Piątkowe Picie: A Night Out at Browar Kociewski, Starogard Gdański

On selected Fridays, I will be running a feature called “Piątkowe Picie” which means “Drinking/Thirsty Fridays”. The first installment on this series, I thought should fall upon the incredible Browar Kociewski in Starogard Gdański.

I headed here in November 2016 finally, although I initially was expecting I would visit in July or August but I ended up waiting due to my travel ‘friend’ (her words, not mine!) promising to teach me Polish and give me backpacking tips. I became aware of Browar Kociewski through the good links I had built up with this town and I also attended a beer festival here later. As a Northern Irishman in Poland with a good interest in beer and untouristy spots, this was a perfect place to check out and I was later so impressed I added it to my top 10 bars in the town.

Piątkowe Picie: A Night Out at Browar Kociewski, Starogard Gdański

Getting to Browar Kociewski, Starogard Gdański
Getting to Browar Kociewski from the town centre of Starogard Gdański can be done on foot (25 minutes walk) or by bus (5/6 minutes on Bus 16). It’s a pleasant ride through a charming town in the Kociewie region of the Pomorskie Province of Poland. As of December 2016, bus tickets were 2.20 zloty and need validated when you get on the bus. It’s also not too far from the idyllic countryside village of Kokoszkowy.

Local bus ticket in Starogard Gdanski

About Browar Kociewski, Starogard Gdański

Browar Kociewski is located inside Hotel Ren which is an interesting place for a brewery, but that is the way it is. I have also reviewed Hotel Ren separately.

Hotel Ren, Starogard Gdanski

Piątkowe Picie: A Night Out at Browar Kociewski, Starogard Gdański

Starogard Gdański is a fascinating town with some good history to it – it houses the famous Sobieski Vodka and the childhood home of Kazimierz Deyna, famous Polish football star.

Sobieski Vodka Factory

Reading up on local news

Touring Kazimierz Deyna Mural in Starogard Gdanski

Our Experience at Browar Kociewski, Starogard Gdański

I was here with Monika and we were here for an evening to relax and enjoy a few beers. We were not eating although we are aware the food here is highly recommended and that the “beer soup” is worth trying, one for next time then.

Piątkowe Picie: Monika and I on a Night Out at Browar Kociewski, Starogard Gdański

Instead, I indulged in trying all the beers they had on tap…

ON tap, there are four types of beer available, so I tried all four:

Here are my views on each of these four “Starogardian Beers”:
1.Kociewski Lager – I found the trademark pint, the Kociewski Lager to be average, but I am not a big lager fan. 6/10.
2.Piwo Pszeniczne – I tried the corn beer, Piwo Pszeniczne and liked it. 8/10.
3. Piwo Ciemne/BOK Kociewski – Being an Ulsterman, I’m a sucker for dark beers, so the “ciemne piwo” was my pick and gets a well deserved 9/10.
4.Kociewski Pils – Despite not being a huge Pilsner fan, this one went down well so I fire it in as a 7/10.

Aiming to try all the beers on tap

Overall, you can tell the beers here rank well with me and I loved my visit. Sometimes on life’s corridor these are the only visits we ever get to such venues, so cherish and enjoy them.

Trying all four types

Piątkowe Picie: A Night Out at Browar Kociewski, Starogard Gdański

While backpacking through Starogard Gdanski, I also reviewed two hotels, including spending two nights at the Hotel Ren itself, the Noclegi Rekord and enjoying the cafes and bars of this off the wall tourist spot. In fact my visit was the first to feature as a deliberate adventure on a travel blog, though I wasn’t the first Starogard Gdanski tourist of course.

Skarszewska 5, 83-200 Starogard Gdański
Open most days 12PM–1AM (Holidays might affect these hours)
723 109 110
Website: Browar Kociewski
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/browarkociewski/

Hotel & Restauracja REN
ul. Skarszewska 5, Starogard Gdański
[email protected]
tel.: (58) 56-259-48
SPA: (58) 56 33 111; 661 452 700
Browar: (58) 530 84 41