Polish beer
Encyclopedia
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
. There are 70 breweries in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(including 27 microbreweries). Most breweries in Poland are named after the city in which they were founded. Following World War II, after centuries of financial independence, most breweries were nationalized under the communist regime. After the collapse of the Soviet empire, market economy was introduced and many international beer companies moved in, and a period of consolidation followed. Poland might be considered a beer market with a high degree of enterprise concentration: three companies control 86% of the market share. Some traditional Polish beers are Tyskie
Tyskie
Tyskie is one of the best selling brands of beer in Europe, with around 18% of the European market. Tyskie also has a world distribution, one the biggest export partners is Canada and the United States...
, Warka
Warka Brewery
The Warka Brewery is one of Poland's oldest breweries and belongs to the Żywiec Group. Żywiec Group has five main breweries: Żywiec Brewery, Elbrewery, Leżajsk Brewery, Cieszyn Brewery and Warka Brewery, and is majority owned by the Dutch Heineken Group...
, Żywiec
Zywiec Brewery
Żywiec Brewery is a brewery founded in 1852, in Żywiec, Poland, then part of Austria-Hungary. It was nationalised after the Second World War. Grupa Zywiec S.A. consists of five main breweries: Żywiec Brewery, Elbrewery, Leżajsk, Warka Brewery and Cieszyn Brewery...
, and Okocim although Polish tastes have greatly expanded, as shown in the introduction of porters
Porter (beer)
Porter is a dark-coloured style of beer. The history and development of stout and porter are intertwined. The name was first used in the 18th century from its popularity with the street and river porters of London. It is generally brewed with dark malts...
and flavored beers (like the Karmi brand from Okocim).
Industry
According to a 2009 Ernst & YoungErnst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
report, Poland is Europe's third largest beer producer: Germany with 103 million hectolitres, UK with 49.5 million hl, Poland with 36.9 million hl and Spain with 33.4 million hl. Following consecutive growth in the home market, Związek Pracodawców Przemysłu Piwowarskiego (Union of the Brewing Industry Employers in Poland), which represents approximately 90% of the Polish beer market, announced during the annual brewing industry conference that consumption of beer in 2008 rose to 94 litres per capita, or 35,624 million hectolitres sold on domestic market. Statistically, a Polish consumer drinks some 92 litres of beer a year, which places it a third behind Czech Republic and Germany
German beer
Beer is a major part of German culture. For many years German beer was brewed in adherence to the Reinheitsgebot order or law which only permitted water, hops and malt as beer ingredients until its repeal in 1988. The order also required that beers not exclusively using barley-malts such as wheat...
.
In 2009, beer sales paid some PLN 3.097 bn in excise taxes to the Polish government. Total employment due to beer production and sales is 207,900 .
Varieties
Poland is well known for its beer culture and many varieties. Many breweries are majority owned by multinational companies.- Kompania PiwowarskaKompania PiwowarskaKompania Piwowarska - is a brewing company established in Poland in 1999 as a result of the merger of two SABMiller owned Polish breweries, Lech Browary Wielkopolski S.A. in Poznań and Browary Tyskie Górny Śląsk SA. in Tychy. Browary Tyskie Górny Śląsk was founded in 1629...
controls 45% of the Polish beer market. It is majority owned by SAB Miller. Its flagship brands include TyskieTyskieTyskie is one of the best selling brands of beer in Europe, with around 18% of the European market. Tyskie also has a world distribution, one the biggest export partners is Canada and the United States...
, Lech and, from the Dojlidy brewary, ŻubrŻubr (beer)Żubr beer is a Polish lager brewed on from of barley malt by the company Kompania Piwowarska SA. It contains 12.1% of the extract and 6.0% alcohol. The brand has been promoted throughout the country by Kompania Piwowarska based on the product acquired in 2003 along with the Dojlidy Brewery in...
. - Grupa Żywiec S.A. controls 35% of the market. Żywiec is 61% owned by Heineken Group. It operates five major breweries in Poland:
- Żywiec BreweryZywiec BreweryŻywiec Brewery is a brewery founded in 1852, in Żywiec, Poland, then part of Austria-Hungary. It was nationalised after the Second World War. Grupa Zywiec S.A. consists of five main breweries: Żywiec Brewery, Elbrewery, Leżajsk, Warka Brewery and Cieszyn Brewery...
is one of the most well known brands. It has three varieties: Żywiec Full, Żywiec Porter, and Żywiec Light - ElbreweryElbreweryThe Elbrewery Company is Poland's largest brewery and belongs to the Żywiec Group, established in 1998 after merging Zakłady Piwowarskie Żywiec SA and Brewpole B.V..-Brewery:...
brews Specjal Jasny Pełny, Specjal Mocny, Warka Gdańskie, and Hevelius Kaper. The "EB" brand is available for export only. - Leżajsk BreweryLeżajsk BreweryThe Leżajsk Brewery is one of Poland's oldest breweries and belongs to the Żywiec Group. Żywiec Group has five main breweries: Żywiec Brewery, Elbrewery, Leżajsk Brewery, Cieszyn Brewery and Warka Brewery, and is majority owned by the Dutch Heineken Group...
brews Leżajsk Pełne, Leżajsk Mocne, Podkarpackie, Tatra Jasne Pełne and Tatra Mocne. - Warka BreweryWarka BreweryThe Warka Brewery is one of Poland's oldest breweries and belongs to the Żywiec Group. Żywiec Group has five main breweries: Żywiec Brewery, Elbrewery, Leżajsk Brewery, Cieszyn Brewery and Warka Brewery, and is majority owned by the Dutch Heineken Group...
brews Warka, Strong, and KrólewskieKrólewskieKrólewskie may refer to:*Królewskie, a brand of beer produced by Warka Brewery, a subsidiary of the Grupa Zywiec S.A.*Królewskie, Ostrzeszów County, a village in west-central Poland...
. - Cieszyn BreweryCieszyn BreweryThe Cieszyn Brewery is a brewery in Poland and belongs to the Żywiec Group. Żywiec Group has five main breweries: Żywiec Brewery, Elbrewery, Leżajsk Brewery, Cieszyn Brewery and Warka Brewery, and is majority owned by the Dutch Heineken Group...
brews Żywiec Porter and Brackie.
- Żywiec Brewery
- Carlsberg Polska owns 14% of the Polish beer market.
- Okocim Brewery brews Carlsberg, O.K. Beer, Harnas, Signature, Mocne, and KarmiKarmiKarmi may refer to:*Karmi , a Polish brand of beers*Karmi, Cyprus, a village in Cyprus...
. - Kasztelan Brewery brews Kasztelan Jasne Pełne, Kasztelan Mocne and Kasztelan Niepasteryzowane.
- Bosman Brewery brews Bosman Full and Bosman Specjal.
- Okocim Brewery brews Carlsberg, O.K. Beer, Harnas, Signature, Mocne, and Karmi
- Łomża BreweryBrowar ŁomżaThe Browar Łomża is Poland's fourth largest brewery. Browar Lomza Sp. z o.o. launched the plant in 1968. In 2007 it was purchased by Royal Unibrew. The Browar Łomża brewery is located in Łomża, Poland. In 2011 it was sold to company Van Pur.-Brand:...
is the fourth largest, but significantly smaller, brewery in Poland. It is a fully owned subsidiary of Royal UnibrewRoyal UnibrewRoyal Unibrew is the second largest brewery group in Denmark, selling under the brands Ceres, Faxe and Albani, although their best selling beer is marketed as Royal...
. It has three brews: full, mocne, and niepasteryzowane.
External links
- Polish beer caps (in Polish and Russian)