Ursa Maior was one of the first places we decided to visit on our trip to Bieszczady. The history of this local brewery seemed really interesting – we all love regional beers, don’t we?! And we all love what’s made with passion.
We first encountered Ursa Maior beer 30 minutes after arrival in Carpatia Bieszczadzki Gościniec hotel inn. We instantly noticed the menu with a big bear holding a beer glass and the poetic names of specific beer styles: Żar nad Wetliną (heat over Wetlina), Deszcz w Cisnej (rain in Cisna), Rozbawiony (amused) and Megaloman (megalomaniac). Łukasz got Rozbawiony with a characteristic banana and citrus aroma while I ordered Śnieg na Beniowej (snow in Beniowa) with “a gentle touch of ripe peach, kiwi and summer flower”. How was it? Great!
We left for brewery on Saturday morning. We were a bit surprised to learn that Uherce Mineralne, where the brewery was located was as much as 50 km far from the Wetlina area where we stayed. We thought that all things in Bieszczady are so close to each other! 50 km may not sound too serious, but curvy roads combined with my motion sickness made it quite a challenge…
We got there a bit late. From the outside, the brewery looked quite casual – a grey building with Ursa Maior written on it in large letters. A few tables and a parasol outside, where you can try different styles of beer and have a pretzel with sesame seed, cumin or nigella sativa.
arriving at Ursa Maior
that’s what you see, when you arrive 🙂
When we get inside, it becomes clear that it’s no ordinary place. Łukasz is absolutely amazed that it’s here, in Bieszczady, at the world’s end, where we find a brewery that has amazing design – murals on the walls, paintings; a place that allows you to see the production process and participate in concerts or exhibitions organised here. We’re proud and amazed. That such place was established here in particular. And there’s the shop. A gem, you don’t want to leave!
murals can be found all over the place
the most artistic brewery in Poland?
art exhibition and picking on the production process at the same time
Where did the Ursa Maior beers come from? Most of all thanks to PASSION, which is why we loved the story so much! In 2009 Agnieszka Łopata aka. Aga the Brewer, made her first beer at home. She quickly won the the Home Beers Contest in Żywiec and became Master Brewer. Then, there were more attempts, improvements, books, beer and food pairing, success in contests such as Birofilia 2012 and… studies on the University of Edinborough which is the only one in the world doing correspondence courses for brewers.
With time, the passion turned into something bigger: a company, a bank loan, land purchase and the birth of Ursa Maior craft brewery which is a common venture of Agnieszka and her partner, Andrzej Czech who is the business savvy half of the duo. At Ursa Maior, unlike in other breweries, it’s the brewer who is responsible for the marketing and for the beer. The name, reminiscent of Ursa Major and the beauty of the Bieszczady skyline was also the idea of the owners.
We didn’t meet Aga the Brewer, but we heard the story of URsa Maior from Andrzej
The production started in October 2013.Ursa Maior uses various types of hops for beer production, Polish (2 types) and American that are responsible for distinct Megaloman beer flavour. One beer can require a few or a dozen types of hops and malts.
The owners did a lot when it comes to design and image of their brewery. They worked with visual artists with the logo – a tiny bear emerging from under the feet of ursa major, they work with artists and poster artists in label production (e.g. Ryszard Kaja). Ursa is an important symbol for them – it’s a support for emerging initiatives. That’s why Agnieszka and Andrzej not only run the Ursa Maior brewery but also support local artists and publish the magazine called Bieszczadnik. Ursa Maior beers are mainly sold locally.
my favourite beer bear 🙂 – poster artist: Ryszard Kaja
We listen to Andrzej’s story and see the place where the beer is made: giant containers, vats where hot water mixes with malt, brewing vat, lauter tub, wort kettle. And finally the place where the beers are stored – some for 2 weeks (wheat beers), others (porters) for as much as 3 months. Cellar treatment is essential for the ingredients to mix together so that the beer is as hoppy as it gets. Some beers stay in the cellar for years!
different types of malt
sightseeing – with the cat 🙂
I’m still fascinated by the names of the beers produced in Ursa Maior. They either have something to do with Bieszczady area and weather conditions – Śnieg na Beniowej (Snow on Beniowa), summer beer Żar nad Wetliną (Heat over Wetlina) or autumn, smoked Deszcz w Cisnej(Rain in Cisna) (delicious!) or with human characteristics – Łukasz’ favourite – Megaloman or Rozbawiony.
The other thing that fascinates me is the detailed information on the labels, including meals that the beer goes well with. And it’s not just a few words about meat or cheese. Here, the description makes my mouth water! Renegat goes well with matured cheese and chocolate cake. Megaloman brings out the spiciness of the food. Dobra Karma is best for mayonnaise-based salads, dumplings, pancakes but also apple pies and fruit cakes. And Śnieg na beniowej should be the best beer to drink with a peach cheesecake! Ursa z Połoniny goes well with pizza, burgers and casseroles, while my favourite Deszcz w Cisnej should be a great addition to smoked cheese. You can read more about food and beer pairing on Kuchnia Piwowarki Agi – Agnieszka’s previous blog.
The shop obviously sells beer, you can buy for your friends and relatives (we left with more than a dozen bottles!), but also works of art by local artists or handmade chocolate with hops and malts (amazing!). Don’t forget about the pretzels, they taste perfect with the beer!
beautifully designed shop – check the bucket-lamps! cool, isn’t it?
perfect chocolate to go with the beer!
I guess, that’s how passion tastes! Another amazing place in magical Bieszczady. Go there when you’re in the area, or when a rainy day approaches you. In such case, Ursa is a perfect alternative to mountain walks!
#MagicalBieszczady is a project that aims to show the extraordinariness of this region, the beauty of the nature and the stories of the locals. New TV series “Wataha” takes place in Bieszczady – it premieres on 12th October 2014 on HBO. More to come soon at hbo.pl/magicznebieszczady
PRACTICAL INFORMATION:
Uherce Mineralne 122A
+48 13 492 79 69
+48 791 146 277
* the entry was written in cooperation with
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