A Guide to the Must-Visit Breweries in Poland’s Beer Triangle

First Friday of August has become a day for beer lovers worldwide to celebrate International Beer Day. This lighthearted holiday, created by Americans just a few years back, has gained immense popularity across the globe. And why not? Beer is one of the oldest beverages known to humankind. I am not sure how about you, but I love it 🙂

In this article, we bring you some beer attractions in Poland that are perfect for the weekend. Brewery tours, holidays, and festivals for beer enthusiasts, and even a hotel where you can indulge in beer wellness. Remember to leave the kids at home, as these tours are strictly for adults only.

You may also want to check this article: Who Rules the Polish Beer Market? Exploring the Top Breweries

A Brief History of Beer – From Ancient Times to Modern Breweries

I need to tell you according to reports, every Polish person above 15 years old drinks an average of 136 liters of beer each year, ranking them among the top beer-drinking European nations. There’s no need to feel guilty about enjoying a cold one – this beverage has been around for more than six thousand years, predating other popular drinks like vodka, whiskey, and brandy. Only wine might be older than beer.

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In the ancient Middle East, low-alcohol fermented beverages like beer and wine were often favored over warm, dust-contaminated water (at least by the upper classes). The ancient Sumerians were the first to brew a thick, cereal-based concoction, which was more akin to soup than the beer we know today.

In my opinion, it’s safe to say that they were probably the inventors of beer and the founders of the first brewery. Later, during the Middle Ages, monks introduced hops to beer, and in the early 20th century, the pasteurization process came into existence.

A Rich Tradition of Polish Breweries and Brewhouses

The history of beer in Poland dates back to the early 11th century, as mentioned in Thietmar’s Chronicle. This implies that Poles were enjoying beer even before their first king (Thietmar finished writing the chronicle around 1018, while Bolesław the Brave was crowned in 1025).

In recent times, the beer industry has been flourishing and constantly innovating. Craft breweries are popping up across Poland, producing unique beverages using local ingredients and their own recipes. By the end of 2022, there were 283 commercial distilleries in the country.

Beer Tourism Means Simply To Explore the World of Beer

Given the ubiquity of beer, it’s no surprise that many enthusiasts have developed a fascination with the history of their favorite drink and its intricate production process. Breweries seized this opportunity and began offering tours of their facilities, giving birth to beer tourism. This form of tourism involves exploring a country or region through its beer trail, visiting noteworthy distilleries, brewhouses, breweries, beer-related museums, and locations frequented by beer lovers. Beer tourism promotes regional beers and is analogous to wine tourism, which revolves around wine and vineyards.

Beer tourism focuses primarily on parties and visiting production facilities or in-house museums. In Poland (and other countries), there isn’t an extensive network of beer tourism farms for an all-inclusive holiday experience, as is the case with wine tourism and vineyards.

Beer tourism is most prominent in Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Great Britain, but Polish breweries are also increasingly organizing tours of their facilities for tourists, often accompanied by beer tastings.

Celebrating International Beer Day in Poland

On August 5, people around the world come together to celebrate International Beer Day. In Poland, various beer festivals and events take place, offering attractions like guided tours of renowned breweries and brewhouses.

We’ve prepared a guide to some of the most intriguing Polish breweries and other beer-related attractions, perfect for a weekend getaway for foodies and beer enthusiasts. You can expect to find:

  • Beer museums, featuring historical brewhouses
  • Gourmet beer festivals
  • And even a beer SPA

Please note! Due to the nature of these attractions, they are exclusively available to tourists over the age of 18.

Must-Visit Beer Attractions in Poland

If you’re a beer enthusiast and curious about how it’s produced, here are some essential places you should visit in Poland:

Żywiec Brewery Museum

Żywiec is home to one of the oldest active breweries in Poland. Established in 1856 as the Archduke Brewery, it has since become famous for its high-quality beer, using clean water from the Leśnianka River. Today, Grupa Żywiec is responsible for about 60% of Poland’s beer exports.

You can visit the Archduke Brewery and the Żywiec Brewery Museum located in the former lagering cellars. While the brewery itself is closed to visitors in 2022, the museum offers a glimpse of antique barrels, tankards, and vintage beer advertisements. Tickets cost PLN 30 or PLN 40 with a guide.

Tyskie Brovarium

The Tyskie Brovarium in Tychy is the largest tour center in Poland’s beer tourism scene. This unique museum showcases the over 400-year-old history of Tyskie Browary Książęce. The brewery’s rapid growth occurred in the second half of the 19th century, thanks to modernizations introduced by Prince Jan Henryk Hochberg.

Visitors can explore the exhibition hall, watch a 3D animated movie, and enjoy a beer tasting at the end of the tour. Open from Tuesday to Sunday, tickets are priced at PLN 35 for adults and PLN 30 for children aged 16-18.

The Archduke’s Castle Brewery in Cieszyn

Located near the famous Rotunda on Castle Hill in Cieszyn, this brewery has been producing beer in open vats for almost 200 years—a rare practice in Europe.

Click Play and Watch the Video About one of the oldest breweries in Poland – Cieszyn

You can join guided tours, which include observing the beer brewing process and even indulge in a weekend full of beer experiences. The Castle Brewery in Cieszyn is open for visits on Fridays and weekends, with a 2-hour guided tour costing PLN 35. A virtual tour is also available.

Every year, the Cieszyn Association of Home Brewers hosts a home beer competition, with the winner’s brew becoming part of the Castle Brewery’s offering for a year. You can participate in the competition’s ceremonial settlement for an admission fee of approximately PLN 20.

Wrocław’s Browar Stu Mostów

This isn’t a historic brewhouse but rather a brand new and modern brewery producing craft beer. You can join a guided tour to learn about the craft beer production process and how it differs from industrial beers.

Tours at Browar Stu Mostów take place on weekends from 14:00 to 16:30, and tickets cost PLN 35. Make sure to pre-register online for the tour.

PINTA Brewery in Wieprz

PINTA is Poland’s largest craft brewery, known for brewing wild beers and aging them in barrels. They produce 3 million liters of 100 different beer types annually.

Visiting PINTA brewery will be possible starting from May 2022. Tickets are priced at PLN 35. Individuals can visit on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30 and 12:30, while organized groups of 10 or more can visit from Monday to Thursday.

Beer SPAs in Warsaw and Częstochowa

Poland offers a variety of wellness facilities, including some unconventional ones like beer SPAs in several cities. In Warsaw, you can enjoy a beer bath and other hop-based treatments at the facility on ul. Roentgena 16. A 1.5-hour session costs PLN 300.

You may also want to read this article: Experience a Beer Spa Treatment in Zakopane Mountains

At Hotel Czestochovia in Częstochowa, the theme is all about beer. From the dining room, you can see vats where the beer is brewed and later served in the restaurant. The cellars host a unique beer spa, offering beer baths, rejuvenating beer masks, and massages with beer-based oils. The „Beer Spa” package at Hotel Czenstochovia costs PLN 800, including accommodation for two with breakfast.

Zwierzyniec Brewery

Zwierzyniec Brewery is located in a beautifully preserved 19th-century building. Open from 10:00-16:00, tickets cost PLN 20 or PLN 50 in the form of bricks, with proceeds going towards maintaining the brewery. Remember to book your brewery tour online.

Szerniawa Brewery in Komorniki

This modern brewery operates at the National Museum of Agriculture and Agricultural Industry in Komorniki. A visit to the brewery with a tasting session takes about 2 hours, and tickets are priced at PLN 30.

Castle in Tworków (Ruins)

In the 19th century, the Tworków Castle attracted crowds, mainly due to a small brewery that tempted guests with its golden brew. The place was so popular that in Racibórz, special trains had to be arranged to transport visitors to the castle.

Since 1839, Bavarian-style beer was produced here, which was quite a sensation in Upper Silesia. The business flourished, and after several years, the brewery was thoroughly modernized, and the production of a new type of beer – Pilsner – began.

Tworków Castle and its brewery turned out to be a great tourist attraction. Although the facility enjoyed great popularity, it could not compete with large corporations. Even modern technology didn’t help. The brewery was closed at the end of the 19th century. Today, the property in this small village is deteriorating.

Check this article, you may like it: Discover the Best Craft Beer in Zakopane: A Guide for Beer Enthusiasts

References:

  • https://polskazachwyca.pl/top-10/polskie-zabytkowe-browary-ktore-mozna-zwiedzac-top-7/

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