Krakow

Onwards and eastwards, it's said, so we did.  At the end of June 2007 six intrepid Wigan CAMRA members set off from Liverpool airport to pastures new in search of strong dark beers and as expected we were not disappointed. 

The base for our 5 day break was Krakow, the former capital city of Poland and still it's cultural capital, also a UNESCO World Heritage Listing. The city was founded on major European trade routes by a Slavic duke named Krak, around AD965.  Amber was the principal commodity, with salt coming a close second. In Wielicka there is, what is thought to be, the world’s oldest working salt mine. Krakow has been the European city of culture twice and the late Pope John Paul II was its Bishop at one time. 

A few places of interest to visit if you get a chance: The Wawel Royal Castle; The Jewish Quarter; Auscwitz, (The Nazi death camp (now a UNESCO site); Wielicka Salt Mine; Pieskowa Skala Castle as well as a wide range of churches and museums. 

That’s enough culture for the moment, let’s get down to the serious business—beer. There are currently around 80  active breweries in Poland.  Beers are produced at a wide range of strengths, from 2.5% to 9.5% alcohol.  Those at the higher end of the scale are the most common, but it's perhaps not quite so surprising when you consider the vodka-drinking tradition.  In type, these are mostly pale lagers, though some dark lagers are available. 

Porters in the strong Baltic style are produced by a large number of breweries and are usually around 9% alcohol.  They are very dark brown to black in colour with a sweet, rich flavour (yummy).  Also available is  the unique grodziskie beer, a top-fermented smoked wheat beer, which is produced by the only brewery in the town of Grodzisk.Krakow, a pub crawl or pot-holing for beginners, has one brewpub and one micro brewery, plus some very good pubs.  The drinking scene in Poland consists mainly of  the young and it is rare to see people over thirty out in the evenings, we six Brits being the exception!!  

Four of  the party stayed at  the Hotel Jan on Grodzka street which, just by chance, has 3 of the better pubs situated on it.  Its was also conveniently close to the main square.

Starting with The Polish Pub,  this was our first port of call, almost directly opposite our hotel.  Steep steps led down to  a warren of rooms.  Two draught beers were available along with  3 bottled beers and "swings at the bar"!   

Further along Grodzka you will find The Od Nova.  Time to put on your pit helmet and keep your head down, its at least 2 storeys below ground level to the vaulted brick cellars. The Entrance to the Od Nova is hidden away down an alleyway so careful you don’t miss it. It  service Zywiec Lager (5.7% abv) and  Porter (9.5% abv).  Furnished in a simple style with the bar, like a little kiosk,  jammed under one of the vaults. There is a stage and live music events are held on a regular basis.

Lastly, on  Grodzka is The Fischer Pub. Again careful you don’t miss it as its hidden away at the back of an arched section of the street.  It serves three draught beers and has a small range of bottled beers. This is a cosy two-room pub with the feel of somewhere you would like to stay for more than one beer.  Not at all surprising considering the beer was 5 or 6 zloty (about £1.00) for a 1/2 litre. 

Also handily close to the main square is U Kacpra at Ul Slakowska 2.  Its time to get your pickaxes out again and  light the candles, as this is another one of those clandestine dark rambling cellar bars. It's furnished fairly appropriately and tastefully with simple wooden stuff which fits pretty well with the spartan brickwork and rock posters. Once again three beers available on draught

Also handily close to the main square is U Kacpra at Ul Slakowska 2.  Its time to get your pickaxes out again and  light the candles, as this is another one of those clandestine dark rambling cellar bars. It's furnished fairly appropriately and tastefully with simple wooden stuff which fits pretty well with the spartan brickwork and rock posters. Once again three beers available on draught.

There is one brewpub in Krakow, CK Browar which can be found at 6-7 Ulica Podwale. Once again down the steps into a vaulted cellar bar where you will find four beers on offer:  Jasne - a pale pils, Ciemne - a dark lager, a wheat beer and a ginger beer with a seasonal beers often available as well.  Just a little warning, beware the “bog troll”, you need a lot of change when you need to use the WC. Check out CK Browar’s web site at:-

 http://www.ckbrowar.krakow.pl/index_en.html 

 They also do beer bongs 5lts for £11.00.

You will find an excellent off licence in the  Spożywczy shop at Miodowa 13, on the corner of Bozego Ciala.  This place has a large selection of bottled beers including amber from Stary Krakow and the whole range from local micro Relakspol – check the breweries website at http://www.relakspol.com.pl/.  The micro brewery Browar Stary Krakow is at Ui Bobrowa 15, Krakow 30-381. It brews an amber and a dark beer, both of which are very quaffable. Check the web site at:-

 www.browarstarykrakow.com/.

Other bars that are a must visit are Non Iron Ul. Sw. Marka 27.  This is a post-modernist cocktail bar, on ground level! Serving both  of the Stary ales along with three other draught beers and a limited bottle range. On Ul Stolarska, just off the square is the Pierwszy local na Stolarskiej, again an outlet for the Stary ales, with a choice of two other brews. This is another ground level pub with five rooms which are quite dark in the evenings as they are lit by candles.