The Belgian Smaak Podcast

EP057 | Rolling Hills

In this episode, Breandán Kearney sits down with Edward Vandermeersch of Rolling Hills brewery in Oudenaarde to discuss family, Oud Bruin, and learning how to live.  

EP056 | Generational Handover

In the past year, Belgian family breweries Het Anker and De Ryck have ended generations of family ownership. Family breweries sit at the heart of Belgian beer but the top

EP055 | Recognition

2026 will mark the ten-year anniversary of the UNESCO recognition of Belgian beer culture as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity (the only country in the

EP054 | The Modern Beer Game

The Flemish city of Turnhout is the playing card capital of the world. Turnhout is to playing cards what Kobe is to Japanese Wagyu beef; what Parma is to Italian Prosci

EP053 | Mule Head

Joël Galy is the quietly punkish, Swedish-born but Belgian-raised brewer of Brasserie de la Mule. Brasserie de la Mule is a brewery and taproom-slash-music venue that'

EP052 | How Westvleteren 12 Accidentally Became The Best Beer In The World

As we approach the twenty year anniversary of Westvleteren 12's original crowning by RateBeer, Jonny Garrett examines how a strong dark ale produced by a tiny monastery b

EP051 | Belgian Beer World

No other country in the world has a national beer experience centre costing €100 million and housed in one of the most iconic buildings in its capital. Today, we're talki

EP050 | Mariage Parfait and the Evolution of Lambic

Claire Bullen meets the Boons — Frank, Karel, and Jos — to find out how their Mariage Parfait Oude Geuze speaks to the legacy of Lambic. Breandán Kearney hosts.

EP049 | Blending Lambic at the Sollenberg Crossroads

Through his Lambic blendery Het Boerenerf, Senne Eylenbosch saved his father's farm, discovered his own identity, and began the next chapter in his family's storied Lambi

EP048 | Tingles in the Jungle

In 2020, three young Belgians started a brewery with an ambition to cohesively merge their widely diverging beer tastes—pastoral Belgian ales, traditional English styles,

EP047 | The Belgian Coast

Belgium has purchase on a roughly 65 kilometre stretch of North Sea coast. With a cumulative six Michelin stars in restaurants in the region, the coast has a density of j

EP046 | Belgian Beer Festivals

Belgium has a rich festival scene. Every single weekend in the year, you could choose between a multitude of music shows, food markets, neighbourhood parties, and cultura

EP045 | The Lambic Roundtable

The Lambic Roundtable was an event during the Toer de Geuze 2022 tailor-made for broadcasting in beer bars all over the world, and as you'll hear from the discussion, we

EP044 | Jerry Franck, Director of Lambic Documentary, "Bottle Conditioned"

We sat down with Academy Award® nominated filmmaker Jerry Franck to find out about his Lambic documentary "Bottle Conditioned".

EP043 | Oud Bruin Roundtable

We sat down with Marc Coesens of Brouwerij Liefmans, Rudi Ghequire of Brouwerij Rodenbach, and Alex Lippens of Brouwerij 't Verzet to discuss Oud Bruin, Flanders Red, and

EP042 | Rejecting Boundaries (De Dochter van de Korenaar)

The story of Baarle, Ronald Mengerink, and De Dochter van de Korenaar is one of defying categorisation and rejecting boundaries set for you.

EP041 | What's in a Name?

OMER Traditional Blond from Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste is a highly carbonated, fruity, and dry ale with a pleasant but subtle bitterness. But just how does it communic

EP040 | Bart Delvaux and Ine Van Der Stock of Brouwerij De Coureur

Bart Delvaux and Ine Van der Stock opened Brouwerij De Coureur in 2020, a small brewery and taproom in the Kessel-Lo neighbourhood of Leuven.

EP039 | Brussels Beer Cafés

The Brussels beer café is an institution that has enjoyed as much acclaim as it has suffered fatigue.  This podcast is a panel discussion recorded in a Brussels beer

EP038 | Who Owns Fries?

Who Owns Fries? Are they French or Belgian? Do those who first created a food own it? Or does it belong to those that perfected it? In this podcast, we go deep into fri