Pairing whiskey with beer?

[BuffaloChris]

A bar in my area hosts a "whiskey club" every few months where members come to taste various types of whiskey. I do not belong to this club (yet) but a friend of mine attended a tasting a few months ago when the theme was Pairing Whiskey with Beer and she said it was great. The parings were:

Red Breast Irish with Guinness Stout

Wild Turkey Rare Breed with Smithwicks Irish Ale

Aberlour Single Malt Scotch (forget the year) with Woodchuck Cider

Any thoughts on this? We all know about the old "shot and a beer", but has anyone else tried pairing whiskey and beer for TASTE purposes?

[Virus_Of_Life]

Wild Turkey Rare Breed with Smithwicks Irish Ale

Any thoughts on this? We all know about the old "shot and a beer", but has anyone else tried pairing whiskey and beer for TASTE purposes?

Can't say that I have. I just find if I drink too much beer with my Whiskey I end with a hangover the next day...

As for Smithwicks I used to love this when I could only find it on tap at an Irish Pub then apparently sometime later Guinness acquired them? Anyway it started showing up every where in the bottle, since then I have bought a few and it basically tastes like any other imported Ale now, not anywhere near the same Ale it used to be. Another story of a large corporate machine swallowing up small great prducts and ruining them...

[fogfrog]

When I was in the Navy I used to go to Scotland to get on the Sub (during the cold war) and they had Cider there.... though I actually liked Newcastle Brown Ale better along with Scotch. But Cider is interesting stuff and I know it was very popular in Scotland and in Early New England and am curious... is this stuff available nowadays bottled in the USA?

Thanks,

Paul

[DrinkyBanjo]

Yes, cider goes in and out of fashion overseas quite often. There are about 2 or 3 brands we can get in the bars around here or in bottles.

[Gillman]

A medium-bodied fresh well-made home brewed beer is best with bourbon. For more details see Mr. Jeff Yeast, Lexington, KY.

Next to that I like a very fresh commercial lager because too many flavours in the brew spoil the whiskey. The reverse is not however true.

Gary

[Gillman]

Just want to add that Tim's keg of Flying Dog (I believe was the name) at Friday's Gazebo dinner was very fine, it had a big taste (very 'U.S. micro' in approach) and was a good palate cleanser after the Manhattans, red wines and other assorted goodies on the table were consumed and assayed.

I want to salute in particular Tim Sousley's particular generosity and comradeship. He brought prime whiskey (super-fine in fact), prime beer and prime white and red wines and offered them without stint or condition to all in his vicinity. He also went beyond even that by bringing down about 10 great bottles to the Gazebo table Saturday night, as if he hadn't done enough already.

Amongst all the fine potables he offered, there was kind of lost in the background a glass decanter of 1970's-era Michters (transferred from the original porcelain container). I had a small taste and thought it was really good, very clean and in good condition. It tasted youngish (probably not much over its then-stated aged of 6 years) and reminded me of the current Michter's Straight Rye quite a bit (the regular 4 year old one).

Gary

[TNbourbon]

Just want to add that Tim's keg of Flying Dog (I believe was the name) at Friday's Gazebo dinner was very fine, it had a big taste (very 'U.S. micro' in approach) and was a good palate cleanser after the Manhattans, red wines and other assorted goodies on the table were consumed and assayed...

It was Flying Dog's pale ale, Gary, dubbed "Doggie Style":blush: -- their best-seller, I believe.

Gary does me too much credit -- I just cart the stuff around, I didn't make it. It is a joy to me to be able to enjoy and share the finer stuff with folks who appreciate it -- and SB.com members qualify, for sure, on that count.

[Jazzhead]

Funny, when it comes to beer I used to try everything new under the sun, but in the last year or two just about all I've drank is Straubs. I have a business connection in Harrisburg, so I can keep regularly stocked, and it's just the cleanest, most refreshing tasting brew I've ever had.

I do all my experimentation with bourbon now - and a Straub's and shot hits the spot!

[ThomasH]

I think that Woodchuck cider is still around. About 5 years ago while on vacation in Myrtle Beach, I saw some 12 pack sampler boxes of it. apparently they make 3 different versions and this pack had all 3. I wish I had bought one to try.

Thomas

[gr8erdane]

Just the day before the Sampler when Doug (dougdog), Wade (wadewood), his wife Trina and I were knocking about St Louis, I took them to Cicero's on the U-City Loop and was looking to recreate a drink I'd been recommended there on my last trip. I'd asked the bartender that day for a black and tan made of something unique and was given a stout/Woodchuck cider combo that was very interesting. This time around I opted for the combo of Youngs Double Chocolate Stout and the Woodchuck cider and after finally drinking through the stout to get to the cider found it a rather tasty combination. BTW, Cicero's has both on tap and is a fine little establishment for beer lovers.