Alongside Okocim, Zywiec runs its own Baltic porter, and it has been doing it since 1881, making it one of the older continuously brewed dark beers in Poland. It leans on a blend of four malt varieties for its intense colour and flavour rather than any adjuncts. I picked up a bottle to compare it against the Okocim.
Zywiec Porter at a glance
| Style | Baltic porter |
| ABV | 9.5% |
| Calories | Around 295 per 12 fl oz |
| Brewery | Grupa Zywiec (Heineken), Zywiec, Poland |
| Character | Dark malt intensity, light roast, subtle sweetness |
| Best served | Cellar cool, in a tulip or snifter glass |
How it tastes, by the numbers
This is a dark, malt-driven Baltic porter, slightly sweeter and less roast-forward than the Okocim version.
The full review
It pours a very deep brown, almost black, with a thin tan head that settles quickly. The aroma leans toward dark caramel and dried fruit rather than heavy roast or coffee.
On the palate it is full-bodied with a noticeable malt sweetness up front, caramel and a light toffee character, with the roast sitting further in the background than in a lot of Baltic porters. Bitterness is low, so the sweetness carries through most of the sip.
At 9.5% it is warming without being harsh, and the four-malt blend gives it a straightforward, honest darkness rather than the more layered coffee-and-oak complexity of the Okocim version. It is simpler, but well made within that simpler frame.
As one of the older continuously brewed porters in Poland, it is worth trying as a piece of Polish brewing history as much as for the flavour itself.
Zywiec Porter has been brewed since 1881, a dark, malt-forward Baltic porter that trades complexity for straightforward, honest sweetness.
- Genuine brewing heritage back to 1881
- Full-bodied with a pleasant caramel sweetness
- Warming without a harsh alcohol edge
- A good introduction to the Baltic porter style
- Less complex than Okocim Mistrzowski Porter
- Roast character is fairly restrained for the style
What to eat with it
The caramel sweetness pairs naturally with golabki (stuffed cabbage rolls) in tomato sauce, where the beer’s malt backbone matches the dish’s richness, or with a slice of makowiec (poppy seed roll) for a dessert pairing.
The right glass
Serve cool rather than cold, in a tulip glass or snifter to let the caramel and dark-fruit aromas develop as it warms slightly in the glass.
Who it is for
If you want a historic, widely available Polish dark beer with straightforward caramel sweetness rather than heavy roast, Zywiec Porter is a solid pick.
Zywiec Porter FAQs
How long has Zywiec Porter been brewed?
Since 1881, making it one of the longer-running continuously brewed dark beers in Poland.
What is the ABV of Zywiec Porter?
9.5% ABV, with roughly 295 calories per 12 fl oz serving.
Is Zywiec Porter sweet?
Yes, relative to other Baltic porters it leans sweeter and less roast-forward, with a caramel and dried-fruit character rather than heavy coffee bitterness.
Where to buy Zywiec Porter
Zywiec Porter is available at many specialty and Eastern European beer retailers in the US. Buy it using the button above.
The verdict
A historic, well-made Baltic porter that trades some complexity for straightforward caramel sweetness. Worth trying alongside the Okocim version to see the range of the style.
