaker, guaranteed to bring a different dimension to the classic track.
Pairing 5: Starward Solera x Hefeweizen
Starward Solera moves away from some of the other expressions with a classic banana and clove combination and a soft wheaty character. As such, for this boilermaker you’ll want a hardy German wheat beer to match.
Go for a reliable Hefezeizent. Not only will the bright tropical fruit play well with the banana and clove hybrid but both drinks bring in a similar smooth mouthfeel that’ll help the flavours go down better.
Shop the full range of Starward whiskies at starward.com.au
This article is sponsored by Starward. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
