8.3K
Downloads
12
Episodes
Belgian Beer Quest illuminates the people, places, histories, and mysteries behind legendary Belgian beers like Westvleteren, Orval, and others. In our quest to understand what makes these beers so special, we take you to monasteries, villages, and rarely seen breweries in a small, beautiful, and often unassuming country. Take a deep dive into one of the richest and most authentic beer cultures in the world. Join us on Belgian Beer Quest.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 24, 2019
Tuesday Dec 24, 2019
Happy holidays from EarBlitz! New episodes will be coming in the new year.
Tuesday Dec 03, 2019
Tuesday Dec 03, 2019
Zythology: Mastering Belgian Beer
The quest to experience legendary Belgian beer sometimes leads to unexpected revelations - like the existence of a profession called zythology. Zythologists are essentially master beer sommeliers, and their existence - which is relatively new - is incredibly meaningful for a variety of reasons.
Join host Nate Cairney as he digs into the subject of zythology and why it is matters in the context of Belgian beer. Along the way, you’ll meet Belgian zythologist Sofie Vanrafelghem, who will help illuminate what, exactly, zythology is, why Belgian beer deserves a place at the same culinary table as French wine, and why it is so important to dispel myths about women and beer.
Helpful Links:
Sofie’s World - Belgian Beer Expert Sofie Vanrafelghem
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
St. Bernardus: History and Mystery in Watou
Show Notes
With a range of excellent beers that consistently show up on “best of" lists around the world, St. Bernardus is a strong Belgian brewery. Yet its history is inextricably linked to that of Trappist powerhouse Westvleteren, which has led many to wonder how - and how closely - the beers are related.
Join host Nate Cairney as he travels to the heart of Flemish Belgium to unravel some of the brilliant mysteries surrounding St. Bernardus. You’ll learn about the perfect beer for a cold, rainy day, the identity of the jolly man on St. Bernardus labels, the truth about the connection between Westvleteren and St. Bernardus, and why a place called Watou might just be better than DisneyWorld.
Helpful Links
Monday Oct 28, 2019
Monday Oct 28, 2019
Rochefort: the Power of Place and Silence
Show Notes:
Inside the walls of the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy, located in the beautiful Ardennes Forest near Rochefort, Belgium, Trappist monks brew the Rochefort 6, 8, and 10 beers. But other than a small sign and a few dusty bottles behind one of the abbey windows, visitors might never know that this is the place that produces some of the most legendary beers in the world.
This "silent approach" makes the quest to unravel the magic of Rochefort even more compelling. Join host Nate Cairney as he travels to a beautiful part of Belgium to seek a deeper understanding of the mysteries behind Rochefort - including why what you don’t see is sometimes the most important thing of all.
Helpful Links:
Monday Oct 21, 2019
Monday Oct 21, 2019
In honor of the Belgian Beer Quest Podcast series launch, we are inviting you to the Belgian Beer Quest Launch Party and Tasting at De Belgian Bistro in Weilerbach, Germany on November 7th, 2019. Host Nate Cairney will be on hand to talk to fans and pass on his knowledge of Belgian beer. We will also have a beer tasting with some little known Belgian beers and a few surprises along the way. Space is limited, so register today at https://earblitz.com/launchparty/.
We hope to see you there!
Tuesday Oct 08, 2019
Tuesday Oct 08, 2019
Lindemans: the Magic of Lambic Beers
Show notes
Lindemans is one of Belgium’s oldest and most respected beer brands. Its lambic beers are world-famous, and the business has been run by a member of the Lindemans family for six generations - for almost 200 years.
Join host Nate Cairney as he delves into the Lindemans story, which is fascinating and fraught with adventure, persistence, happy accidents and innovation. You'll also learn more about an incredible - almost magical - process known as spontaneous fermentation, in which the success of a modern brewing operation relies on harnessing something…invisible.
Helpful Links:
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
Chimay: Big Beer, Bigger Heart
Show notes
In many ways, the story of Chimay is most unexpected. Chimay is a global brand. Its four beers are synonymous with excellence and available around the world. But at heart, the Chimay story is about how goodness is born, how it grows, and how it perseveres even through the darkest times.
Join host Nate Cairney as he delves into the amazing story of Chimay. Along the way, you’ll encounter refugee monks, the disappearance of a nearly century-old yeast, the importance of growth to giving back, and a pair of unlikely heroes who were given a quest that would change the way the world thought about Belgian beer.
Helpful Links:
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
Inside the Golden Valley: Orval
Show notes
With an unwavering commitment to excellence and a compassionate Trappist heart, Orval may well be the most respected brewery in Belgium. Orval, with its one beer, is also reminiscent of a Zen - or Trappist - riddle. How can one thing, the one Orval beer, contain such multitudes?
Join Nate Cairney as he travels to the beautiful valley of Orval in a quest to see where one of the world’s best beers is made. Learn more about Orval’s fascinating history, forward-thinking monks, how a bottle can be beautiful, and the role that one gallant trout played in launching a legend.
Helpful Links:
Friday Aug 30, 2019
Friday Aug 30, 2019
Return to Westvleteren
Show Notes
On a warm early summer day in Flanders, something extraordinary occurred. The cloistered monks at Westvleteren, who produce three legendary beers and who are famously reclusive, called a press conference. Something big was brewing.
Host Nate Cairney was fortunate enough to be invited to the press conference. Join him for a rare treat as Belgian Beer Quest enters the gates of the famous Westvleteren abbey. Along the way, you’ll learn more about Westvleteren’s big announcement and hear about a day when a simple Trappist monk was treated like a rock star.
Helpful Links:
Rate Beer - Westvleteren Profile
Friday Aug 30, 2019
Friday Aug 30, 2019
A Classic Belgian Brasserie: St. Feuillien
Show notes
A Classic Belgian Brasserie: St. Feuillien
St. Feuillien just may be the quintessential Belgian brewery. Named after an Irish monk who met a grisly end in a centuries-ago Belgian forest, St. Feuillien today offers a hand-crafted approach to brewing abbey-style ales, five generations of family ownership, a strong national reputation, a growing international reach, and a deep connection to the land around them.
In this episode, host Nate Cairney steps in to the St. Feuillien brewery for an inside look at how Belgian beer is made. Join him in his quest to learn more about the magic of beer science, the oddness of gigantic bottles, and one brewery’s effort to remain true to traditions in an increasingly modern world. Belgian Beer Quest is brought to you by Ear Blitz.
Helpful Links:
Breandán Kearney – Belgian Smaak website