A Confluence of Community and Craft Beer in Belgium

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

Stroom Brouwers

Forelstraat 27

Gent, Belgium

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