Project Grodziskie: A Polish Renaissance

Originally published in the November/December 2012 issue of Zymurgy magazine. Ask any brewer which style of beer Ireland gave to the world, and dry stout would be the immediate reply. Most brewers could also easily identify a number of different beer styles originating from specific regions in Great Brit­ain, Belgium, and Germany. But if you really want to have some fun, ask the following question: "Name the one beer style that is unique to Poland." Some may shrug, others might guess Baltic porter, but very few would respond with the correct answer: Grodziskie, also called Grätzer beer. So just what is Grätzer? It's essentially a golden, low-gravity wheat ale with a prominent smoke aroma and flavor, a moderate noble hop bitterness, and a high level of carbonation. It first appeared centuries ago in the Polish city of…

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