Page 192 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Krakow

190  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

What to Drink in Krakow

In Krakow, as indeed anywhere in Poland, you’ll come across
many different brands of exquisite vodkas, both clear and
flavoured. Beer is quite popular in Poland, with craft-breweries
flourishing, and Krakow’s bars offer an ever larger choice of
unique, delicious beers on tap or in bottles. Poland isn’t
known for its quality wines but shops and restaurants offer a
good selection of brands imported from all over the world,
especially from Europe and the New World.
Vodka
Vodka distilled from potatoes
or grain is a Polish speciality.
Such brands as clear Wódka
Wyborowa and dry Żubrówka
(flavoured with bison grass Cracovia, one of the best Polish clear vodkas
from the Białowieża forest) are
both world-famous. The is frequently offered to guests
variety of vodka brands or drunk when making new
produced in Poland friends, and toasts are common.
may be bewildering. Vodka is usually downed in
Clear Cracovia, which one gulp rather than sipped
has been produced gradually, although visitors
in Krakow for some unaccustomed to its alcohol
years, is very content should take things at
popular. Starka their own speed.
is definitely the Dzięgielówka, a dry vodka flavoured
oldest brand with angelica root
among quality Beer
vodkas. For Żolądkowa, an amber-coloured Polish breweries have
centuries starka vodka flavoured with herbs developed rapidly
was made from and used as a digestif. Good over the years. The
unrectified grain kosher plum brandy or Śliwowica production of quality
spirit, which is traditionally made in the beer has grown and
Starka krakowska was aged for at mountain villages southeast been modernized. A vodka
vodka least six years in of Krakow and has a very high Figures show that glass
reused oak wine- alcohol content. The best is Poles are drinking more
casks. Today, said to be Śliwowica łącka from and more beer and less
bottles of aged starka are very the village of Łącko, 70km strong alcohol.
rare and command high prices. (43 miles) south of Krakow. Beers from Okocim, Tyskie
Other popular spirits include Vodka plays an important and Żywiec are traditionally
Wiśniówka, or cherry vodka; and role in Polish social life, and the most popular in Krakow.

Plum Łąck Passover Plum
Amaretto liqueur brandy vodka Senator vodka Krakus vodka Harnaś vodka