Castle Brewery in Racibórz

In the north wing of the Piast Castle in Racibórz, beer has been brewed for more than 160 years – and the tradition of a ducal brewery at the castle goes back to the 16th century. The Castle Brewery (Browar Zamkowy) is one of the oldest working breweries in Poland and a rare chance to see beer being made in a building that rose from the ashes of a castle wing. Beer is still fermented here in open vats, as it was centuries ago.

History: from ducal treasury to pilsner

Brewing in Racibórz is as old as the chartered town itself: the first written mention dates from 1293, and a year later Duke Przemysł granted the town the "mile right" – a monopoly on brewing and selling beer within a mile of the walls. A ducal brewery at the castle appears in records in the 16th century; historians cite 1532 and 1567 as the earliest mentions. As early as 1564, wheat and barley beer served in the duke's inns brought in 1,200 thalers, and two vaulted beer stores operated in the castle cellars.

The turning point came on 19 January 1858: a fire under the brewing pan destroyed the brewery and spread to the castle. Rebuilding was swift – the foundation stone was laid on 10 June, and on 8 October 1859 the new brewery opened on the site of the castle's north and part of its west wing, equipped with a modern steam engine. After modernisation in 1896–1897 it employed 55 people under master brewer Kaufmann and began brewing pilsner-style beer.

The secret of the old castle beer

Several things built the beer's reputation: barley from the ducal estates, hops from Hallertau or Žatec, and above all water from springs in Obora, piped in through a wooden pipeline 6 km long. Secondary fermentation lasted as long as three months in oak casks in the cool cellars – something other Upper Silesian breweries had long abandoned. In the late 19th century Racibórz still had 9 breweries, but before the Second World War only the castle brewery was left.

Decline and comeback

After the war the brewery restarted on 15 June 1945 and then passed through a series of state-owned groups. In 1999, after the bankruptcy of Browary Górnośląskie, it was closed. In 2003 it was bought by entrepreneur Jerzy Łazarczyk, who renovated it, installed equipment from a closed brewery in Tymbark and resumed production. After a pause in 2009, it returned in 2010 as Browar Zamkowy.

Tripto tip

Brewery tours run on set dates and must be booked in advance via the official website – check dates, group limits and prices before you travel, as this is a working production site. Allow half a day for the whole complex: the brewery, the Piast Castle and the Gothic Chapel of St Thomas Becket, built in 1288–1293 and called the pearl of Silesian Gothic. The brewery is at ul. Zamkowa 1 in the castle complex in the Ostróg district, on the Oder.