10 Best Polish Beers You Must Try

After a long day of sightseeing in Poland, there’s nothing better than sipping on a locally brewed, refreshing beer. Poland as a country has a flourishing craft beer scene with many delicious brews. Therefore, this blog has been written to help you choose the best Polish beer during your vacation to Poland.

While most tourists think the main drink of Poland is vodka, according to a recent consumer survey report beer is also the most popular drink.  

So, if you are a beer lover who loves trying new brands of beer wherever you go, then Poland can be your next destination to try any of the top 10 Polish beers mentioned below.

 

Recommended Tour : Gdansk 2,5-hours Polish Beer Tasting Tour

 

A Brief History of Polish Beer

The history of Polish beer is very old; in fact it’s older than Poland as a country. Beer was present in these lands much earlier than the Slavs themselves. The Polish word for beer – ‘Piwo’ is derived from the pre-Slavic word ‘Pivo’ which means: a drink. Beer was loved by Polish kings and nobles, as well as the town’s people and the peasantry; it was something no one refused, especially after a hard day’s work. Legend has it that King Boleslaw I the Brave himself was a great beer lover.

Before the 19th century, brewers in Poland brewed craft beer using the top-fermenting process, as opposed to the bottom-fermentation. Soon they discovered a huge demand for their beer in distant countries, so they began to craft beers that held up better over time. This made bottom-fermentation a popular process and Polish beers made with the top-fermentation process almost disappeared.

After WWII almost all breweries were nationalized under the communist rule. But soon after the collapse of communist regime and the return of capitalism in Poland, the markets opened up in the 1990s and the beer companies set shop in Poland. By 2010, three companies controlled 80 % of the beer market in Poland. 

During this time craft beer started gaining popularity, and by the end of 2013 there were 97 breweries in Poland including microbreweries and larger corporate breweries. There are more than 200 craft breweries in Poland that make over 500 different brands of beer. Poland brews more beer every year than any other European country outside of Germany and the United Kingdom, and its weather is also perfect for the best Polish home-grown hops.

Today, the majority of Poland’s best-selling brands are produced by just three internationally-owned companies: Kompania Piwowarska, Grupa Żywiec and Carlsberg Poland. 

 

Also, Read : 12 Famous Beer Festivals in Germany

 

Top 10 Polish Beers

 

1. Ciechan Pszeniczne

One of the most famous breweries in Poland is Ciechan. The brews of this brewery are popular with beer enthusiasts and hence it’s amongst the best Polish beers. The Ciechan Pszeniczne is a famous beer produced by this brewery and it’s considered as ‘a benchmark for the best wheat beer’. 

Using traditional methods of brewing this beer is produced by using yeast fermentation. And since an open fermentation method is used the beer is aromatic and tastes good. The color of the beer is pale yellow and gives the flavours of fruits and cloves. By taste it’s more sweet than sour. And you may feel a tinge of hazelnuts in the aftertaste. Also, Ciechan is unfiltered beer; therefore you will notice that it has some yeast residue which you can consume along with the beer. Ideally you must shake it as you sip to mix up the yeast and get the full flavor of the beer. 

 

The beer has 4.8% (ABV) alcohol by volume and takes at least 30 days to brew and it cannot be stored for long periods, hence make sure you drink it within 6 weeks of bottling (45 days maximum).

 

 

2. Amber Koźlak     

Amber Koźlak is a product of a famous brewer called the Browar Amber. The ingredients of this beer include water, hop, and barley malt (pale and dark), and is famous for its ruby color. To ensure purity, the beer is prepared using curated underground water and makes use of in-house yeast to maintain and guarantee their brewing standards.

The beer has a sweet taste and you can feel the caramel like in coca-cola, hints of honey, a taste of toffee and bitter aftertaste, its aroma is nice too. The beer has 6.5% (ABV) alcohol by volume and is bottom-fermented; hence it brews slowly and stays fresh for 180 days after bottling.

                                                                

3. Żywiec Porter    

Zywiec Porter is a popular beer manufactured by Browar Zamkowy Cieszyn breweries. This beer is prepared using a traditional brewing process which has been followed since 1881. 

If you love beers that have a strong taste, then this beer is for you. Its ingredients include malt, barley, water, and aromatic hops for the best taste and aroma. As you sip the beer, you will sense the dark malt in the aroma. It tastes like roasted dark malts and has some notes of chocolate and coffee. There is also a presence of some herbal bitterness and the beer is dark brown in color.

The beer has 9.5% (ABV) alcohol by volume and you can serve this beer in a pint, shaker, or snifter. Since 1881, it’s still a favourite among the locals and tourists.

 

Recommended Tour: Szczecin Private Polish Beer Tasting Tour

 

4. Ciechan Miodowe      

This is another beer from the Ciechan brewery and is very popular with beer lovers because of one unique ingredient. You will be surprised to know that natural honey is included during the preparation of this beer.

The beer is neither too light nor too strong. And its natural sweetness makes it a perfect choice for both genders. You can easily recognise this beer by its straw color and its aroma, a floral scent making it pleasant. 

The beer has 5.7 % (ABV) alcohol by volume and has a shelf life of 45 days with light bitterness. Year after year this beer has been winning several awards and is very popular with the Poles.   

 

Alternatively, try: Krakow Private Vodka Tasting Tour

 

                                                     

 

5. Królewskie Jasne Pełne 

This is another famous beer having its origins in Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Królewskie Jasne Pełne is extremely popular within the country and around the world. 

Its ingredients include barley malt, corn, water, hops, and hop extracts. Its aroma is malty and herbal, the color is clear gold, and tastes bitter with some floral and grassy notes, you will notice alcohol burn aftertaste. The beer has 5.6 % (ABV) alcohol by volume and you must give it a try if you like a decent lager beer.

 

 

6. Lech Premium   

If you love light beers then Lech Premium happens to be one of them. Its main ingredients include barley malts, hop, water and hop extracts. The beer has high levels of carbonation giving it a refreshing taste. 

Its aroma is like hay and grass, and tastes slightly bitter and floral. It has 5% (ABV) alcohol by volume and tastes best when chilled strongly. You can sip on this brew while at a party or with your loved ones.

 

Recommended Tour: Warsaw 2,5-hours Polish Beer Tasting Tour

 

7. Brok     

As a beer lover if you love discovering new brews, then try Brok. Being a product of Van Pur breweries, the beer has been around for centuries and is one of the oldest beer brands in Poland. 

The brew is prepared using traditional fermentation processes and its pale color comes from the use of select ingredients. It has a desirable flavor featuring grassy accents, ordinarily light and has a slight sweet taste. The beer has 5.2 % (ABV) alcohol by volume and is suitable for light beer lovers. And yes, it’s quite popular with Polish beer lovers and tourists visiting Poland.

 

Recommended Tour: Krakow 2,5-hours Beer Tasting Tour

 

8. Tyskie Gronie

Tyskie beer comes from the Silesian town of Tychy. The local brewery here has been brewing this brand since the past 400 years. The beer has a distinct malt aroma and even nicer taste, with a moderate bitterness. Its color is light golden and is said to have more flavor than any traditional beer in Poland. 

The beer has 5.5% (ABV) alcohol by volume and is light and refreshing. It’s crowned as the number one beer in Poland and over the years it has won many beer awards locally and around the world. The most famous being the ‘Beer Oscars’ at the British Brewing Industry Awards. Since the beer is very popular it’s easy to find it in Poland and many large liquor stores in Europe and the United States.     

                                                                   

 

9. Okocim O.K. Beer                                                                

This beer belongs to a highly reputable brewery – the Carlsberg Group. It’s one of those handful Polish pilsners that is different from other European beer brands. It is brewed using natural ingredients and undergoes a simple process of fermentation.

As you sip you will find it very smooth, with hints of malt, and slightly sweet. It’s also said to have a very tingling aftertaste, this enhances the drinking experience. The beer has 5.6% (ABV) alcohol by volume and is said to be one of the best sellers in Poland. Remarkably, this brand of beer comes at a reasonable price and can be enjoyed in the company of friends and family.

 

10. ŻUBR        

Zubr means ‘Bison’ in Polish. This classic beer is from one of the oldest breweries in Poland, dating back to the year 1768. Today, this beer is brewed by Kompania Piwowarska and features a deep golden color, its taste can be compared to a Pilsner with a floral aroma. 

The ingredients used are mainly tinges of caramel malt and some hops. The beer has 6% (ABV) alcohol by volume and is light and has a balanced malty aftertaste. You can enjoy this beer in a gathering of friends and family, and is a perfect match along with salted pretzels.                                                                

 

Picking the Best Polish Beer to Try

• If you happen to be visiting Poland then you should try any one of these specialty beers mentioned above. 
• Try craft beer, Multi-taps (craft beer pubs) or the more ‘hip’ food outlets that usually don’t stock the mainstream beer brands. You can ask their staff for a craft beer recommendation. 
• Avoid cheap beer brands that are available in the supermarkets, they WILL taste like water.
• A few breweries offer tours, check if there’s one in the town you’re visiting.
• You can book a beer tasting tour with Rosotravel.

 

Finally, all the beers mentioned above are popular because they are brewed using the best ingredients. They have all the unique qualities to help you enjoy and take your beer drinking experience at the next level. You will always crave for more as you will enjoy their pleasant aroma and tastes. 

So which is the best Polish beer?  Try any one or a few from this list, and let us know in the comments section below.

Cheers!!! and Happy drinking!!!

Plan your Poland City Tour today !