Hunter S. Thompson said “Good people drink good beer”, but we would like to add “and passionate people make it!”. Good beer, brewed according to original recipes and from the highest quality ingredients is no longer a niche for connoisseurs and is available in each corner of Poland. The most passionate beer lovers are also often experimenting with home brewing and this was the beginning of the most excellent micro and mini craft breweries in our country. Nowadays Poland is third the biggest beer producer in Europe and even if 86% of bottles are made in the big industrial breweries, in the last few years, from 2011, increasingly important and visible become small producers. Only in 2019 47 new microbreweries were open and for all of them, passion is the secret and the key of the success. Each of them has its own story and philosophy and in this article, we would like to present to you 8 of our most interesting small beer producers.
#1 Browar Stu Mostów (One Hundred Bridges Brewery) from Wrocław
Wrocław is called the city of one hundred bridges, so this small brewery, located on the riverbank of Odra, close to Warszawskie bridges has adopted this name. In the previous centuries, Wrocław was also called Little Bavaria, as the tradition of brewing beer in this city goes to the 9th century. On the ground floor of the industrial building on Długosza street, there is a spacious production part well visible from the restaurant and pub with 10 taps, located on the first floor. While enjoying the glass of beer you can observe the whole brewing process! Here the traditional beer technology is used to make mainly top-fermented beers (ale type), divided in few brands: classic WRCLW (WRCLW Pils, WRCLW Hefeweizen, WRCLW Roggenbier), new wave SALAMANDER (SALAMANDER Pale Ale, SALAMANDER AIPA), ART made in cooperation with other breweries and the latest WILD series.
photo: Browar Stu Mostow
#2 Browar Pinta from Wieprz
www.browarpinta.pl
Browar Pinta is one of the most recognizable microbreweries in Poland (winner of the "Best Brewery in Poland 2019”) appreciated also abroad and included on the list of the 50 the best breweries in the world according to beer portal RateBeer.com. Their "Pale Lager “K’ made in cooperation with Łańcut Brewery, “Oh, Honey ...!” brewed together with Superstition Meadery (USA) and classic Polish grodziskie beer “Viva Śliwa" made with the Nepomucen Brewery were also included on the list of the best world beers. In Krakow, on Floriańska 13 street they have their own pub called Viva la Pinta, so feel free to visit them and try!
Photo: Browar Pinta
#3 Browar Nepomucen from Szkaradowo
www.browar-nepomucen.pl
In the 100-years-old bakery in small Szkaradowo in the valley of beautiful Barycz river, Piotr and Mariusz Musialak are making one the best polish beer. They focus on diversity, producing both classic and modern styles, so everyone can find "their taste". Beers such as Labirytm, Jose or Charlotte are market bestsellers that you should definitely try but their top beers in our opinion are those with needles and spruce/pine shoots – Forest (Forest IPA), Lovelas (Triple Forest IPA), Dark Forest (Imperial Forest Baltic Porter, made with Browar Widawa) and Don’t sleep in the forest (American Forest Stout brewed with London's Weird Beard Brew Co.). Their light Hazy Pale Ale Pijże won also the Kraft of the Year 2019 competition.
Photo: Browar Nepomucen
#4 Browar Trzech Kumpli (Three Buddies Brewery) from Tarnów
Trzech Kumpli is a small craft brewery invented by three friends from Tarnów. For now, waiting for their own place, they brew beer in the hospitable Brewery Zapanbrat in Żywiec, and their philosophy is to brew beer, which they would like to drink themselves. Small series, only natural, the best ingredients - water, malt, hops, and yeast and no rush – this is their secret. Their top-rated beers are Pan IPAni, Misty, Native American, American Beauty, Califia, Blackcyl, Taura, Oaty, or Piece of Cake but try also their classic Weizen, Pils or Bock. Their partner pub in Kraków is Miejscówka located in Podgórze, just by the footbridge over the Wisła river.
Photo: Trzech Kumpli
#5 Ursa Maior from Uherce Mineralne
The original beer from Bieszczady Mountains with the bear in the logo is a brand that all beer lovers in Poland know very well. From 2013 in Uherce Mineralne Agnieszka Łopata and Andrzej Czech are not only making beer using the power of the sun, ecological technologies, and the best ingredients but they have decided to open a kind of local culture centre to promote and support the local Bieszczady culture and inhabitants. Their project is unique and their passion for people, animal, and ale beers is the simplest way to their success.
Browar Ursa Maior
#6 Funky Fluid from Warsaw
According to the RateBeer.pl Funky Fluid was the third-best New Brewery in the World for the Year 2020 so this is a very promising brewery. The Brewery was established in September 2018 as a project of Michał Lanier and Karol Mizielski, from Warsaw, who from the beginning have decided to make uncompromising beers. No shortcuts, no savings on raw materials, the best quality hops and additives they are the rules that they follow in daily work. Starting form they well drinkable Hazy APA “Everyday”, through solidly hopped "Pils, Please", to their flagship IPA "Gonna Be Late” – you will be satisfied with all of them. And they are continuously working, so who knows what will surprise us in the next season.
Photo: Browar Funky Fluid
#7 Brovarnia Gdańsk from Gdańsk
Located in the old granary (1690!) on the banks of the Motława River, Brovarnia Gdańsk is the oldest and the most beautiful Gdańsk restaurant brewery. The massive brick building hosts a microbrewery, restaurant, and hotel nowadays. You can try here three types of delicious Gdańsk’s beer - Złoto Brovarni (light), Starogdańskie (dark) and Pszeniczne (wheat) still made using the oldest Bavarian legal norm called "Bayerisches Reinheitsgebot”. During the production process, they use only water, high-quality malt from barley and wheat, hops, and yeast. The place is recommended by The Guardian and Financial Times.
Photo: Browarnia Gdansk
#8 AleBrowar from Lęmbork
AleBrowar is making beers for hop heads, so if you like hoppy ales ad you would like to discover the new flavors and aromas – this will be something for you.
It all began in 2012 with two beers - Rowing Jack and Lady Blanche, which are still shining among dozens of AleBrowar labels. Rowing Jack is bright India Pale Ale, with strong but noble bitterness, with delicate aromas of grapefruit, mango, and pine, and Lady Balance is a traditional Belgian Witbier with a light and strong refreshing aroma of coriander and bitter orange peel. AleBrowar is one of the most popular small breweries in Poland and you will find this beer in most of the good craft beer pubs in Poland.
Photo: AleBrowar