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Was reading the vodka thread; since I don't drink much vodka, I thought I'd start this one . . . .

Over the years I've prided myself on my immunity to hangovers. I mostly attribute my near flawless record to moderation and the technique of drinking about 1.5 litres of water before bed. Anyway, to make a long story short, something has found it's way in through chinks in my alcohol armor that I didn't even know existed, and is delivering brutal hangovers with regularity and predictability . . .

That something . . . you guessed it, is cheap Polish beer.

Serving Size, about .5 litre or one large bottle:

Zywiec = guaranteed quiziness and mild nausea all day the next day.

Krolewski = guaranteed headache all day the next day.

Tyskie = guaranteed headache and quiziness all day the next day.

Honestly, after I drink any of these beers, I feel like I've been mildly poisoned and I wonder if the bartender was trying to kill me.

Now I realize the impulse is to denounce me as a lightweight or a weakling, but I don't have this problem with beer from any other country. I can drink German, Dutch, Italian, American, Belgian, whatever, without a problem, it's just the cheap Polish crap that kills me. Honestly, when I go out and the only options are the above, I say nie every time. The one exception is Tatra, which I seem to be able to drink without symptoms the next day.

Wondering what the other alcoholics have to say about this?

[dynow]

i strictly drink heineken in Poland, and several pubs carry it now.

i recently found a nice pub that serves Murphy's Irish Stout at 12zl. a pint, which i would gladly pay rather than drink the alternative......

[Jack Walker]

I think you're pretty much spot on!

Zywiec is the swill of Satan himself.If I'm faced with the choice of Zywiec or mineral water,I choose mineral water without fail.

Tyskie is ok for a pint or two.

Any Polish beer under 3zl(store price) per pint,should be avoided.

Tatra Pils is not bad for a cheap beer.

It seems like Polish beer is overloaded with chemicals or something.

The stuff on tap in the pubs is usually awful and gives the effect of swallowing drain cleaner.

I also usually stick with Heineken even though it's made under license by Zywiec these days.

Polish beer isn't worth it for me.I'm tired of going out of an evening with the best of intentions,and spending the next day sprawled in the corner of my bunker with a raging headache from only 3-4 pints of beer the previous night.

[Sgt Bilko]

As I mentioned on a different thread, Hevelius is/was a rare (round here) but very pleasant beer. At home, I've developed a taste for Dog in the Fog but I'm at an age where I tend to fall asleep before there's any chance of drinking enough for a headache.

[Harry from NWE]

[simon_porter00]

When I first moved to Poland, any beer that was consumed was ferociously expelled out of my rear end the next day with horrifying consequences not only for the poor toilet and bog brush but the poor sod next door who had to listen to my regular and repeated violent bowel movements. From those early experiences and intolerably sore botty I learned two things:

1 Never drink draught beer in Polish pubs.
2 Polish beer dehydrates you much more than UK beers or so it seemed.

The two solutions were to buy bottled beer and secondly always take rehydration salts before going to bed and keep a packet or two handy for the next day as well. I've since learned to stomach draught beer, but I always drink rehydration salts after putting my liver to the test.

It wasn't because I had a weak stomach either. I'm half Polish and have holidayed on many occasions in Polish villages eating some very fresh produce - there was definately something in the beer that was upsetting me.

I try to get ales whenever I can. In the fridge right now I've got "hen's tooth", "bishop's finger" and "Suffolk strong ale". Outside of this, I've recently started trying the non pasteurised beer, the beer that has to be drunk within 20 days or so. I forget the brand names but it's mighty fine stuff with the only unfortunate feature being some atrocious bottom burps the next day.

[Jack Walker]

Those UK ales are pretty good.One of my personal favourites is Well's "Banana Bread Beer". I'd buy it more often, but it's not easy to find and costs about 10-11zl per bottle.

[Blasphemer]

From non pasteurized Polish beers

Zywe, Mazur Swierze, Ciechan Mocne, Noteckie, Dawne, Mazur

From Honey Ales:

Ciechan, Miodowe (Krajan)

I don't mind the occasional Tyskie or Lech from time to time.

There is a store right by me that sells a huge variety of Polish not really microbrewery selections but more of a regional selection that is not always available everywhere. For example, I had no problems finding Hevelius in the states, yet it is nearly impossible to find it here... good beer by the way. The store also carries a huge variety of other eastern block ales, pilsners, honey ales, darks, strongs etc... you get the point.

There are other great beers around, just need to look around.... sort of like when you come to the states and all you see wherever you go is Bud, Coors, Miller and other crap.

[dynow]

[Harry from NWE]

[Jack Walker]

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Very nice indeed gentlemen. I've recently sampled Ciechan and I must say it was quite nice, indeed. I'll have to try some of the others.

[Harry from NWE]

[Blasphemer]

[Harry from NWE]