Dalwhinnie 15yo and Bulleit Rye with 4 Pines beers

The traditional pairing of whisky and beer known as a boilermaker is continuing its ascension in Australia.

On Wednesday night, 4 Pines Brewing Company joined up with spirits company Diageo for a Boilermaker Night at Sydney’s Wild Rover, organised by craft beer club, The Bottled Lightning Co.

The boilermaker had humble beginnings as a shot of whiskey and a beer chaser at knock-off time for 19th century steel workers in the US.

Modern iterations have become focused on carefully creating a match to be savoured, with an elegant marriage of beer and whisky that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Boilermaker Night at Wild Rover

Diageo Reserve brand ambassador Will Oxenham and 4 Pines brewery manager Lindsay Crawford introduced three pairings of small batch 4 Pines beers with single malt Scotch whisky, American rye whiskey and rum from the Diageo range, the latter moving outside the strict definition of a boilermaker.

• 4 Pines Keller Door Canadian Red Rage with Ron Zacapa 23
• 4 Pines Keller Door Anzac Double IPA with Dalwhinnie 15yo
• 4 Pines Keller Door Cascadian Dark Ale with Bulleit Rye

Also recently, the team behind the Eau De Vie cocktail bars in Sydney and Melbourne has launched Boilermaker House, its second venue in Melbourne with 700 different whiskies and 12 rotating beers on tap, with an extensive list of pairings for drinkers to explore.

And Hawthorn whisky bar The Kilburn opened its doors earlier this yearwith a boilermaker menu.

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