Warsaw Beer Festival

For The Beer Geek

Geek Day

“Mark Thursday in your diary,” says Leszczyński. “The opening day sees all the beer premiers making their debut, so beer geeks will find what all the breweries have been producing. Also, as it’s traditionally quieter on the Thursday, you’ll be able to really focus on the taste.”

Plan

“The list of beers is announced online a week prior to the festival, so you can really plan ahead,” adds Leszczyński. “Choose the beers wisely, and then start from the weakest before climbing to the stronger ones.”

Get Bidding

As per tradition, the WBF will be auctioning several white whale beers that are next to impossible to find elsewhere. “The top bid we’ve ever had was PLN 2,700 for a 0.3 litre bottle,” says Leszczyński, “but do be aware that there have been several occasions when these rare-find beers have sold for well below their true value – and remember, all proceeds go to charity!”

Connect And Pair

Beer-based foods will be abundant, and that includes beer ice cream and artisan meats. “Try a few things,” says Leszczyński, “you’ll be surprised how well certain foods go with different types of beer.”

Think Glass

“Every beer geek knows that you have to drink beer from a glass,” says Leszczyński, “and though you can bring your own we’ll also be selling different types of glassware. On top of that, we’ll have allotted water points where you can rehydrate and also give your glass a good rinse.”

Join A Class

“Conducted in a quiet space that allows you to really savour the beers, our masterclasses will be led by the key brewers,” says Leszczyński. “It’s a great chance to speak directly to a brewer and learn more about the beer.”

Get Voting

For the first time the WBF will be collaborating with the Untappd app thereby enabling visitors to vote for their favourite beers and keep track of the festival’s best-selling beers. “Partly, we actually want to analyse drinking habits,” says Paweł Leszczyński, the festival’s founder and mastermind. “We want to see if drinkers are more likely to enjoy a beer at home, or in the pub or at a festival – we want to learn how a location impacts satisfaction.” And yes, every vote counts – once the festival closes, souvenir packs containing the top-ranked beers will be made available for sale.

Block The Date

What 16th Warsaw Beer Festival

Where Legia Stadium (Łazienkowska 3)

When October 19th to October 23rd Web warsawbeerfestival.com

Tickets available online from PLN 25 (single-day pass)

PLN 45 (three-day)

PLN 99 to PLN 329 (premium & super premium packages)