Hand on heart. Mulled beer?! Surprisingly, It’s not bad at all…
Grzane piwo (grzaniec) is popular in Poland, especially during the colder months, much like mulled wine is in our country. Although at first glance, hot beer may seem like an unusual concept, grzaniec has its place in Polish gastronomy and is favored by both locals and tourists.
Grzaniec has its roots in the Polish tradition of brewing beer, which dates back to the Middle Ages. At that time, it was common to heat beer, to enhance its flavor and aroma and to create a warming drink suitable for cold winter evenings. Recipes for grzaniec were passed down from generation to generation, and each region or even family could have its own unique method of preparation.
Just like with mulled wine, various spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, or orange peel are added to mulled beer. It is also important that mulled beer is not boiled but only brought to a certain temperature, as boiling would cause the alcohol to evaporate.
I had the chance to try mulled Polish beer from the Jastrzębie brewery, with one bottle costing 11 PLN (2.60 EUR) in the supermarket. When heated, the taste was very intense with notes of cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla. Dark beer is used.
Thanks to the combination of these flavors, grzaniec is an ideal drink for winter evenings, popular at Christmas markets where it is served alongside other traditional Polish foods and beverages.
And what about you and grzane piwo? Have you tried it?
Cheers!
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