According to statistics, every Polish citizen annually consumes more than 90 liters of beer. The country occupies by this indicator far from the last place not only in Europe, but also in the world. Historical chronicles indicate that beer in Poland was already known at the end of the 10th century and the first king of Poland, Władysław the Brave, had a strong addiction to the foamy drink. At the same time, the royal brewery opened so that the monarch could enjoy his favorite beer at any time and have enough of it.
Since then, brewing has become an integral part of the Polish economy and the popularity of the drink has grown significantly. All over the country, breweries began to open, successfully competing with neighboring ones in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Popular varieties
Poles patriotically declare that it is their beer that is the best, and offer to try different varieties of the foamy drink that has become a national treasure:
- The number one variety, according to many Poles, is the Wojak brand. It was created in the city of Kielc, and later the production was moved to the Tynsk princely breweries. Wojak beer is light and contains no more than 5% alcohol.
- The most popular beer in Poland in the 1990s was Okocim. After the sale of the rights for the production of this variety to the "Carlsberg" concern, the Polish variety has greatly lost its quality, but the inhabitants of the country still prefer this variety to foreign ones.
- The real youth favorite is Lech Premium beer. It is produced by the Polish Pivovarska Company and owes its name to football fans.
- The Zywiec variety was first brewed in the middle of the nineteenth century and has been one of the most popular varieties in the country for over a hundred years. Today the brand is a sponsor of numerous music festivals and a symbol of brewing in Poland.
But the most purchased beer in Poland remains Tyskie, produced by the same Tysk princely breweries. Its annual turnover reaches five million hectares, and the production history goes back at least 350 years.
Beer holidays
The numerous festivals held every year are the best way to navigate the Polish beer variety. The most popular of these is Chmielaki Krasnostawskie in the town of Krasnystaw in August or early September. The Khmelyaki festival is timed to the collection of hops, but its organizers are not limited to the beer theme. Here you can taste the beers you are interested in, and then listen to performances of your favorite rock performers or watch performances of amateur theaters.
