Browar Wisła, Browar Żywiec, Tyskie Browary Książęce, Arcyksiążęcy Browar Zamkowy Cieszyn - if these names are not unfamiliar to you, then when visiting Silesia, be sure to visit a beer museum.
We all see the beer we know. But do we really? Do we know where it comes from and how its taste is created? Sometimes we treat it as something ordinary, but it is a drink with a long and truly fascinating history. To better understand the diversity of beer, it's best to visit Silesia. The local breweries and modern museums preserve this extraordinary heritage, educate, entertain, and awaken the senses. Once you discover their secrets, beer will never taste the same.
Beer is one of the oldest beverages in the world and certainly one of the most popular. It has even saved people's lives at times. In the mid-19th century, there was a cholera epidemic in one of London's districts. Almost everyone suffered from gastrointestinal problems except for the workers at nearby breweries who drank only hoppy brew. After closing the water source, the epidemic stopped. The history of beer holds many similar curiosities that are worth discovering.
Browar Wisła
Browar Wisła is an excellent example of successful revitalization. Giving the railway station in Wisła a new function gave it a second life and opened it up to the city and its people. Built in 1929 in connection with the expansion of the railway line from Ustroń Polana, it had already passed its heyday. The closed ticket office and waiting room presented a sad sight. The property went into private hands, and in 2020, Browar Wisła was opened there. Located just 200 meters from the market square in Wisła, it is very popular among residents and tourists. This is where mountain lovers meet after long hikes. Beer with a view of Wisła Uzdrowisko station and the brewery tastes best!
Distance from Hotel Vestina >> 8 km.
Arcyksiążęcy Browar Zamkowy Cieszyn
Browar Zamkowy in Cieszyn was built at the initiative of Archduke Albrecht Friedrich Habsburg in 1846 and has been in continuous operation to this day. Why "castle"? It was determined by its proximity; the building was erected on a castle hill not far from the Habsburg castle. It was one of the first industrial breweries, and the consistent quality of beer earned it a large following throughout the Habsburg Monarchy. Today, a living beer museum is housed there. Visitors can take advantage of the rich knowledge of guides and taste Cieszyn beers. Every year, Cieszyńska Jesień Piwna (Cieszyn Beer Autumn) takes place in Cieszyn. In the first weekend of September, there are tastings of the best craft beers in Poland, discussions with recipe authors, panel discussions, beer games, and homebrewing demonstrations.
Distance from Hotel Vestina >> 30 km.
Museum of the Żywiec Brewery
The history of brewing in the Żywiec region spans over seven centuries. For the first centuries, these were small craft workshops highly regarded. Brewers and coopers from all over Europe worked there. The 19th-century industrial revolution changed the face of the place. Production was automated, beer had repeatable parameters and high quality. In 1856, the Arcyksiążęcy Browar w Żywcu (Archducal Brewery in Żywiec) was established and was one of the largest in this part of Europe.
In 2006, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the brewery, the Museum of the Żywiec Brewery was opened. It proved to be a tremendous success. The facility was planned in the former beer maturation cellars, but you won't find dusty showcases there. It is one of the most modern museums of its kind in the country. The exhibition rooms with characteristic arched vaults transport visitors to another world, through different periods of the brewery's development and the Żywiec brand itself, up to the present day. While visiting the museum, you will learn that beer is not made from hops but from malt, it contains no preservatives, and during its production, you can obtain around 300 unique aromas. The exhibition answers many questions, such as why, for several decades, there has been a couple dancing in colorful Krakow costumes on the label of Żywiec Jasne Pełne beer.
The Żywiec Brewery Museum is one of the objects of the Silesian Technical Monuments Route, awarded the title of "Star of Technology." Since 2010, it has been an anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage, testifying to its supra-regional significance for the industrial history of Europe.
Distance from Hotel Vestina >> 37 km.
Museum of Tyskie Browary Książęce
If you want to experience the beer brewing process with all your senses, get to know its sensory profiles, be sure to visit the Center for Beer Art at Tyskie Browary Książęce. In the Beer Laboratory, you will touch the brewing craft and understand the "alchemy" of this golden beverage. In a historic building where beer has been continuously produced since 1629, there is also the Tourist Center of Tyskie Browary Książęce. Visitors can explore the brewery, fermentation rooms, historic brewery, bottling facility, and canning facility. The tour ends with a demonstration of proper beer pouring and beer tasting brewed just meters above the pub. The brewery strongly emphasizes its connection with the local community. You will see photos of generations of brewers on murals, one of which is among the largest in Poland. The facility organizes a series of cultural events, exhibitions, concerts. For those thirsty for strong experiences, selected nights of the year feature nighttime tours.
Distance from Hotel Vestina >> 80 km.