Entry in progress—B.P.
 
Boilermaker (beer cocktail)
A boilermaker is a beer cocktail consisting of a glass of beer and a shot of whiskey, tequila, or vodka. The beer is served either as a chaser or is mixed with the liquor. When the beer is served as a chaser, the drink is often called simply “a shot and a beer.”
 
Traditionally, the shot and the beer are served separately, but some drinkers prefer to have them mixed.
 
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
Why is whiskey with a beer chaser called a Boilermaker?
Nobody knows. At least, nobody we can find.
 
Many workers relax after work with a shot of whiskey followed by a beer chaser, often called a beer and a shot or one-and-one. This drink only becomes a boilermaker if the drinker drops the shot of whiskey into the mug of beer and downs the entire drink with one long draw, not lifting his (or her) lips from the mug until it’s all gone.
 
Boilermakers are usually reserved for celebrations. If you’re tempted to try one to celebrate your Labor Day, we warn you: identify your designated driver now.
 
How this drink came to be named after the workers who build and repair boilers is unknown. The Oxford English Dictionary, widely regarded as the foremost authority on word origins, says the term “boilermaker” was first used to refer to the craftsmen who built and maintained steam locomotives in 1834.