Stroom Brouwers, what we would call a craft brewery, is a Belgian independent brewery. Not associated with any abbey or Trappist beers, and not attempting to be either, they are still a Belgian brewery. They just happen to brew a few more options than one would typically expect from a Belgian brewery.
Yes, you can still find the beloved Belgian-style beers here, but you’ll also find a Norwegian farmhouse ale with a kick of Sichuan peppercorns, a coffee IPA, a Vienna lager, a raspberry sour, and more.
Once you step past the industrial entrance, located along the Scheldt River, you’ll also find an inviting atmosphere. It’s as though you’ve stepped onto your friend's backyard deck. A deck that just happens to have friendly staff (more than likely a member of one of the owner’s families or one of the owners themselves) ready to welcome you in with a selection of craft beers.
This craft brewery just happens to be in the medieval city of Gent, Belgium. Because that just happened to be the city that Farrell, co-owner of Stroom, fell in love with.
Meet Farrell Styers, Co-founder at Stroom Brouwers
Farrell Styers, Co-founder and Head Brewer at Stroom, never had plans to be a brewer. He never had plans to move to Belgium, either. But we’re thankful that this is where his path took him.
Playing in punk bands when younger in Denver, he had what he calls a quarter-life crisis. So he moved to Egypt. Then to DC. Then to Kyrgyzstan.
So, how did a brewery in Gent come into play? Farrell blames that one on his friend and now business partner. Belgian Carl Uytterhaeghe and American Farrell Styers met in Kyrgyzstan. Years later, Carl asked Farrell the golden question. "What would it look like if we started a brewery?"
This is the story behind Stroom. A confluence of beer, family, community, and culture. Join us as we talk about independent breweries in Belgium finding their place amidst historical breweries that have been intertwined in its culture for centuries. We also chat about travel, art, music, sustainability, the story behind the name, and always, the beer that brings us all together.
Click here for the full show notes.
Connect with Stroom
Forelstraat 27
Gent, Belgium
Check out Camp Carpe Diem
Check out https://campcarpediem.com for all the community and fun. Stop adulting and find your playful side!
Connect with Us:
The Craft Beer Travel & Adventure Podcast is hosted by Living a Stout Life, where we share stories, community, and resources for all your craft beer travel and adventure lifestyle needs.
We would absolutely love it if you subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review. As my nephew once said, "We say please and thank you!"
Subscribe to Living a Stout Life:
Buy Us a Beer:
Like our podcast? Help keep it going with a donation for a beer. We'll even zoom ya for a happy hour, if you'd like. Or meet up in person if we
Popular Podcasts
United States of Kennedy
United States of Kennedy is a podcast about our cultural fascination with the Kennedy dynasty. Every week, hosts Lyra Smith and George Civeris go into one aspect of the Kennedy story.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com