Beer Ladies Podcast

And now for something beer-adjacent. Lisa, Christina, and Erica chat about honey, their first encounters with meads at renaissance festivals and mediaeval restaurants, and how they even made their own meads and braggots. Having participated in a virtual tour and tasting with Kinsale Co and done plenty of research, they cover the history, brewing processes, and Christina’s own experiment! Drinks in...

We wrap up the basics of our ingredient series with the unsung hero: H2O! Despite it covering most of Earth’s surface and making up most of our own bodies, we often take water for granted. We need this precious liquid to survive- on its own and in other drinks/ foods. Along with malted grain, hops, and yeast…water completes a beer recipe. It can come from many sources, be hard or soft, and be trea...

One of the most iconic names associated with Ireland is that of “Guinness”. Christina, Katie, Lisa, and Thandi may not be drinking the Black Stuff in this episode, but they certainly delved into the historical archives of several breweries and their technological advances and scientific discoveries. There was a shift from local beer made in homes to the machine-driven mass production of beer (whic...

Christina and Erica sat down with two members of the Women’s Craft Fermentation Alliance Board of Directors: Melissa McCann (Executive Director) and Michele Wonder (Web, Marketing, & Media Director); they discussed their backgrounds, all things beer-y, and their upcoming summit! The Women’s International Beer Summit will take place 22-24 April via Crowdcast, with early bird registration pricin...

If you’ve ever been on a brewery tour, it’s highly likely that you’ve been told that the Reinheitsgebot is the centuries-old German purity law regarding the only ingredients permitted for a beverage to be called “beer”. Carolyn, Katie, Lisa, and Thandi talk about the history of this law in Germany: what it is, when it was active, where exactly, and why. They discuss the possible role of religion i...

Christina and Erica had the joy of chatting with Mirella Amato, a Master Cicerone, National Level BJCP Judge, and Doemens Bier Sommelier based in Canada. Mirella is a craft beer and sensory consultant and has written the book “Beerology: Everything You Need to Know to Enjoy Beer…Even More”. Her most recent endeavour is teaching an online course on how to pair beer with food. Some topics that came...

What’s your zodiac sign? Do you read your horoscope? Whether you’re a fan or a skeptic of astrology, this episode is a bit of craic (enjoyment), as we say in Ireland!  Thandi, Christina, and Carolyn discuss the 12 signs, traits associated with people born under them, and what sort of beer might suit them! For any fellow Cancerians, we’re meant to be loyal, good listeners who enjoy the comfort of h...

Happy Valentine’s Day! What better way to celebrate than with beer and chocolate: an IPA + spiced or salted dark chocolate, a fruited sour + white chocolate, and a stout + milk chocolate. In this episode, Thandi, Lisa, and Katie participate in a guided pairing by Joanne Love, the Beer School Lady. Joanne has a beer tasting course, A Woman’s Brew Podcast, and an Etsy store with beer printables. Equ...

Whether you prefer Brown, Robust, or Baltic Porters, our co-hosts (Lisa, Katie, Thandi, and Erica) have got you covered. We continue our style series by chatting about the history of Porters, how they are brewed, and how they might be different from Stouts.  Beers in this episode: Western Herd, County Clare, Ireland - ‘Night Pod’ Vanilla Porter 5.5% - https://www.westernherd.com/product/night-pod/...

Lisa, Christina, Thandi, and Bean head to the fertile crescent to chat about how beer might have been made in ancient Sumer. Christina spent the summer researching and even made a small batch of beer inspired by translations of cuneiform tablets from thousands of years ago. She documented the process on her blog and talked about it today on the show. And the beer was even pretty good! Beers in thi...

Happy Holidays to our lovely listeners! This is our final episode before our Christmas break and we are joined by Sammie from First Sip Brew Box of Pittsburgh. Thandi, Carolyn, and Erica got the inside scoop on this beer gear business…from their subscription plans to their most popular merchandise to their busiest seasons. Each month, First Sip features a different brewery and builds a box with al...

Kate O’D is here, and she’s cooking with beer. Meet Kate O’Driscoll, Instagram sensation and maker of Kate O’D’s goodies, as she chats to Katie, Christina, and Bean. Hear about her take on gluten-free baking, homebrewing, supporting local producers, and how she pivoted from passionate home cook to catering whirlwind, plus some of her cooking collaborations with different beers and brewers.  Beers...

Katie, Lisa, Thandi, and Erica haul the microphones to Slattery’s to bring you the ambiance of an Early House in Dublin. It’s full of bustling energy on a Saturday morning. We chat about different kinds of pubs and how they addressed a niche in society, and the way they can be physically set up. Slip into the snug with the shebeen queens, and enjoy our experimental sounds.  Beers in this episode:...

Lisa, Christina, and Erica had the pleasure of interviewing E-Commerce & Marketing Manager and Beer Specialist Caoimhe O’Brien of The Beer Club. They discuss everything from Caoimhe’s education and experience to the impacts of COVID-19 and Brexit on the off-license industry to beer advent calendars and virtual tastings.  Beers in this episode: Hope Beer, Ireland - ‘Winter Seasonal Emmer Stout’...

Lisa, Christina, and Bean visit the physical Rye River brewery in Celbridge, County Kildare just outside of Dublin, Ireland, for an interview with Head Brewer Bill Laukitis. We talk about all the brands that Rye River produce (McGargles, Grafters, Solas, Crafty Brewing Co.), as well as Rye River’s core range and their experimental seasonal releases. We sample a brown ale with a special story, and...

This week, Thandi, Lisa, Katie, and Carolyn cover what exactly Brown Ales are, their history, their sub-styles, how to brew them, and some of our favourites. Whether English, Belgian, or American, these beers may be dark amber to (you guessed it) brown in colour. When smelling and tasting them, you may detect hints of chocolate, caramel, nuts, or malt. Now doesn’t that sound like a lovely style fo...

It’s the pumpkin ale episode of 2021. Erica, Lisa, Carolyn, and Bean crack open the pumpkin flavoured, and pumpkin-based brews. We talk Halloween history, pumpkin ale ingredients, growing tips, potential adjuncts, and pairings. Join us for the fireside chats of the Hallowtide season. Exciting news, you can now support the podcast by buying us a beer! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/beerladiespod Beer...

Happy Halloween weekend to our listeners! Spooky Season is winding down...Thandi, Christina, and Erica speak about beer in relation to rituals, baptisms, offerings, sacrifices, and witchcraft. This episode covers both historical perspectives (goddesses and Hildegarde von Bingen) and modern-day research (possible health benefits). As always, please check out the on-theme beers we chose as well as s...

The falling leaves are changing colours, there’s a crispness in the air, and the days are getting shorter. It’s time to crack open a seasonal beer from our very first sponsor, McHugh’s Off-License of Dublin 5! Because we couldn’t fit this topic into one episode, Lisa, Thandi, and Christina exchange more ghost stories set in pubs and breweries, including mysterious sights, sounds, smells, and feeli...

Thandi, Christina, Lisa, and Carolyn unpack some examples of medievally maligned alewives in 1400s art and literature. Where did tropes about alewives and demons come from? What can we tease out of carvings and paintings in churches? Who was writing those poems? Join the ladies in wishing for heavenly lakes of cask ale, with or without old-timey adjuncts. Beers in this episode: Trouble Brewing, Co...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year...autumn/ fall! It’s safe to say that Halloween is a favourite holiday for many of us Beer Ladies. So, we’re kicking off our new series, “Spooky Season”. Carolyn, Christina, Bean, and Lisa share some ghost stories set in pubs. Equal parts history, culture, and fun, this episode has it all! As always, please check out the on-theme beers we chose as well as s...

Thandi, Erica, and Bean talk hops, or Humulus lupulus if you prefer, as our ingredients series continues. What are hops? How are they used? What are their flavours? How long have we been using them? Beers in this episode: Alefarm, Denmark - ‘Inferno in Paradise’ DIPA w/ Citra & Amarillo 8% - https://shop.alefarm.dk/products/inferno-in-paradise-dipa The White Hag Irish Brewing Company, Sligo -...

It’s time once again for Oktoberfest and Festbiers! Lisa, Carolyn, Erica and Katie talk lederhosen and drindl, and survey the autumn beer festival scene across London, Belfast, Texas, Palestine, Ukraine, Seattle, Cork and Dublin. They’ve got pro tips - pockets and extra toilet roll - and a bit of style discussion and historical trivia. Can you name the big six brands of Oktoberfest beers before ou...

What makes a red ale? Perhaps it’s the colour? Maybe it's low levels of bitterness and hop aromas? Maybe it is slightly creamier, roastier, and fuller-bodied with a hint of fruit than others? Maybe it’s all made up, and the points don’t matter. We’ll fight about it anyway. Game on! Thandi, Lisa, Katie, and Bean share a bit of history and opinion in this red ale style guide and try to tease ou...

We’re back and kicking off Season 2 with Jessi from Kweza Brewery ahead of their new Kickstarter campaign (which we'll post links to on our socials). Kweza is Rwanda's first craft brewery, and it's owned and run by women! They've recently got their liquor and trading licenses and are now on a mission to get their brewpub launched. They've been on a number of fundraising dr...