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Hopless beer in Poland?


Polonius3 994 | 12,367
24 Jul 2013 #1
At a supermarket couple days ago I saw this middle-aged lady reading the labels on beer bottles and saying: "Też bez chmielu!" I asked her what she meant and she said she was looking for a brand that actually contained hops. I had thought that was a sine qua non ingredient of lager. But indeed, Wojak, which advertises itself as being naturally brewed with no enzyme additives does not list hops on the label, only barley malt. I looked at the label of my brand and it listed in 9 different languages: water, malted barley, brewing barley and hops.

BTW Tyskie has brought back what they claim is the original centuries-old formula so now there are two basic lagers: Gronie and Classic. Has anyone sampled both and can comment on the difference?
smurf 39 | 1,971
24 Jul 2013 #2
Gronie and Classic

Very different.

Gronie tasts 'sharper' if I can say that. Far more bubbly, Classic is much smoother and a little too easy to drink. But the calssic has been around for a while, I think it's been around for about 2 years...although maybe it was launched here in Silesia first.

It also has more varieties, Red (like an old red beer,) Rice & Wheat.
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
24 Jul 2013 #3
little too easy to drink

You mean it goes down so easy that after the fourth one you're unablel to stand up striaght without swaying?!
How would you describe the taste of the red and wheat beers? Do you go for the kiddy beers mixed with fruit syrups, grapefruit, lemonade, Tequila-flavoured, etc.? I reckon I'm just a traditonal lager lout. I used to like warm, mulled beer in winter when you made it yourself flavouring it with spices and real fruit syrup*, honey or just sugar.

*The degree to which food has been chemicalised is staggering. I once bought a bottle of syrup prominently labelled MALINA (raspberry). The label showed it was flavoured with a but of chokeberry extract and only artificial raspberry aroma. The rest was sugar, artifical colouring, preservatives, stabilisers, acidity regulators, etc., etc. Unfortunately, that's the way it is with most processed food these days.
smurf 39 | 1,971
24 Jul 2013 #4
You mean it goes down so easy that after the fourth

Ah, you could prob get to 6 or 8 before that would happen ;)
But yea it's a lot easier to drink and not as sharp, although, I do drink ordinary Tyskie most times. can't stand Zywice, no life in that beer at all.

Red is like a dark beer from home, called Smithwicks, it's difficult to explain unless you've drank red/dark beer before, it's not an ale, but it's like a very old traditional-style beer. It's nice though, those old beers are good as an after dinner beer.

The wheat beer is OK too, it's got a nice after taste, but as with all wheat beers they get you drunk quicker.

The Rice one, I'm not a fan of, it's tastes like an American beer like Budweiser/Miller/Coors, I know Bud use rice in their beer, not sure about the rest. Although tbh, I've only had it once, will prob give it another try.
Foreigner4 12 | 1,768
24 Jul 2013 #5
Has anyone sampled both and can comment on the difference?

From what I have heard (from an acquaintance who met a brewer), neither Tyskie, Lech nor -ywiec are actually brewed long enough to technically be considered "beer."

I remember that in 2001 and 2002 it was good but by 2005 something was amiss with Tyskie (-ywiec has been horrible from day 1 imo).
I've had a few of the Klasyczne but ever since they mucked around with their recipe I've been turned off from buying anything from them. It seems the ownership has forgone quality for profit.

Until they've proven otherwise, I'm steering clear of their products.

On a side note
What do the Czechs do so well with brewing that the Poles can't/won't do?
I ask this because Czech beer (small market breweries) is as superior to Polish beer as Polish food is superior to Czech food. Polish food + Czech beer = perfection...now if only there was a city on the border of the two countries...;)
newpip - | 139
24 Jul 2013 #6
*The degree to which food has been chemicalised is staggering.

and disgusting. since Poland joined the EU the change in food manufacturing has become pretty much like the American methods. The people here are getting fatter faster. It is one of my obsessions- trying to eat natural and organic foods.

But there are some good local breweries that still produce natural beers. Tyskie et al. are nothing but factory produced beer with a good portion of their ingredients being corn products.
delphiandomine 88 | 18,163
24 Jul 2013 #7
I ask this because Czech beer (small market breweries) is as superior to Polish beer as Polish food is superior to Czech food. Polish food + Czech beer = perfection...now if only there was a city on the border of the two countries...;)

Small market Polish breweries aren't much worse than Czech ones - but don't forget, Poland is far better than the Czechs when it comes to spirits.
OP Polonius3 994 | 12,367
24 Jul 2013 #8
Today just for the heck of it I took a closer look at beer labels. The cheaper ones said only słód jęczmienny (barley malt); the slightly pricier ones listed słód jęczmienny & jęczmień brwaorniczy (brewer's barley) and the slightly pricier ones but still mainline had: słód jęczmienny, jęczmień browarniczy & chmiel (hops). Interestingly, the Tyskie Gronie does not lsit hops but the Klasyczne does. It would appear then that hops is a pricy ingredient. Strangely enough my favourite budget brew Donner Premium (1,39 zł for 500 ml) does list chmiel.
Foreigner4 12 | 1,768
24 Jul 2013 #9
Small market Polish breweries aren't much worse than Czech ones

Make some recommendations please!
Harry
24 Jul 2013 #10
Pretty much anything by Ale Browar or Pinta.
sobieski 106 | 2,118
24 Jul 2013 #11
But there are some good local breweries that still produce natural beers.

Browar Konstancin is doing a good job.

Speaking of local breweries...does Spisz on the Rynek in Wrocław still exist, they used to have really good stuff years ago.
Foreigner4 12 | 1,768
24 Jul 2013 #12
Pretty much anything by Ale Browar or Pinta.

I will be putting recommendations to test in the immediate future. What can you liken their beers to? Can I find this stuff at Tesco's or do I have to go to a specialty shop?
sobieski 106 | 2,118
24 Jul 2013 #13
Surprisingly Carrefour (at least the one here in Arkadia in Warsaw) has a surprisingly extensive range of "small brewers"...and a large selection of specialty Belgian beers as well :)
Harry
24 Jul 2013 #14
What can you liken their beers to?

Depends which o their beers. The rice IPA with antipodean hops from Pinta (Oto Mata) is a particular thing of beauty.

Can I find this stuff at Tesco's or do I have to go to a specialty shop?

You need a specialty shop (although your local Tesco might stock Ciechan, which is well worth trying, even if not a craft beer).
smurf 39 | 1,971
24 Jul 2013 #15
Spisz on the Rynek in Wrocław

It certainly was last summer, haven't been up that way since then.
Great spot, free as much smalec as you can gobble too :)

Their weissbier is rocket fuel ;)
Matyjasz 2 | 1,544
24 Jul 2013 #16
Foreigner4

I recommend "Magnus" made by Browar Jagiełło, especially the chocolate and honey varieties, or Noteckie na miodzie lipowym. I used to be a great fan of Fortuna, but the breweries bottled "Czarne" seems to lack consistency these days, and at times disappoints terribly, which is a pity, but it still is worth to try.
Harry
24 Jul 2013 #17
I recommend "Magnus" made by Browar Jagiełło, especially the chocolate and honey varieties,

I'll second that. Jagiello miodowe is very possibly both Poland's best honey beer and the best beer sold in 33cl bottles.
beckski 12 | 1,617
25 Jul 2013 #18
Wow, chocolate Polish beer! That's outrageous. Sounds like a refreshing drink to help beat the summer heat:)
p3undone 8 | 1,132
25 Jul 2013 #19
chocolate beer,lol that sounds absolutely disgusting,But maybe it tastes ok.
Wulkan - | 3,203
25 Jul 2013 #20
But maybe it tastes ok.

it does
pawian 221 | 24,014
3 Oct 2020 #21
chocolate beer,lol that sounds absolutely disgusting,But maybe it tastes ok.

Strange, I have never tried such beer. Must look for it next time.

I recommend "Magnus" made by Browar Jagiełło,

Yes, it is still produced.
jon357 74 | 21,782
3 Oct 2020 #22
I have never tried such beer

I've had it. It's the kind of thing you try a small glass of as a novelty.
pawian 221 | 24,014
3 Oct 2020 #23
And then you rinse your mouth for 5 minutes??? hahaha
jon357 74 | 21,782
3 Oct 2020 #24
@pawian
Probably.

I had a glass of 'craft beer' a couple of weeks ago on ul. Chmielna. Tasted just like grapefruit juice. If they'd actually said that in the long description, I'd have stuck to Tyskie.

Crft cider can be nice though; I had some rhubarb cider in England which was great, except for the price, 50zl a glass :-D
pawian 221 | 24,014
3 Oct 2020 #25
Oops, that`s extortion! :):)

That chocolate one might be interesting if it is sweet coz I like sweet drinks. Whenever I have regular beer, I add coke or another fizzy drink to it to make it sweeter. The only exception is strong beer, 9-10 %, which has a higher sugar content.
jon357 74 | 21,782
3 Oct 2020 #26
I like the drier kind (and really miss Double Diamond).

One problem with the craft beers though is some of them are way too strong for me. 6% is the absolute limit, and I'm happier with 3%.
pawian 221 | 24,014
3 Oct 2020 #27
though is some of them are way too strong for me.

Interesting. How do you estimate it that beer is too strong? Taste buds? Hangover?
jon357 74 | 21,782
3 Oct 2020 #28
Alcohol content, taste, intoxicating effect.

It's nicer to have a few pints and feel merry than start feeling drunk too soon in the evening.
mafketis 36 | 10,708
3 Oct 2020 #29
How do you estimate it that beer is too strong?

How many before you stop feeling a nice buzz and start getting that heavy drunk feeling....

Polish beer seems made to provide quick intoxication I prefer Czech beer which doesn't seem intended to make anyone drunk and is more a nice thing to drink with friends and food and if you try really, really hard you might get a bit tipsy.

Overall Polish beer is intended for genetic Slavs (roughly speaking) who on the whole metabolize alcohol (and painkillers) very quickly.... but for others the higher alcohol content restricts enjoyment....
pawian 221 | 24,014
3 Oct 2020 #30
Czech beer which doesn't seem intended to make anyone drunk

Hmm, I think you tend to invoke certain cultural myths now rather than real quality of beers. How can Polish beer provide quick intoxication and Czech doesn`t if both have similar alcohol content?????


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