Great Beer Memories Series

One Summer in Poland

Beer Travels January 6, 2005
Written by Radek Kliber

Toronto (Can) Krotoszyn (Pol), CANADA -

Summer 2003, Poland, Wroclaw

It’s been 14 days since I saw last a Labatt Blue logo. 14 days. Early Polish summer, hot but so fresh and light. Perfect for good beer, perfect for new ratings. My legs carried me towards old town, more specifically towards that gothic city hall that looms over the market square. My eyes more than my legs so my brain was searching anything with the name Piwo (Beer) and found one just 25 meters east of my presence. On the post I read ‘<a hrefhttp://www.ratebeer.com/Brewers/Brewing-Company-1652.htm>Brew pub Spiz ‘. Yes! I screamed (scaring local teenage students and elderly German tourists).

I and my legs wasted no time. In sweaty hands my digital camera was ready for shots. Notebook and pen on standby. Just 12 steps down and I found myself in dark cellar-like room. “German Gothic like beer pub” I said to myself. My nose noticed the lovely malt aroma, beer in making, open copper tanks. At that moment I wished that more of my RateBeer friends were here with me to enjoy what my eyes and nose did. Slowly I removed my camera. Rather in the shy way I did a few shots. Those will be good for my photo album.

Rather excited, I asked for beer. First it was pale lager which was good for beginner beer hunter. Next in line unfiltered wheat. The find of the day, or should I say summer, was local <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/Beer/Beer-Reviews-12677.htm>Dunkel. I was looking weeks for this kind of beer - it is found only in dreams or best lager brew pubs. There are great lagers out there, just trust your luck and please be prepared to have before that few hundreds of lesser ones. From local <a hrefhttp://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/Beer/Beer-Ratings.asp?BeerID=34696>Okocim Harnas, through Piast Premium and obscure <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/Beer/Beer-Ratings.asp?BeerID=15315>Wojtek beer I was there smiling like a child that got a new toy. I got mine.

So I, Radek, stared to write down my thoughts, my comments. The thoughts pushed out themselves and spilled on my paper. My actions stirred notice with the local Spiz workers. Quietly they started to whisper and point in my direction. Who is that young guy? Competition, or some local Health and Safety Rep? That’s what they must have thought. Nah. I wanted to shout at them, “Hey it is me Radek that famous rater from RateBeer! I know all, Dunkel is great …!”, but sadly or luckily for them I was not that drunk (yet).

I decided to write my comments on scrap of paper for brew master and told one of the workers to come over. With nod she took my notes. I wrote ‘Wheat was too thin; dunkel was great just keep it as is; pale lager or pils as they call it needed more Saaz / Lublin hops to be what was named’. Happy I left this lone local brew pub. Maybe next time, when Polish summer shall welcome me with 34 C ( 95 F) - I re-visit them and maybe just maybe then I will be brave/drunk enough to say “its me Radek from RB”…

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“German Gothic like beer pub” I said to myself. My nose noticed the lovely malt aroma, beer in making, open copper tanks. At that moment I wished that more of my RateBeer friends were here with me to enjoy what my eyes and nose did.

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