Beer of the Weekend #1,138: Tyskie Gronie

Despite what I wrote two weeks ago about not wanting to buy beer imported from abroad, I could not pass up this Polish curiosity that I found while in Wisconsin (again) recently: Gronie, brewed by the Tyskie Browary Książęce of Tychy, Poland.



Serving type: 500-ml can. “01.04.2026” is printed on the bottom.

Appearance: Poured a solid light gold into a pilsner glass. An off-white, bubbly, buttery, dense, almost-meringue-like head settled slowly and evenly.

Smell: I could smell it from an arm’s length away. Sweet, malty, and spicy. Crisp and hoppy. Lots of grass and earthy spice. Sharp and enticing. Very European. It made my mouth water.

Taste: Light, tasty, and crushable. Sweet and malty but with a sharp little bite. Apple and grass. A touch of earthy hops. The spice and bitterness lingered on the taste buds.

Fun facts about Gronie:

• Style: European pale lager.

• Price: $6.99 for a 4-pack of 500-milliliter cans at Fox Bros Piggly Wiggly in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

• Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.

• What does “gronie” means in Polish? According to this Reddit thread, “Gronie is a hill in Mikołów with a water intake for the brewery” (https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/ob46k3/comment/h3leats/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button).

• This has apparently been the year of Wisconsin for the family. First, we were at the lake house, then the Foxy Lady and I camped in Wisconsin. Most recently, the Foxy Lady and I spent a relaxing weekend in Port Washington for our annual autumn anniversary/birthday trip.

• The Piggly Wiggly where I bought Gronie also sold a beer from Luxembourg, and I wish I would have bought it. I don’t think I have ever had a beer from Luxembourg. According to Wikipedia, many Luxembourgers settled in the Port Washington area during the 19th century. In fact, “[t]he government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg paid to restore the lighthouse in 2000, because of the cultural ties between northern Ozaukee County and Luxembourg” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Washington,_Wisconsin).

The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.