Beer Ladies Podcast

It’s our last episode of the year and the birth of a new annual tradition - the Beer Ladies Pub Quiz! We each take turns asking some beer/Christmas trivia and the rest fight for the prize, including the coveted Wrong Answers Only round! See if you can beat our local quiz whiz - post your scores and answers to our socials. See you in 2023! What we’re drinking: Hope Beer - Dublin Porter https://unta...

Have you seen or tried a Christmas Beer? What is that anyway? Are Christmas beers always winter warmers? Find out what makes these beers persist over the festive season, and learn why they’re not as old as you may think. Katie, Lisa and Thandi examine these beers and give you the low down.  Links: Christmas Beers: Saints, Vikings and Stella - https://issuu.com/phillybeerscene/docs/pbs_decjan1...

This week we’re speaking to Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela - the first black woman in South Africa to own a brewery, and with a CV that would make almost any brewer look like an amateur. She’s had a very interesting journey into and through the beer world, with loads of ups and downs - today we talk about her brand Tolokazi, her NPO Brew4Change as well as her personal adventures all over the world judging a...

Heard of the Late Late Toy Show? Well, we’re doing it beer-style. In this episode, we’re going through our very own beer-themed wishlists and gift guides - from cheap and cheerful to investment pieces. We highly recommend watching this one as there’s screen sharing involved, but fear not - all the links to the gifts are on our website below too.  Links: Check our website for a full list of ou...

This episode we have a special guest joining us - John, the Beer Nut. John is a staple in the Irish beer scene, and is the 2022 Beer Writer of the year! We chat to him about his journey through beer, his involvement with Beoir and get his thoughts on the industry at large. Check out his blog and social links below. Links: Blog - https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/thebee...

Do you know your “dank” from your “damp” or what “stone fruit” tastes like compared to “tropical”? In this episode, the first of our new Lingo Series, we go through a few common flavour and aroma descriptors trying to simplify them, so that we can all use these terms with confidence.  Links: Terminology in Beer Reviews: https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1294624/FULLTEXT01.pdf Flavou...

Ever wonder why Bock’s are associated with goats? Or what the difference between a Doppelbock and a Maibock? We’ve got you covered, mostly. Lisa, Christina and Thandi go through some style characteristics, how they’re brewed and what to expect from the different Bocks in this style-family.  Links: Oxford Companion to Doppelbock - https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/Wh98KEUoo1/ Bock Fest &am...

It’s the spooky season, and this week we’re chatting with Cian from Wide Atlantic Weird about ghost stories! Check out some local as well as international tales in this crossover episode - wishing you all a haunty Halloween! Links: Wide Atlantic Weird podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/wide-atlantic-weird/id1448284008 Pints and Pubs - https://pintsandpubs.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/blac...

Have you ever mixed your beer with stock from a rooster to make a cocktail? Well, if not you could be missing out. This week Thandi, Lisa, and Christina are talking beer cocktails, from the simple shandy to the Porter Cup, Lambs Wool, and Michelada. One thing is for sure, mixology is not a new art. Have you got any creative bee cocktails that we should try? Tell us on the socials! Links: Christina...

We’re going back to the land for another installment in our Ingredient Series, and this one will make you want to get your fingers in the soil. We’re chatting to Maurice Deasy from Canvas Brewing about Heritage Grains and malting - and why Canvas have chosen to make beers from farm to glass. Lisa and Christina are at the helm this week as we dive deeper into tall and short grain, sorting the wheat...

Katie and Lisa are out in the wild and donning their Dirndl for Oktoberfest in Athlone, Ireland. They chat to Liam and Petra from Dead Centre about organising an Oktoberfest celebration, the beers and festivities involved, as well as hearing about Dead Centre’s history and how they’re going as a small brewery in the centre of Ireland.  Links: Dead Centre Brewing: https://deadcentrebrewing.com...

Did you know that the style of Berline Weisse nearly died out? Meet one of the brewers who are keeping it - in its most historically accurate form - alive: Ulrike Genz from Schneeeule brewery in Berlin. She tells Lisa, Katie, and Thandi all about how Berliner Weisse should actually contain Brettanomyces, why kettle souring isn’t “the way” and takes us through her own fascinating journey from Civil...

Did you know that brewing in the home was not just for family consumption? Did you know that passing on recipes for and using ale/beer was a practice not only documented through letters and books but also tells us a whole bunch about women’s roles in the home as well as the broader economy? Listen up as Christina, Lisa, Katie, and Thandi go through housewives and brewing through the early Modern e...

The full set of hosts are in your ears this week, and they’re looking at Homebrewing. Have you tried it before? Listen to the good, bad, and ugly stories of brewing your own while picking up a few tips on getting started and entering competitions.  As usual, please tell a friend if you've enjoyed this episode, or share it directly. Links: John Palmer - How to Brew http://www.howtobrew.co...

This week Thandi and Christina are talking to Crew Brew Co. and they’re the Irish brewery you never knew you wanted to visit. Born just before the pandemic hit, and a real testament to community support and resilience, they’re not just an uplifting story - they make damn good beer while being the coolest kids on the block. Jono makes the beer, and Emma serves it while doing design work for the bre...

We’re back for Season 3 and in the first episode, we’re tackling the beer-adjacent Cider & Perry. Do you enjoy a cider? Do you (gasp) put ice in yours? How do we classify these fruit-based drinks and how would you make one? Listen along as Thandi, Katie and Christina break it down, as well as chatting a bit about the history of Cider and Perry. Sources: A Mouthful of Diversity: Knowledge of Ci...

It's our SEASON FINALE! We're off to enjoy a summer break (beer fests, anyone?) and will be back in your ears in August. In the meantime... What is the oldest pub in Ireland? Christina, Lisa, Katie, and Erica look into the history, defining “pubs”, defining the question itself, raising issues of archaeology, and sifting through myths vs. facts. Sources: A Dictionary of British & Irish History...

Lisa, Christina, and Erica have been busy researching the best books and online sources (as well as a documentary) to help you build your very own beer library. While most of their suggestions are academic, historic, and technical, there are a few fun ones too! Some points of consideration they mentioned include bibliographies, budget, ethics, space, and sustainability. Sorted by author's surname,...

This week is all about adjuncts: what they are, their history, which ones are common, how they are used, and some popular beers made with them. We also chat about how adjuncts were initially perceived in the craft beer industry and how that view has changed. You’ll see us enjoying such ingredients as gooseberry, rye, oats, and wheat!  Don't forget, you can get our *brand new* merch here - htt...

Many of us here on the pod are partial to a clean, crisp lager! Thandi, Katie, and Bean discuss the history of lagers, what makes them different from ales, and how to brew them. Gone are the days of the light, fizzy beer; roll-on, variety…from Pilsner to Bock, Märzen to Dunkel. You can get our merch here - or support us on BuyMeACoffee (Beer) . Beers in this episode: 12 Acres, Ireland - ‘Pallet Ja...

Our Eurovision Song Contest episode in Season 1 was so wildly popular that we couldn’t help but record another! Carolyn, Katie, Lisa, & Thandi had a blast sharing their thoughts and feelings on this year’s lineup as well as the debut of the American Song Contest. Play along by watching the Semi-Finals (10 May & 12 May) and Final (14 May). Some things to look and listen for: aliens in wolf...

The regulatory affairs concerning alcoholic beverages can be very different, depending on where the drink is sold or imbibed. Most places have basic laws regarding labeling requirements, minimum age of consumers, trading hours, and drunk driving. These past 4 years in Ireland have seen legislative changes concerning alcohol being sold on Good Friday, whether breweries and distilleries may sell alc...

After a 2-year hiatus, in-person beer festivals are back! Katie and Erica got the low-down from Shane (Franciscan Well) and Leah (Fidelity) about all the behind-the scenes logistics that go into organising these events. Some of the subjects they covered include: venue, breweries, safety, music, food, draught dispense management, and non-beer options. Both of these festivals promise to be loads of...

This week, we have something new and fun for you…Katie, Lisa, and Thandi gathered craft beer-related questions submitted by you via email and social media and answered them on air. Thank you to everyone who participated! You are an inquisitive bunch and we loved answering your questions! PLUS WE NOW HAVE MERCH! Link here for global shipping: https://beer-ladies-podcast.myspreadshop.ie/ Beers in th...

Do you know your Gueze from your Gose? Carolyn and Erica pick Thandi’s brain about the Beer Judge Certification Program; some topics that come up include the style guide, how to study, the test format, and homebrew competitions. The trio also discuss the other paths to becoming a beer judge: the Cicerone Certification Program and Beer Sommelier- as well as evaluating beer in general.  Beers i...