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Arletta Ziemian co-founded craft brewery Browar Stu Mostów in Wrocław – once a renowned brewing city – with her husband Grzegorz seven years ago. Since then, the pair have been busy putting Polish craft beer on the global map.
This interview is part of The World Made Local, a global collaboration between the seven international editions of Condé Nast Traveler in which 100 people in 100 countries tell us why their home turf should be your next destination.
Tell us about Browar Stu Mostów and how it fits into Poland’s craft beer scene.
Browar Stu Mostów was the result of our travels around the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Everywhere we went we could enjoy delicious, regional craft beer, which we loved and missed in Poland. After returning to our home country we invested capital, chose the technology, selected the beers we wanted to brew, and acquired and expanded our knowledge – it took us a very long time. At the beginning there were only three of us: Grzegorz, myself, and the main brewer; now we are almost 70 staff. One of the great things about working in this industry is meeting people who share our passion, know-how, and experience of good beer. We have a collaboration series with craft breweries from around the world and we partner with some of the best, including New York's Other Half and Toronto's Bellwoods.
What’s exciting you about Polish craft beer right now?
Craft beer has been in vogue in Poland for a few years now, and the success of our brewery has certainly contributed to it. However, what has been happening recently is a true revolution. Not so long ago, getting your hands on a craft beer in a Polish store bordered on the miraculous. Today, even the biggest retail chains in the country compete for craft beer from breweries like ours. This proves that more and more people are appreciating the taste of beer and its uniqueness, and make purchases consciously rather than accidentally. We are very happy about this.
What makes Wrocław special?
It is one of the most beautiful cities in Poland, and even in Europe. It enchants with its historic buildings and at the same time it's very modern. It's a magnet for young people, because it hosts many cultural events, including the summer film festival New Horizons, which is certainly one of the best cultural showcases of Wrocław. I also love the Market Square: the architecture is beautiful and it’s always full of people from all over the world.
The choice to open the brewery in Wrocław was obvious to us. We have always loved this city, and besides, it has an impressive 800-year-old brewing pedigree, although unfortunately none of the old breweries have survived. The last of them closed down at the beginning of the 21st century, leaving a huge gap in the beer landscape. But then we appeared. We respect its history and want to write the next chapters.
Who are the other craft brewers to watch in Poland?
Nepomucen is one of the coolest growing craft breweries. Trzech Kumpli has been producing high-quality beer for years. Finally, Pinta – this name has to be mentioned in the context of every conversation about craft beer in Poland, because it's a brewery without which there wouldn't be the revolution I mentioned earlier.
Where do you go in Poland to get away?
The whole of Lower Silesia, of which Wrocław is the capital, is a beautiful, extremely interesting region with castles, picturesque tourist trails, and mountains. When I need silence, I head to the Bieszczady mountains or the eastern part of the country. And in autumn the Tri-city, an area made up of three cities – Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Sopot, by the Baltic Sea – is particularly lovely.
Follow Arletta Ziemian on Instagram @arlqz