I was on a night out with my girlfriend on my city break to Kraków, we stopped off at a quirky cafe cocktail bar called Kolba which is famous for its alchemy based cocktails and dry ice creations. After deciding that I missed the beer after one cocktail, I saw beers from a microbrewery called Trzy Korony Browar Nowosądecki. So, of course I had to sample. The beers I selected were Sędek and Krasa. Sędek was a White IPA which means this is a Wheat based India Pale Ale. I have covered this in a previous review. This review will cover the Wheatbeer called Krasa. During this review I will cover the history, the pour of this beer and the taste and aroma. Finally, you will find out my verdict.
A Wheatbeer steeped in regional lore
Trzy Korony Browar Nowosądecki is a craft microbrewery in Nowy Sącz, Poland. Founded in 2013, the brewery became famous for combining regional folklore with modern craft brewing techniques. This brewery ,despite being located in Poland, ensures it follows Reinheitsgebot which for those unaware is a law for traditional German brewing methods. This brewery is known for inspiration, identity and innovation.
The legend behind Krasa is that of a brave and beautiful young local heroine known as Magdalenka, who, according to regional lore, saved her town from a Swedish attack by uncovering a secret tunnel beneath the local castle, thanks to a wounded Swedish soldier she showed kindness to. With help from local villagers and guided by a dove by her side, she foiled the invader’s plan and preserved her community’s safety. The dove remains a symbol of courage and purity tied to the story. This beer is a hefeweizen with an ABV of approximately 5.2%.
The pour reminiscent of a Wheatbeer
When poured into a glass, it shows off its typical hazy golden straw body. This is a hallmark of a Weizen style beer. A fluffy white head appears which is elevated due to the level of carbonation. This left a decent amount of lacing around the glass as I consumed it. The wheat malt gave it a glowing appearance which is how a good hefeweizen should look.
A Bavarian imitation made brilliant.
On the nose, Krasa delivers a plethora of flavours you would 100% expect from a typical Bavarian weizen. I had hints banana, cloves and a subtle smell of cinnamon possibly from the yeast. After this, there is a subtle breadiness from the wheat malt. It overall had quite a sweet smell.
When sipping, the taste kind of mirrors the aroma. However, it had seemed to have a sweeter profile than many other wheat beers. When I first sipped I could taste a hint of banana which was followed by the warmness from the cloves and yeast that added a hint of cinnamon. Towards the end, I noticed a smooth and bready impression that left a lingering sweetness in your mouth. This had quite a creamy mouthfeel too. Overall, this was a sweeter version for many of the lighter Bavarian wheat beers.
Time for my verdict on this beer
Overall, this is a very good beer which I really enjoyed drinking. I feel that because this was brewed using Reinheitsgebot this gave it the impression that it was imitating a Bavarian wheat beer. However, this is not bad thing as in my opinion a Bavarian wheat beer is the superior type. On a whole, I believe this is a richer and sweeter weizen, heavier more than spritzy, Bavarian wheat beers. Its charm is built up in its backstory and the banana, cinnamon and clove trio. This beer gets a 3.75 out of 5 and if I saw this again I would definitely try it again.
Where did I purchase this beer from?
I purchased this beer from the Cocktail bar called Kolba which is located just off the main square in Kraków. I can’t remember how much I paid for this but it probably was about £4 or 20 zloty.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Every view and visit is very much appreciated. Feel free to check out my other beer reviews ranging from Lagers, Double IPAs and other crazy beers. Cheers
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