In the buzzing world of craft beer, where innovation often takes center stage, there’s a quiet reverence for the past. And within that lies the captivating tale of Grodziskie, a unique and historic (and the only!) Polish beer style, and the brewery that proudly bears its name: Browar Grodzisk.
For centuries, the small town of Grodzisk Wielkopolski in western Poland was synonymous with this very distinctive brew. Due to its high carbonation and elegant character, Grodziskie was a local treasure that eventually gained international fame and became known as “Polish Champagne”.
Grodziskie’s story is deeply intertwined with its birthplace. Brewed almost exclusively in Grodzisk Wielkopolski, the beer’s unique character stemmed from several key factors. First the smoked wheat malt, which is a defining aspect of Grodziskie. Locally grown wheat was traditionally smoked over oak wood, giving it a subtle yet unmistakable smoky aroma and flavor. The mineral-rich water from the local wells was believed to contribute to the beer’s crispness and delicate balance. Lastly, a specific strain of top-fermenting yeast contributed to the beer’s dry finish and high carbonation. The result was a low-alcohol (typically 2.5-3.5% ABV), highly carbonated, pale gold beer with a refreshing dryness and a delicate balance of bready wheat notes and subtle smokiness.
Like many historical brews, it faced near extinction before a passionate revival brought it back. In it’s heyday there were around 40 breweries in Grodzisk Wielkopolski. The last brewery producing Grodziskie beer commercially, owned by SAB Miller at the time, closed in 1993. Due to the efforts of homebrewers and enthusiasts the style is being brewed again! In 2008 they bought the dilapidated brewery on Poznańska Street and breathed new life into it. Since 2015 they have been brewing Grodziskie commercially there (though PINTA was the first one to make a new commercial Grodziskie in 2010).
Krzysztof Panek, one of the founders of the re-established brewery and it’s CEO, did extensive research into the brand and the beer before reviving it. Some changes were made to suit modern consumers, but overall the beer it still very much true to its original recipe with the use of 100% smoked wheat malt, a very special ale yeast strain, and refermentation in the bottle. Unlike modern breweries they use open stainless steel fermenters similar to the old ways. The magic Grodziskie yeast strain, which they actually use for other styles as well (even lagers!) is very fast and fermentation is generally 2 to 3 days without need for maturation. One of the things they didn’t continue was the production of the wonderful Grodziskie glass after experiencing how impractical this glass was for bars to use.
The brewery played a pivotal role in not only bringing Grodziskie back into production but also in educating the world about its unique history and character. This led to the BJCP guidelines incorporating the beer style in their historical beer section in 2015 and many other craft breweries rediscovering this alluring and wonderful beer. The second biggest Grodziskie producer is Live Oak Brewing in Austin, Texas.
In 2011 Krzysztof and others also took over Browar Fortuna in Milosław, a Polish brewery with a rich history. This new ownership brought a focus on brewing speciality beers using traditional methods, such as their highly regarded Komes line. I was fortunate enough to taste four of these strong and complex barrel aged beers, all equally unique and tasteful: the first one was their 9% Baltic Porter created in 2014 for the 125th anniversary; then the 15% ice (double) distilled version; next the 20% ice distilled single barrel release with mandarin juice (my favorite), and last the blend of 2 singel barrel beers (Imperial Porter X Wild Ale) at 18%.
Currently Marcin Ostajewsk is head brewer at both breweries.
The Grodziskie Beer Competition
To encourage brewers worldwide to brew and appreciate this unique Polish beer style, Browar Grodzisk hosts an annual Grodziskie Beer Competition which both homebrewers and commercial brewers can enter. The competition features two main categories: the classical Grodziskie Beer and the category ‘variation on the Grodziskie style’ that encourages creativity while still maintaining a clear connection to the Grodziskie character, particularly the use of oak-smoked wheat malt and high carbonation. Brewers can experiment with hopping and additional ingredients. I would love to be a judge at this competition that is held every year in June. Let’s hope I make it over there next year. Until then I will look forward to tasting this wonderful beer style during my next trip to Poland in two weeks!
It is still possible to register your Grodziskie beer for the competition: check out this website for more information.
All photos taken by Tina Rogers.
