The once dead beer style Grodziskie is making the faintest effort to crawl out of its Polish grave. It’s surprising it hasn’t been all the rage with craft brewers since its cousin, Berliner Weisse, or what people call Berliner Weisse, is practically a staple in taprooms across the globe.  

As Lew Bryson recently pointed out on The Full Pint, so many people have a “fetish” for bacon, yet they choose sour over smoke in their beer. I don’t get it, but I’m not here to discuss that. This post brings us back to glassware. If you want to know more about the Grodziskie beer style, read this article by Stan Hieronymus in Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine.

There’s not much readily accessible documentation on what precise vessel or vessels were used for this beer before the proliferation of glass in the late 1800s, though the style was in existence as far back as the 14th century. When glassware exploded in popularity, Grodziskie production was at its peak and was exported around the world. It’s no surprise that there were a wealth of glassware options specifically marketed for Grodziskie. The style went into sharp decline in the second half of the 20th century.  

In its heyday, some compared Grodziskie to Champagne, perhaps in an attempt to elevate its status. It did have a somewhat similar profile relating to color, clarity, and effervescence. Grodziskie was referred to as the “Champagne of Poland”, and the glasses that became associated with it in many ways resembled Champagne glasses of that era. They’re also quite similar to certain Pilsner glass styles. The similarity between these was so great that they were commonly listed next to each other in catalogs.

Early 20th century glassware catalogs depicting similar glasses for Champagne and beer. Source: https://www.glas-musterbuch.de/

Berliner Weisse, known as the “Champagne of the North”, went a different route in the early 1900s with its goblet style glass (see below), not unlike the Coupe style glass for Champagne. It has made its way into better-suited forms.  

While the Pilsner glass has had a variety of permutations, the Grodziskie glass is always shown in a conical form. Some are wider than others. They vary from trumpet-shaped to straight-sided. Catalogs from the early 1900s show availability in various sizes, but historic marketing materials and actual examples still in existence, depict a glass larger than the typical Pilsner glass.

On the left, a catalog depiction of a Berliner Weisse glass (Weissbierschale, or white beer bowl) and a Grätzer glass. Grätzer is the German word for Grodziskie. On the right, another catalog example with a variety of glasses, including Pilsner and Grätzer, all having a nearly identical form. Source: https://www.glas-musterbuch.de/

A collection of Grodziskie glasses in Poland. Photo courtesy of Chip McElroy of Live Oak Brewing Company.

Historic Grodziskie advertisements. Source: http://browargrodzisk.com/en/historia/

The Pilsner glass is rarely larger than 0.4L. It’s usually smaller. Grodziskie glasses are commonly 0.4-0.5L. The marketing materials seem to exaggerate the size of the glass. But as seen in this picture of Chip McElroy from Live Oak Brewing Company holding a Grodziskie from Browar Grodzisk, the depiction is accurate. It’s due in part to this type of Grodziskie glass being very narrow toward the base. It’s an attribute that makes the glass a little difficult to clean.

Chip McElroy, owner of Live Oak Brewing Company, enjoying a Grodziskie in Poland in a proper glass. Photo courtesy of Chip McElroy.

Some historic examples include a groove feature at the bottom of the glass, which was common in glassware in the early 1900s. These are referred to in the German catalogs as “Rippen-Schliff” and “Pflaumecken”, which Google translates to “rib-cut” and “plum wedges” respectively. This is not common for modern examples of Grodziskie glasses, or Pilsner glasses, but a similar feature is still found with Geueze glasses. In the case of the latter, the feature is referred to as “ribbelke”, Dutch for ribbed. This design element helps reduce the amount of contact a hand has on a glass, thereby reducing heating of the liquid.

The tall, slender glass elegantly presents the pale beer. Its triangular shape provides support for the robust foam cap. As Jenny Pfäfflin at Dovetail Brewery notes “I suspect because of the elevated carbonation of Grodziskie, this is why Grodzisk brewers chose this style of glass—to showcase its bubbles and also its large, fluffy head, which enhances its smoky aroma.”

Dovetail sells a glass to accompany their Grodziskie. They use the 14-ounce (414 mL) Classic Footed Pilsner Glass by Arc Cardinal. The glass is quite similar to (identical?) the straight-sided version of the Grodziskie glass. You’d be hard pressed to find a manufacturer selling a glass advertised for Grodziskie. Correspondence from Browar Grodzisk indicates the Polish glassware company Krosno produced a Grodziskie glass. It may be a specialty, or no longer in production as there is no glass identified on their website.

Dovetail Brewery’s thirst quenching Grodziskie, served in their version of a Grodziskie glass.

Around the Dovetail Brewery, Jenny jokes that they like to yell “PIWO GRODZIKIE”, and this is reflected in the bold lettering of their glass. Everyone should shout it out loud because there are not enough people that have heard about, or appreciate this beer style.

PS - If you’re looking for an authentic Grodziskie glass, it might be hard to come by (some pop up from time to time in Poland. Google ‘Grodziskie szkło’.) Of course, you can use whatever glass works for you when drinking this beer style (but really, you should just use a Willy Becher.)

Radeberger’s recent canned release of their Pilsner Zwickelbier has a notable element on its packaging. The word “hazy”, which is almost exclusively applied to New England IPA, is prominently depicted. While that’s a little cringe-worthy, something like this was probably inevitable. People have been making similar references for a few years now. It’s also unlikely to resonate with the intended audience.

The press release seems to make clear that this is an attempt to connect with modern, young consumers. It even claims the beer is “deliciously juicy” (spoiler: it’s delicious, not juicy). It offers a sheepish recognition that the Reinheitsgebot doesn’t allow Oreos in a beer. But fear not lactose lovers, “despite these ingredient limitations, Germany is known for its exceptional beers and innovative taste profiles.” They should have just omitted any reference to the purity law.

Radeberger has been making one beer for a long time, and that’s staying the same. This beer is simply an unfiltered version of their classic Pilsner. It was previously available at the brewery only and on a few select occasions elsewhere.

It’s a Zwickelbier, and that term is often affiliated with Franconian beer culture (Radeberger is located in Bavaria’s neighboring state Saxony). Similar terms include Kellerbier and, to a lesser extent, Landbier, and I wrote a little bit about these in a recent beer showcase on PorchDrinking.com.

Zwickel, sometimes Zwickl, refers to a spout on a lagering tank that brewers draw beer from to sample before filtration. Accordingly, the beer may not be as bright as the brewer intends the finished product to be. That doesn’t mean it won’t be tasty.

Hazy and juicy are the nomenclature of a different beer culture from the typical Radeberger customer. Its use may make a few highly uninformed consumers pick up a can or two. However, while using the hip terminology, they will likely fail to connect to those that are attracted to these terms. There a several reasons for this, including the fact that it’s German, it’s lager, it’s not a sticker can and its price point is not aligned with what the hazy crowd is accustomed to. All of these points will send signals to trend-following consumers that this beer is not for them. They speak to me though; an anomaly in the craft beer market.

It’s a somewhat sad occasion as this is, as they say, their “first product innovation in nearly 150 years.” And it’s a great one. As I mentioned, the beer is delicious. Good for them for releasing this. It’s just that the packing and marketing are unfortunate, and I suspect will not achieve the goals they have in mind. I would’ve found this much more appealing if they demonstrated a bit of humor and used “HÄZY” instead. Maybe they thought it was humorous without the umlaut. German humor is often lost on us Americans. #LageristLeben

One of the last farms from New York State’s hop growing heyday was located just a few miles down the valley from where this photo was taken. The Pindar farm in Middleburgh stopped growing hops in the early 1950s. It was an anomaly since it started well after the Central New York region exploded with hop farms, and lasted decades longer than many others. Most were wiped out in the early 1900s by an unstable market, two forms of mildew, hop aphids and Prohibition.

Some New York State Hop Growing History

In the mid to late 1800s, New York became the top place in the United States for hop production. In particular, this happened in a region extending just west of Albany to just east of Syracuse. This area ran in a band about 20-30 miles north and south of Route 20. Cluster and Fuggle hops were common (the latter to a lesser extent). The region was so successful that it caught the eye of Adolphus Busch, who acquired a hop farm outside of Cooperstown.

New York State’s historic hop growing epicenter in the mid 1800s to early 1900s.

The area was also rapidly transforming as the Erie Canal had just been completed a few decades earlier, catapulting New York City to global city status. Like so many other industries, the hop business was able to flourish due to the access to this superhighway.

Though the industry was largely decimated in these parts for the aforementioned reasons, there were a few that held on. They experimented with ways to fight the mildews (Downy and Powdery) and pests. They also sought other markets for their hops, like homebrewers during Prohibition, although it was not permitted under the Volstead Act. Later, during WWII, they found European breweries grappling with the ramifications of war as a potential market. They began growing hop roots from the West Coast and even from Germany.

Newspaper clippings alluding to a lucrative hop industry in New York State, despite that fact that it had already suffered major setbacks. Source: https://sites.google.com/site/jesskidden/hops/new-york-state-hops-post-repeal

An even greater anomaly than the Pindar farm was Segal Ranch. Segal began growing hops further north near the Canadian border in 1941. However, the location was not immune from the problems that had hit Central New York, and after a particularly bad season in 1959, Segal closed up shop in New York and made Yakima Valley, Washington its new home. This was an easy move as the company had already established a presence there several years earlier.

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/jesskidden/hops/new-york-state-hops-post-repeal

Hop Growing in New York Today

In the last ten to fifteen years, many thought they could plant a few acres of hops and make a decent profit. Most quickly learned it’s not that easy. A key challenge is that suitable land is needed. While finding vacant land in Upstate New York is not a problem, finding vacant land that is good for hop growth is. The land needs to have good, well-drained soil, and good sunlight. This eliminates a sizeable amount of sites.

According to Steve Miller “the [hop] varieties that are susceptible to downy mildew, for example, you don’t want to plant in an area where you have high humidity in the summer and a lot of rainfall on a regular basis…and I think that’s something a lot of people didn’t seem to want to recognize when they were getting on the bandwagon for planting hops.” The now semi-retired Miller was a hops specialist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County and most recently the Executive Director at Northeast Hop Alliance/Hop Growers of New York. He is keenly aware of the challenges hop growers face.

Existing orchards and vineyards are in a good position to grow hops because they have suitable land, may already have similar equipment needed, and also have a built-in seasonal workforce.

Brooklyn based Strong Rope Brewery only uses New York State ingredients.

Some hop growers have partnered with the New York Hop Guild. The guild is a grower-owned hop merchant that helps farmers sell their products. Breweries like Strong Rope in Brooklyn, and Subversive in Catskill purchase from the guild.

One of the growers that works with the guild is Pederson Farms in Seneca Castle. According to their website, they were the first of the new generation of hop growers to plant hops for commercial purposes back in 1999.

Hops from Hilltop Hops and Barley in Oneonta can only be purchased through the guild. On their 20-acre hop farm, they grow Fuggle, Newport, Nugget, Cascade and Willamette. They have an impressive operation, including their harvesting and processing equipment.

Cascade has proven to do fairly well in New York. Miller notes “it has pretty good disease resistance. It’s not as susceptible to downy mildew and powdery mildew as some of the other varieties.” They’re grown near the old Busch estate, along with Fuggle and Willamette, at the Farmer’s Museum in Cooperstown.

Newburgh Brewing Company uses some Northwest hops in their Cream Ale (as does Genesee Cream Ale). However, they also use Cascade hops from New York.

Newport grows well here, but many breweries aren’t purchasing it. Miller, again, says “it has good disease resistance. It actually has a good flavor profile…and it’s one of the varieties that would grow best in New York…” He suspects many brewers simply haven’t heard of it, or don’t know how to use it.

Alta Vista Farm Hops in Cherry Valley grows a selection of traditional hops. However, grower/owner Conrad Fink says that the wild, or heritage hops that they grow has caught the attention of several brewers. Fink is also a board member of the Hop Growers of New York. He adds, “from the start, I have propagated wild hops that I have found in different spots around Schoharie and Otsego counties. I now have four different wild hops, and they all have different aroma profiles. So, I grow and process them separately. Brewers really like the uniqueness of these wild hops.”

He calls one of these varieties “Pindar”. It was found along a hedgerow of the old Pindar farm, and he transplanted it to his property in 2017. According to their website, the hop’s aroma has the following qualities “pungent, very strong aroma of tobacco, sweet pine, and freshly mowed grass.”

Dr. Lynda McMaster-Schuyler, a professor at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Cobleskill, is studying feral hops. In addition to old farms, she notes some are also found along rail lines where hops likely fell out of railcars during transport many years ago. They are working on genetic identification, though this has been hampered by Covid. Most have shown some resistance to downy mildew.

The image on the left shows the Pindar brothers in 1939 (source: https://sites.google.com/site/jesskidden/hops/new-york-state-hops-post-repeal.) I suspect it was taken on their farm in Middleburgh in close proximity to where my family goes berry picking.

Green Wolf Brewing in Middleburgh is located on the other side of the river from the old Pindar farm and buys hops from Alta Vista.

The Future

There’s no chance this region will reclaim the status it once had in the US hop growing market. New York cannot compete with the farms in the west that are often several hundred acres in size. New York hop farms are generally about five to thirty acres. The largest is Chimney Bluffs Hoppery with 32-acres. Further, the drier climate in the west is not as disease prone. However, there is the opportunity for a small regional hop industry if brewers will support it.

That has been incredibly difficult since New England IPAs dominate the craft beer world, and many brewers only want certain types of hops to make that style. This is in spite of the fact that they can be made with other varieties. Many of the trendy hops brewers seek are tightly controlled by private entities. For a variety of reasons, they are not likely to be widely grown in New York anytime soon.

This Pilsner from Big aLICe Brewing uses NYS hops. The brewery has locations in Queens and Brooklyn, and will be opening a third location in the Finger Lakes region.

While the state’s farm brewing law offered some hope for hop growers, there are very few New York breweries operating solely under this license, which currently requires 60-percent of all ingredients to be from New York State. As it stands now, the law will bump this up to 90-percent in 2024. Breweries that want the incentives offered under the law, but still want to make Citra hazies, operate with dual licenses. They get the best of both worlds by brewing a small amount of beer within the guidelines of the farm brewer’s license while doing whatever they want with the rest of their production under their standard license.

In a short amount of time, New York hop growers have been able to re-establish an industry that is making world-class hops. Prior challenges in the form of disease and pest infestation have largely been resolved. The most significant challenge these farmers now face is the market. Consumers interested in supporting local agriculture, and reducing the carbon footprint of their beer, need to tell their favorite local brewers that they would like beer made with NYS ingredients.

It must be noted that there may be a new threat in town. The hop plant’s old cousin cannabis may prove to be much more lucrative crop for those with the land and ability as New York State just passed legislation that, among other things, legalizes the use of cannabis for adults, and creates a system for those looking to grow, process, distribute and sell it.

I was never one to purchase beer online before Covid-19. Once I started buying from breweries for shipping/delivery at the beginning of the pandemic, I began exploring other options. Though there are several services out there, Tavour caught my attention, and I now order from them every once in a while. Finding humble beer can be a bit of a challenge though.

Though better known for their Farmhouse and Wild Ales, Jester King Brewery makes humble beer too, including this Italian-style Pilsner. The brewery periodically sells through Tavour.

Tavour’s offerings generally reflect hype in the current beer market. That’s the antithesis of what this blog seeks to promote, but periodically there are some real gems for humble beer customers. For me, this has largely meant lager from the Pacific Northwest. Though the company is based there, they sell brands from all over the country. However, the app restricts what you can purchase based on geography to promote purchases from outside your region.

When deciding what to sell, Tavour assesses the market to determine what is popular among consumers. Part of this assessment includes analysis of beer review sites. They frequently note these ratings in the listing for a beer.

How it Works

For the customer, Tavour is incredibly simple to use, which can also make things expensive if you’re not careful. It starts by signing up and downloading their app. Once it has your information (including the address and credit card info used for orders) you simply scroll through the current offerings. These are limited and updated almost daily. You’ll typically find about twelve beers available at a time.

The app provides information about each beer to help inform your decision and has specific options about how many you can order. The information includes when the product was packaged. The limit per beer will vary, but there’s never the possibility to hoard a release.

Once you make a purchase, your card will be charged, and your “crate” will be created with a shipping date. This date is usually in about four to six weeks, but that can be adjusted. You can continue to add items until that date. Regardless of how much you order per crate, there is a flat fee for shipping.

The breweries I spoke with all said it’s quite easy on their end as well. Essentially, they pack a pallet, and Tavour handles the rest. The company pays the breweries a fair price and charges the customer a fair price.

Heater Allen’s Head Brewer Lisa Allen was most concerned about storage and transportation when the brewery was thinking about selling through Tavour. However, she has heard zero complaints from customers. Other breweries have the same sentiments.

Jake Atkinson of Human Robot Brewery likes the distribution model. Instead of going to a distributor and then a retailer, the product generally gets into the customer’s hands faster, and likely in better condition.

Covid struck shortly after Philadelphia’s Human Robot Brewery opened. Tavour has proven to be a a great resource to help get them through the pandemic.

Humble Beer on Tavour

The greatest success I’ve had with humble beer on Tavour has been with lager. While I lump lager styles together with other unhip, humble beers, there’s no denying it has been having a bit of a moment the last few years. Tavour’s offerings would appear to be a validation of that point.

Generally speaking, as a customer located in New York, the greatest availability of these beers has been from the Northwest, in part due to the geographic restrictions noted above. Wayfinder, Heater Allen and pFriem, among others, can occasionally be found. This would not be the case for someone on the west coast.

Wayfinder regularly sells through Tavour, and this collaboration with Modern Times and Heater Allen is a welcomed treat.

Ms. Allen notes “people that tend to buy from Tavour are looking for the next cool beer so they may try Pils once and never buy it again. I also have seen that Tavour tends to want our hoppier styles.” That said, Tavour sees some market demand for humble beer and is happy to meet the desires of those customers.

Covid and Tavour

Covid has had a major impact on the breweries that have contemplated using Tavour. Heater Allen had been contacted by them before March 2020, but they simply did not have enough inventory to use the service. Covid changed all that, and now people like me on the east coast have access to some really enjoyable beers, like Heater Allen’s Export Lager, Pils, Harvest Lager, and Coastal (a “Northwest Amber Lager”.)

Atkinson said, “we weren't even planning on canning until year three. We started canning month three instead.”

Not too far from Heater Allen, Wayfinder has also found Tavour to be a valuable partner while on-premise business is down. I’ve been lucky enough to get their Export, Czech Dark Lager, Terrifica, CZAF and their Hell. So, so lucky.

California’s Brouwerij West periodically sells through Tavour, including this recent collaboration with the legendary skateboarder Daewon Song. Their popular Pilsner Popfuji has also been available in the past.

Wayfinder and Heater Allen have been satisfied, and would like to continue selling through Tavour when the market gets back to, or closer to, “normal”. Though satisfied with the service, Human Robot are still getting their feet on the ground, and at most would anticipate selling a small amount of their beer through Tavour post-Covid as most of their liquid will be sold through draft accounts.

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If you haven’t already, Tavour is worth trying out. Just don’t forget about your local breweries and retailers.

Casket Beer got a lot of attention in 2020 for several posts about glassware. I am going to end with one more. This time a brief, bittersweet memory I often think of this time of year.

Like many other families, the holidays were always a special time in the Kain household, particularly once my siblings and I were grown up. As we returned home for Christmas, the house would fill with love and laughter, and it was whole.

I’m the youngest of three boys. Still referred to as “the baby”. Dave, or David, is next in line. Per official records, his name is Vincent David Kain. He shares his first name with my father and grandfather (they have different middle names). However, Patrick, the oldest, allegedly did not like more than one Vincent in the house. From early on, Vincent David became David.

A couple of nights after Christmas one year, my brothers and I had all separately gone out for the evening with our friends. We got home around the same time, and Patrick suggested we break in the pint glasses he had just given to David as a gift.

David had previously noted that he was fond of the tulip-shaped Guinness pint glass. Patrick, perhaps the most enthusiastic about our Irish heritage and fan of a good pint of Guinness, was happy to oblige with the glasses and the corresponding beer as well. I also enjoy Guinness.

The house was peaceful in the aftermath of the holiday. It was late, but the tree was still lit, and all were in good spirits.

We poured our nitrogenated cans of stout into the new glasses and took a sip. David immediately exclaimed, “that’s disgusting!!” Turns out, he never actually drank Guinness before, and the taste was a strong departure from the macro lager he was accustomed to at the time. Patrick was stunned for a brief second, then began fuming.

The aftermath is a little fuzzy. I may have ended up with the glasses. If I remember correctly, Patrick didn’t care that David liked the glass. The fact that he didn’t like Guinness meant he wasn’t worthy of the gift.

Regardless of what happened, Patrick gave me a set a few years later. For some reason, he had an abundance. I’m happy to have them as it’s a pretty solid glass for a pint. Similar in ways to the nonik, but with more elegance. My sister-in-law gave me more after Patrick unexpectedly passed away in 2008.

Suddenly, a glass that previously reminded me of a comical holiday evening with my brothers took on a much different meaning. I now cherish them in a much deeper way.

Yet I find they are often used in a utilitarian manner in my home, and I am constantly conflicted about it. At times it feels disrespectful. How can I let them be used for everyday things like a quick drink of water before someone runs out of the house? Or put on a nightstand to satiate a midnight thirst? In another way, it’s nice to feel Patrick’s presence in my everyday life, even if it does elicit a little bit of pain.

They do have their moments on special occasions. St. Patrick’s Day, of course. But also on his birthday, when I may drink Guinness a little cooler than normal since it’s in July. I may also have a pint on the anniversary of his death, but I try not to fixate on that date.

I like to use them this time of year as well, with a Guinness, thinking back to that nightcap with my brothers in my parents’ home.

I’m not sure if Stacy, my sister-in-law, has any of his glasses left. However, one day I will share a pint with my niece, Magdalena, out of the glasses I have. She was just six months old when Patrick passed away. I’ll share with her the story told here. David can join too…with an IPA.