Boilermaker Beer and Whiskey Shooter

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 11/29/21
Boilermaker Shot Drink

Jeff Kauck/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 drink
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
249 Calories
0g Fat
13g Carbs
2g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 249
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 15mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 97mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The boilermaker has been around as a workingman's drink for well over a century. It is still as popular as the Irish slammer and Jäger bomb and has the same ability to get you very drunk, very quickly. That is probably why it is such a popular party drink.

There are at least four ways to drink a boilermaker, and you will get a debate as to whether or not you can call it a boilermaker if you don't drink it a certain way.

  • Beer and a chaser: Down the whiskey and then enjoy the beer as a chaser.
  • Depth charge or dropped shot: Drop the shot glass of whiskey into the glass of beer and then drink it.
  • Pour the whiskey into the beer and then drink the combo. This can be done with a glass or after drinking some of a can or bottle of beer and then adding the whiskey.
  • Slow sipper: Sip both the whiskey and the beer, alternating between the two.

Which method you choose will likely depend on your drinking style and your mood of the moment. If you are ordering a boilermaker at a bar, you can also simply order a shot of whiskey and a beer.

Ingredients

  • 1 (12-ounce) can or bottle lager beer, preferably lighter

  • 1 1/2 ounces blended whiskey

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pour a shot of whiskey into a shot glass.

  3. Fill a pint glass with beer.

  4. Choose your method of drinking and enjoy.

When drinking dropped shots, take care not to get too wild. Shot glasses floating freely inside the bigger glass have been known to chip teeth. Use a larger glass for the beer so you won't spill as much when the shot glass is dropped. Drinking the combo fast will have a highly intoxicating effect.

How Strong Is the Boilermaker?

For the boilermaker, you will be drinking a beer and a shot of whiskey at their full strength. This will have an intoxicating effect. Having more than one in an hour will put most people over the legal limit for impairment.