A SHOT of whiskey and a beer—the barfly's alpha and omega—always seemed like a boozy marriage of convenience straight out of "Days of Wine and Roses." The overt logic: efficient anaesthesia.

But beer and whiskey share a deeper affinity. Malt, yeast and water are the building blocks of both. In Germany, there's a longstanding tradition of distilling beer into a spirit known as Bierbrand—a practice that's been catching on worldwide over the last few years.

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