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Author: KJ Callihan
There was once a time when high-quality beers and whiskeys were enjoyed side by side in slow-sipping harmony. Known as a “boilermaker,” the combo was likely popularized by steam locomotive workers in the 19th century to maximize alcohol intake with supreme efficiency after a hard day’s work.
The boilermaker as a drink has multiple iterations. Consumers can ask a bartender to fill a pint glass halfway with beer, then drop a shot—glass and all—into the brew, then toss it all back in one go. You can forgo the shot glass (helpful if you want to preserve your teeth) and pour the liquor straight into the beer. Or, you can go the more leisurely route of sipping both slowly.
Here’s the misconception: A boilermaker doesn’t have to consist of chasing a shot of unpleasant liquor with a pint of watery lager as quickly as possible. It need not be a fratty ritual.
Now, amidst an explosion of craft beer and artisanal spirits, this cocktail is making a classy comeback.
“Today it’s not uncommon for many cocktail bars and restaurants to incorporate some sort of upscale beer-and-shot pairing on the menu,” says James Tune, who co-founded a bar called Boilermaker in New York, NY. “Boilermakers are not just found in dive bars as was the case for so many years.”
Related: 50 Best Whiskeys in the World 2023
Because why would you want to sip your whiskey on its own when you can pair it with a complementary beer?
While we enjoy a nice glass of single malt Scotch, rye, bourbon, Canadian whisky, Japanese whisky, and literally every other kind of whiskey neat, on the rocks, and mixed into any number of cocktails, we also love to pair it with a nice pint of beer. The flavors open up even more.
The difficult thing is finding the right beer and whiskey to pair together. Sure, you can grab a bottle of your favorite beer from the fridge and blindly pair it with a whiskey off your bar car. But that might not work out too well if the flavors don’t work together.
We asked 10 mixologists, bartenders, and booze experts to tell us their favorite whiskey and beer pairings. Here’s how to enjoy a boilermaker at home.
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“The best whiskey and beer pairing is Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Rye with Kona Wave Golden Ale,” claims Donny Largotta, beverage director at Gansevoort Meatpacking in New York, NY. The two make an incredible duo, especially during the warmer months. Their flavor profiles aren’t too intense; they’re smooth and refreshing.
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For Thomas Muscolino, director of beverage innovation at Landmark Hospitality in Plainfield, NJ, the ultimate combo is Miller High Life and Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey. “Both are full of flavor while still being incredibly crushable, perfect after a long day of work,” Muscolino says.
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“My favorite beer and whiskey pairing is New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA with a nice shot of Basil Hayden,” says Vernice Reyes, bartender at Pívat Cigar Lounge in Rancho Mirage, CA.
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“As we come into warmer weather, I’m a big fan of a straightforward lager with a high-corn mash bill bourbon or corn whiskey,” says Will Krepop, beverage director at Wiggle Room in New York, NY. “To ramp up this combination a bit, I’m really enjoying Talea Brewing’s Weekender Lager paired with Mellow Corn 100% Corn Whiskey, which unsurprisingly has a distinct roasted corn flavor.”
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“If you ask any Chicago industry person at the end of a long shift what the best beer and whiskey pairing is, they’ll say a bonded bourbon and an ice-cold pilsner or Kolsch,” says Abe Vucekovich, beverage director at Meadowlark Hospitality in Chicago, IL. “I like a bold bourbon like Old Grand-Dad Bottled-In-Bond and a deliciously accessible beer like Metropolitan’s Krankshaft—together, they’re the perfect way to end a long night of serving and bartending.”
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“Recently, I’ve been pairing bourbon with non-alcoholic beer,” says Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago, IL.
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“A decadent combo, I recommend Firestone Velvet Merlin Oatmeal stout with Glenmorangie Signet,” says Danmy Nguyen, director of outlets at The Ballantyne in Charlotte, NC.
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“I was lucky enough to find myself in a room with a bottle of Springbank 21 year and 3 Floyds’ Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout, which is only released once a year,” says Dennis Gobis, co-owner and master mixologist at The Roosevelt Room in Austin, TX.
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“Few Immortal Rye—rye whiskey proofed with 8Immortals Tea—paired with Noon Whistle Brewing Co. Fuzzy Smack-Berliner Weiss With Peach is my go-to pairing to enjoy on a warm day,” says Allen Rodriguez, bar manager at Fuller House Bar in Chicago, IL.
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“We’re adding WayBird hazy IPA to our menu as an approachable summer IPA, which I find to have a delightful passion fruit finish,” says Andrew Bone, bartender at Viceroy Chicago, IL. “I like to match it with Woodinville Straight Bourbon Port.”
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Author: Ethan Fixell
Whirling eagles and vultures, sheer limestone gorges, vast steppe grasslands of raw beauty where endangered Przewalski’s horses, straight out of prehistoric cave paintings, and slinking gray shapes of wolves, take refuge – it’s hard to believe this true wilderness is comfortably in reach of the coast and cities of Southern France.
For people who want to see the wild parts of France without having to go into the high mountains, head towards Florac in the heart of the Cévennes National Park. Hike to revel in its landscapes and wildlife, visit its museums to bear witness to poignant battles for religious freedom, and stand still in time seeing farmers and their goats working with the harsh nature as they have for thousands of years.
And at day’s end, wander through chestnut forests to listen for the “phantom of the forests” under the expanse of stars in Europe’s biggest dark sky reserve. Incredible experiences await you at Cévennes National Park – here’s how to get there and what to do when you arrive.
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The combination of goat bells chiming from steep slopes and darting sheep dogs cleverly doing their work with Cévenol farmers makes you feel linked to hundreds of past generations. The 3000-year-old agro-pastoralism tradition is what got the park its Unesco status as an example of a living and evolving cultural landscape. Be part of this by rounding up goats, helping with milking, and making cheese at one of the oldest eco-museums in France and the Farm des Cévennes. Between June and September, a wide range of other farms open their gates to visitors.
Don’t miss the transhumance, the seasonal movement of animals between summer and winter pastures, in early June in Espérou. This is one of the last places where shepherds still drive their animals on foot (rather than in trucks) along drailles, ancestral paths that run through the park. You’ll be hypnotized by the sight of hundreds of sheep running through villages, wearing red pom-poms, accompanied by music and lots of good food.
The park has more than 5000 km of paths of all lengths and boasts 300 one-day hikes where spectacular views of the Mediterranean plains are easy to get from Mount Lozère or Mount Aigoual. Or set off on one of the many 2-3 day circuits along sheer gorges where soaring vultures will make your heart sing. For easy walks for all the family, take the sentiers de decouverte, Interpretative Trails, which explore subjects like local heritage, geology or botany and seek out menhirs and birds.
Several of France’s GR long-distance walking trails cross through the park. The most famous follows the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson and his donkey from Puy en Velay towards the Mediterranean. Wend your way over heath-like hills covered in broom wildflowers and through hidden valleys with quiet stone villages each with a tale of the historic past. Pont-de-Montvert, close to the source of the Tarn river, is one of the best preserved, with a fascinating history. Stevenson’s book Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes is a perfect companion along the way. This was also the spot where the Camisard War started in 1702.
The wild hills saw a fascinating part of European history when Protestant Cévenol peasants, camisards, turned to armed revolt after 1685 when Louis XIV clamped down on Protestant religious freedom. War occurred between 1702-1704 and hundreds of villages in the region were destroyed.
Engross yourself in the story of religious freedom and repression in the Musée du Désert in the house of the famous camisard leader, Rolland, aka Pierre Laporte. The displays are in French but a pamphlet with English translation is provided. Feel transported back as you walk around a typical kitchen and bedroom from the time and amongst paintings of the secret congregations in the forests and caves in the hills. See the foldable pulpits and the collection of secret bibles.
Be a humble witness to a wall where Huguenots snatched their place in history by painstakingly
recording the name of every man sent to the galleys and how they died. Be inspired by the stories of the women who never abandoned their faith and were sent to a prison near Montpellier, one of whom wrote letters from there for 37 years. The museum will change your ideas on what the words freedom and strength of character mean.
Plunge deeper into the region’s history in the coal mining museum in the post-industrial town of La Grand’Combe or the museum on the region’s silk industry in Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort.
The park has a particularly high number of plant and animal species due to its diverse landscapes and climates. Before you go, spend some time online on the park’s in-depth atlas, which gives information including soundtracks and maps with the latest sightings.
At the Maison des Vautours, take in the plunging view on the Jonte Gorge, learn about the successful reintroduction of the vultures, then lift your head to see their black circling shapes, falcons and maybe the magnificent royal eagle. Get back down to ground level at Micropolis, just outside of the park, where you can spy on the fascinating insect world.
Travel into the vastness of the Causse Méjean for a rare chance to see Przewalski’s horses, the world’s only horses never to have been domesticated. They died out in the wild in the 1960s and have been set free here to readapt before being reintroduced to the Mongolian steppes.
In September and October, pack a torch and dare into the dusk on Mont Aigoual to listen for the “phantoms of the forest”. Nothing beats walking on hills in the dark and hearing the strange roaring of the stags during the breeding season. Several places organize outings including the Maison de l’Aigoual.
Travel up to the top of Mount Aigoual or Mount Lozère for sunset and admire the stunning views out towards the sea and the Pyrenees. When night arrives, listen for the chip chip of flitting bats, the hoots of owls and see the spectacular expanse of stars.
If it’s August, look out for the annual Perseid meteor shower. For dedicated star lovers, there are organized hiking trips led by an astrophysicist and one guesthouse has built a stay around star-gazing, providing telescopes and initiations to constellations.
It’s not strictly in the park, but Demoiselles Cave is worth visiting if you’re driving in from the southeast. Guided visits take you in Europe’s first underground tourist funicular. Be amazed by an immense cathedral-like cavern full of stalactites and stalagmites that have formed over thousands of years into stone forests, petrified mushroom clouds and hanging daggers.
The people of the Cévennes once lived off chestnuts, the so-called “bread tree” because it saved them in scarce times. Buy them at markets preserved in jars, cooked over coals or delicious with cream in the Cévenol soup. Don’t miss the Chestnut Festivals, especially in Lasalle and Anduze, in Autumn which are a real spectacle of passionate chestnut enthusiasts.
The region is also famous for pelardon, a goat cheese, only produced in the Cévennes, which comes in small rounds from fresh creamy to highly matured and crumbly. It’s delicious on a good fresh baguette and with local honey.
Local markets are a great place to buy the park’s best products. One of the biggest and most typical in the southern part of the Cévennnes is in Lasalle where people flow down out of isolated valleys for the day and are happy to see friends.
One of the delights in the Cevennes is unexpectedly coming across restaurants and bars in isolated villages as neo-rurals bring new life and make the most of local products with French flair as they do at the Balade Gourmande in tiny Soudorgues.
The attraction of the Cévennes is its remoteness, but this makes getting there tricky. The best option is to come by car, hired in Montpellier or Nîmes. The roads are narrow and windy, so measure distances in terms of time and not kilometers. Difficult access means visiting the park for at least 2-3 days or longer and sticking to one area is better.
There are few permanent bus routes, but more options in the summer months with additional shuttles (navettes/cars). Information tends to vary with each town and village so head to the tourist office website specific to your chosen location and check out their transport page, ring the local office or check the Occitan transport website. Check the date of the timetable you’re looking at to make sure it’s the latest and beware of changes to timetables during different seasons, on public holidays or weekends.
For a choice of hotels and restaurants choose larger, touristy places like Florac, St Jean du Gard or Anduze and around Mount Lozère – it has a ski resort and is a good option in winter.
Many of the smaller villages have Airbnbs and if situated along the more popular hiking trails, have gîite d’étape – guest houses. For those wanting a sense of life off the tourist trail and with few amenities, head to Le Pont-de-Montvert, Le Bleymard or Sainte Croix Vallée Française. If you stay a week, it’s worth looking at rural guesthouses.
Campsites abound, particularly along the beautiful Mialet and Tarn rivers, which get relatively crowded in summer.
There is a confusing profusion of websites and tourist offices covering the park, each corresponding to different administrative regions. Many villages have their own tourist office.
The best thing is to choose the geographic area you will travel to and then find the corresponding tourist website or office. Good websites cover the Causses et Gorges, around Mount Lozère, and the southern edges. The park itself has a global information website and a planning platform, as well as three park offices in Florac, Aigoual and Génolhac.
Weather-wise, look out for the épisodes cévenols, periods of extremely heavy downpours usually in Autumn, which can cause flooding and prevent driving.
Many attractions and amenities in the park change timetables or close down completely in winter, so check before you go.
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Full-time Twitter CEO and part-time Tesla enthusiast Elon Musk said on Saturday that users of his social media platform will be able to avoid media subscriptions and pay per article starting “next month.” Musk says that Twitter’s forthcoming “one-click” service “should be a major win-win for both media orgs & the public” by allowing media companies to charge a higher per article price to readers who wouldn’t necessarily pay a full subscription rate.
Musk didn’t say what percentage Twitter would pocket for itself or what conditions media publishers would need to abide by.
Rolling out next month, this platform will allow media publishers to charge users on a per article basis with one click.
This enables users who would not sign up for a…
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Author: Thomas Ricker
Bringing the right gear is arguably the most important part of preparing for any multi-day river trip—and even more so if it’s multi-week. You can save yourself a lot of grief and wasted space by fine-tuning what you really need to bring along and what you’re better off leaving at home. I learned this (occasionally the hard way) last fall during 21 days of rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon with seven friends.
The rafting trip was, of course, incredible beyond words. It was also a lesson in thresholds and preparation. Spending three weeks self-supported in any backcountry automatically comes with a level of discomfort, but The Big Ditch is uniquely hard on both gear and your body.
For three weeks, we were sand-logged from start to finish. The sand along this stretch of the Colorado River is so fine and invasive that it’s actually more than just an annoyance. It clogs the zippers and seals of every piece of gear. It worms its way into the fibers of every fabric and micro-rubs your skin non-stop. Then there’s the weather. The floor of the Grand Canyon is dry, arid, and either scorching hot or bone-chillingly cold depending on the time of year.
Related: 5 Awesome Unconventional River Rafting Trips
So, while having the right layers, the right sleep setup, and the right dry gear is crucial for any rafting trip, your river kit needs to be seriously dialed in to do the Grand.
When it comes to gear, the beauty of rafting is that you don’t have to haul your belongings on your back—just row them downriver. That means you can pack more than the bare minimum, while still running the risk of overpacking and/or leaving essentials behind. If you don’t bring the right items to stay dry, cool, and comfortable, those inescapable frustrations—day-in and day-out with 150 more river miles ahead of you—will start to sour those breathtaking views.
Before we get into the do’s and don’ts, let’s just start off by naming my worst decision: grabbing hiking poles and adding them to my pile of gear. Half a river trip involves trekking and Grand Canyon hiking is notorious for steep climbs with loose rocks—which is why I thought hiking poles would be helpful. But the hikes from the river’s bottom aren’t as developed as those from the top, which meant there was a lot of scrambling over huge boulders.
I brought my hiking poles on the first few hikes only to realize they were more helpful stashed away. Not only did I not need them for hiking after all, but they were a pain to pack on the boat, given they’re too pointy to be stuffed into a dry bag and too long for most dry boxes. So you can nix those from your load-out list right away.
Assuming you already have a list of the usual must-haves for a river trip, like water shoes, sun shirts, and maybe a dry suit depending on what time of year you’re going, here are the best pieces of gear I was very grateful to have—and a couple of rethinks.
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Waterproof, knee-high boots might be the single best item I brought on the trip. Chacos or Tevas are great on the raft during the day, but the more your skin is exposed to the elements, the drier it gets, which becomes painful past a certain point. What’s more, constant abrasion from all that sand once at camp can create small cuts that can lead to bacterial infections like tolio, which runs rampant on the Grand and other multi-week river trips. In short: You need to protect your feet when you can.
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From bighorn sheep to great blue herons, wildlife is one of the coolest parts about being down in the canyon. I was surprised to find I was the only person in the group who’d brought binoculars. Soon enough, a favorite pastime as we slowly cruised flatwater or relaxed at camp was zooming in on canyon walls to spot what was quietly hiding in the surrounding cliffs—from abundant canyon wildlife to the odd lone hiker.
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Merino is ideal for temperature regulating, as it can hold heat and still be breathable. These properties could not be better-suited to shoulder-season river trips where temperature, sun, and wind conditions are constantly fluctuating as you move through the canyon.
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Personal headlamps are crucial, but outdoor lanterns that you can place on a table are such a nice, small luxury to illuminate things while cooking, on dish duty, or just hanging out playing cards. Some people brought solar-rechargeable lanterns, but they didn’t hold their charges long and if we forgot to pull them out to charge on the boats during the day, they weren’t helpful.
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Rafting is all about luxury while roughing it. Who wants to sleep with their head on a blow-up camping pillow for 21 days straight? A lot of people bring full-size bed pillows, but they take up a lot of room in your dry bags—and sand gets permanently embedded in them.
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One of the best parts of being on the river for weeks at a time is being able to completely disconnect—but you’re still going to want the content. Bringing a GoPro camera meant I could keep my phone off and away but still capture memories. And because it’s waterproof, super durable, and was attached to a floating mount, I also got rad footage of us sending Lava, hitting holes in Sockdolager, and nearly swimming in Crystal.
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In this day and age, it’s nearly impossible to go three weeks and not use some kind of electronic that’ll eventually need to be recharged. We kept everything pretty low-tech, but BioLite Charge 80 PD Power Bank was the perfect size to charge up the GoPro every other day (or a smartphone five times, a tablet twice, or a laptop once).
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There are two types of dry bags: zippered and roll-top. While both are just as reliable for most rivers, the sand down in the Grand Canyon truly infiltrates everything. When fine sand gets into zippers, it’s like throwing a wrench in a machine. Two of the zippered duffels we brought failed by our second week. Luckily, we had enough space in other roll-top dry bags to tide us over, but save yourself the trouble and opt for all roll tops down here.
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Rechargeable headlamps are a great, sustainable option 95 percent of the time, but three weeks away from a power outlet isn’t one of them. Save your portable power bank juice and bring an old-school, AA battery-powered headlamp and a stash of backup batteries.
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Author: Rachael Schultz
Like many great products, the Elgato Stream Deck wasn’t exactly a new idea.
When the very first one debuted six years ago this month, we instantly compared it to Art Lebedev’s legendary Optimus Maximus keyboard, which promised an array of swirling OLED screens under your fingertips an entire decade earlier. Razer, too, pioneered LCD keys before their time, tacking them onto a keyboard and the company’s very first Blade laptop.
But today, we’re celebrating the simple genius of Elgato — the company that finally turned them into a viable product by making them relatively cheap, comfy, and most importantly: peripheral.
Art Lebedev and Razer both believed we wanted a new keyboard that morphs, where our primary computing input mechanism…
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Author: Sean Hollister
It’s a long-standing belief here at The Verge that copyright law is the only real law on the internet, because it’s the only speech regulation most people on most platforms will accept. (At least in the United States.)
Post something that blatantly infringes someone else’s copyright, and most platforms will spring into action to take it down, because they are protected from liability under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act if they take action in a reasonable amount of time upon request. And the way the DMCA influences user behavior on platforms is really well-known: we have been writing about “no copyright intended” for over a decade now. There are lots of and lots of people out there who know how it works.
Anyway, Elon Musk isn’t…
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Author: Nilay Patel