There are beers that pass unnoticed. They appear and then disappear – they enter one hole and exit through the other – like modern pop hits young people listen to on TikTok. They are pleasant, smooth, often one-dimensionally sweet. And let them be, if that’s what the mass consumer needs. But then there are beers that do the complete opposite: they stop time. They stay with you, lingering in your memory after the last sip, echoing back weeks, even years later. Like a good movie or a favorite vinyl record. Because who doesn’t remember the first time they reached for Lodołamacz, Buba Extreme, or Lilith ICE? They linger like a stigma burned by the heroes of the classic metal horde – etched in your heart and soul. Forever.
We’re talking about freeze-distilled beers . These are beverages where extremely low temperature does half the brewer’s work: it removes the water and leaves only the essence. A huge gulp becomes a tasting sip. The liqueur-like texture thickens like tar in a small 100ml glass, and your receptors descend down the highway to hell, where chocolate, prune, vanilla, sometimes smoke, and wood lurk—to assault your nostrils like devilish sulfur from a boiling cauldron. This is no longer a beer to be enjoyed while watching football with your friends, or at a casual get-together—it’s a ritual. A tasting. A mass.
If you’ve ever tried a decent iced beer, you know what I’m talking about. That first encounter is like switching gears in your head: beer stops being a drink and becomes a story. And suddenly, the debate over which hops work better in another identical hazy IPA is no longer entertaining. Because here, from the first sip, it’s about different tensions: concentration, pleasure, the limits of intensity.
No other style fits my motto: go big or go home – as perfectly as freeze-distilled beer .
How Did Freeze-Distilled Beer Originate?
Every myth has a beginning. In Greek mythology, heroes had to descend into Hades only to return transformed; in beer, frozen through this unique katabasis, there’s a process of reverse distillation that extracts everything superfluous from the drink, leaving behind a pure, condensed essence. But how did it all begin? How was the first iced beer created?
Legend has it that the spark that ignited the fire came in the form of a forgotten barrel left out in the winter’s cold. In the late 19th century, in Kulmbach, Bavaria, an apprentice left a bock beer outside for a prolonged time. Winter was unforgiving – some of the beer froze, while the remaining liquid contained all its most precious qualities: intensified sweetness, strength, and body. Instead of punishing his apprentice, the brewmaster tasted the result and was stunned. Thus, supposedly, Eisbock was born – a beer that from the very beginning bore the mark of chance and revelation.
The style caught on quickly, as Germans had held their doppelbocks in reverence for centuries—the “liquid bread” of the monks during Lent. The frozen version was like their shadow and reflection in a distorting mirror: denser, heavier, more filling, yet endowed with a power that warmed like no other. It possessed something both heavenly and tempting, with an element of devilish temptation—for Satan, after all, comes in the guise of a false prophet. Since that fateful winter, eisbocks have been surrounded by an aura of something special in beer tales.
Freeze-distilling beer has become a test of character for brewers over time. A process simple in theory, yet demanding in practice: separating the ice from the beer, balancing the proportions, patient maturation, and… resisting the temptation to avoid some of the beer’s “disappearance” being noticed by superiors. It’s more than a technique—it’s a journey into the abyss to extract the essence of flavor, and then triumphantly return, carrying in its hands a more intense, more concentrated, almost alchemical treasure.
How Is Freeze-Distilled Beer Made?
It’s not magic, though sometimes it tastes that way. The process of freeze-distilling—also called reverse distillation—involves, instead of evaporating the alcohol as in traditional distillation, allowing the water to freeze and separate from the beer as ice. In practice, this means controlled cooling of the beverage to sub-zero temperatures, at which point the water begins to form ice crystals, while the alcohol and its dissolved flavor compounds remain in the liquid. This is due to the different freezing points of water and ethanol.
Then begins the arduous, almost ritualistic task of separating the ice from the thickened beer. This is usually done in stages, repeatedly freezing and decanting the liquid to gradually increase the extract and alcohol content. Each such thickening of the beer produces an effect similar to carving granite: less volume, more body. The alcohol rises, the aromas become more intense, and the texture begins to resemble a liqueur. It’s no coincidence that freeze-distilled beer is often served in cognac or whiskey glasses, rather than in a one-liter mug.
However, there’s no room for haste here. Freeze-distilling is a lengthy and expensive process: it consumes time, energy, and reduces the final volume of beer several times over. This is one of the reasons why bottles of ice-distilled beers are expensive, limited editions, and often sold only by subscription or at auction. The result? A beer with a density and intensity that ordinary lager couldn’t even dream of. This is the essence of the style—literally and figuratively.
Pioneers of Freeze-Distilled Beers in Poland – Prehistory
Poland had its first forays into this style even before craft beer really took off. In 2009, Browar Staropolski reportedly released Eisbock, which is remembered today mainly thanks to a single mention on the blog “Kilka Słów o Piwie” (A Few Words About Beer) . A true prehistory, like a fossil buried under a layer of dust accumulated over the years by the dynamic development of craft brewing in Poland. Seven years later, Warsaw’s Browar Bazyliszek reportedly dabbled in beer freezing, releasing Zima Stulecia (Centennial Winter). However, I haven’t tried either that beer or its predecessor from Zduńska Wola. What’s more, they’re not listed on Untappd. If anyone remembers these beers, let me know.
However, it wasn’t until the second half of the previous decade of this century that a real breakthrough for freeze-distilled beer in Poland came. A modern, craft version—a beer that managed to make it to beer fest stands, as well as the shelves of most craft beer venues. Initially, it was only those lucky enough to get a few after signing up in a queue, but fast forward a few years and it was the breweries were trying to convince beer lovers and pub owners to buy the most expensive beer in their portfolio. A twist of fate.
It was the turn of 2016 and 2017 when breweries began seriously releasing domestic ice-distilled beers. In the summer of 2016, Szałpiw froze-distilled Buba, calling it Buba Extreme, Pinta launched Eisbock Grand Prix, and Browar Spółdzielczy released Lodołamacz and Królowa Lodu, sending the first signals that they intended to become a leader in this market segment. Other breweries weren’t idle either! Soon, my Golem also launched Lilith ICE and other iced classics. This wasn’t a joke—it marked the moment when frozen beers ceased to be a curiosity and a distant dream, and became a new trend in Polish craft beer—one that I had the pleasure of co-creating with many wonderful people.
The Birth Of The Freeze-Distilled Beer Boom In Poland
Summer 2016. That’s when Buba Extreme from the Szałpiw brewery burst into the world of Polish craft beer – a beer that was meant to be not only strong but also, in a way, a reference – a prologue to what was to come. Beyond the base version, several special editions had already been matured in oak barrels. Thanks to maturation in oak that had previously been in contact with various distillates (cognac, calvados, whiskey), the density and power of the flavor took on an additional dimension. Szałpiw didn’t compromise: the name was unambiguous, the beer commanded respect, and its presence in a pub or shop electrified the atmosphere. For many beer lovers, Buba Extreme was their first real experience with the ice-distilled beverage and a moment of icy initiation.
I drank my first frozen beer a year earlier – Tactical Nuclear Penguin from Brewdog , while traveling in Scotland . It was the result of the Scottish brewery’s rivalry with the German Schorschbräu over who would release the strongest beer in the world. However, when it comes to Polish frozen beers – Buba Extreme from our Poznań neighbors was also my first. A few days before Christmas Eve 2016, I wrote this on Untappd: “I haven’t rated Polish beers in a long time, but I have to make an exception here. An absolute masterpiece. Bravo, gentlemen. 5/5.” Fortified by this divine nectar, I was ready to visit the stable in Bethlehem – not even as one of the kings, but as all three at once.
The second foundation for the frosty boom was Pinta and their Eisbock Grand Prix . The history of this beer is a textbook example of how home brewing inspired the professional scene. If Artur Pasieczny hadn’t won the Warsaw Homebrewing Competition, such a beer likely would never have been created. However, the prize was the commercial brewing of the winning beer, and veterans of Polish craft beer took up the challenge. The first batch was brewed in May 2016, and then the beer patiently matured and underwent a freeze-distilling process for many months. The entire process took nine months, resulting in a concentrated, liqueur-like, warming beer with an extract of 27 Plato and an alcohol content of 11.2%. The brewery itself wrote at the time about “25% extract coming from freezing” – and although later freeze-distilled craft beers aimed for much higher ranges – it was actually the beer that opened the eyes of a wider audience to the fact that Polish craft beer can also compete with the world in such a demanding style as eisbock.
Other breweries followed suit. The most prominent player was Browar Spółdzielczy , which in 2017 released a duo of frozen classics: Lodołamacz and Królowa Lodu. These were no longer one-off experiments, but a planned, consistent direction – beers that began appearing at festivals and in specialist craft beer shops, and which quickly became essential reading in every beer enthusiast’s beer library. For Spółdzielczy , its frozen beers became a hallmark – a manifestation that Polish craft beer is not afraid of limits of intensity, and that the brewery itself has perfected its craft, as demonstrated by repeatedly winning international awards at renowned beer competitions.
I, too – co-founding Browar Golem at the time – wanted to have the most intense, powerful, and uncompromising beers in my portfolio. The first to be released was Lilith ICE in 2018, followed by the iced versions of our other beers, which we released over the next four years: Double Dybuk, Gehenna, Milky Moon, Moloch, Owech Owech Owech, Necach, Keter, Absolutely Wonderful, The Ultimate Abyss, Don’t Burn The Witch, and Fat Barrels. Some of these have seen multiple versions, maturation in different barrels, and even… interesting blends.
Browar Spółdzielczy – Freeze-Distilled Beer Icons
The first frozen beers from Browar Spółdzielczy were released in 2017 and quickly became the signature beers of the Puck-based team. Lodołamacz and Królowa Lodu – a duo that wasn’t a passing whim, but a consistently implemented concept. Both beers were based on a solid technical foundation: rich grist, long fermentation, patient aging, and a carefully executed freezing process. Their arrival sent a powerful message: “We’re not afraid of the craft giants – we’re playing in the premier division.” These two releases quickly achieved legendary status in the beer community, establishing Browar Spółdzielczy as a flagship producer of frozen beers in the broader craft beer community.
The cooperative , however, made more than just beer—and I’m not talking about social activities this time. For many beer lovers, Lodołamacz and Królowa Lodu, as well as the third beer released, Gerda, were the first Polish ice-distilled beers that could be purchased and enjoyed without signing up in a queue. While the price was still a barrier for many consumers, and the silver-laced labels only added further premium points, the determination, persistence, and class of Agnieszka, Janusz, and the boys meant that this style was no longer treated as a mere curiosity, but began to function as a genuine part of the craft brewery’s repertoire. The brewery approached the subject with consistency: it repeated batches, experimented with barrel-aged variants, and over time refined the process, increasing quality with each new release.
It’s no wonder that Browar Spółdzielczy has long been the primary point of reference for many when asking about Polish freeze-distilled beers . Their brews have appeared at major beer fairs and festivals, found their way onto the shelves of craft beer shops across the country, and conquered Europe and the world, with reviewers praising their beers’ balance between strength, intensity, and enjoyment. Iced beer, as crafted by the Puck team, isn’t art for art’s sake – it’s a style that has gained a life of its own, a following, and prestige, documented by a plethora of medals and awards from national and international beer competitions.
Browar Golem – Iced Beers Taken To An Extreme
The Golem brewery , which I co-founded, had from the outset an ambition not to settle for half-measures. When the first Lilith ICE appeared in 2018, we knew it wasn’t just another variation on the strong beer theme, but a project that would define our place on the craft beer scene. The three of us created it with the idea that our freeze-distilled beers could be more than just a showcase experiment. Lilith ICE – our most canonical beer – was meant to be a manifesto: a dark, intense, molasses-thick beer that refused to compromise. It burst onto the scene with a flourish and immediately commanded respect, opening the door to a series of subsequent, increasingly uncompromising releases.
It was under the Golem banner that titles such as Double Dybuk, Gehenna, Milky Moon, Moloch, Don’t Burn The Witch, and The Ultimate Abyss were born. Each one was a new chapter in exploring the limits of intensity: from dark notes of dried fruit, through smoked meats and barrel-aged variations with whiskey, bourbon, and rum, to beers whose textures bordered on distillates. Not all of them saw multiple releases—some were one-offs, others were revived as blends from different barrels—but they all shared a common denominator: demonstrating that beer can be as rich, strong, and multi-layered as the best distillates, while still remaining beer.
For me personally, Golem wasn’t just a brewery, but also a workshop for extreme experiences. By freezing beer, we learned humility towards the material—each process required weeks of patience, trial, and error to extract the best from the drink, not just to increase its voltage. When one talks about Polish frozen beers today, it’s impossible to ignore Golem: it was here that beers were born that challenged not only consumers but also the entire industry, setting new boundaries for what could even be called beer. Lilith and its successors were, for many beer geeks, their first contact with something more akin to a liquid essence than a classic beverage—and that was precisely our goal.
We experimented with extremely smoked beers, then freeze-distilled them, maximizing the concentration of smoky aromas. We aged our imperial stouts in both base and iced versions, as well as freeze-distilled stouts in fresh and reused barrels, then served them solo and blended. Our adventure with festival one-offs is the most wonderful thing in the life of a microbrewer. An alchemical experimentation where you never know if you’ll get another whale or a rather undrinkable Dr. Frankenstein’s monstrosity.
And what happened at the festivals themselves? They say it’s like Las Vegas – what happens there, should stay there. However, it’s worth revealing a little secret every now and then. The various beers on tap are a perfect opportunity for more flavor-mixing fun, wild blends, beer mixology, or spontaneous collaborations with exhibitors selling distillates (frozen Lilith mixed with plum brandy from a Polish producer is still one of the best beer drinks I’ve ever had). Pouring 20% ABV beer from a hose directly into the mouths of thirsty beer lovers is also undoubtedly one of the moments that made it all worth it for almost a decade.
The Strongest Beer in Poland
It’s impossible not to mention the beer we brewed as one of the last ones. It was a collaboration with Browar Sady from just outside Poznań, and was called Fat Barrels. Bottles are still available for purchase here and there (I recently saw one at Dom Piwa). Fat Barrels is a dark, flavourful beer with an extract of 30 Plato, fermented with a Belgian yeast strain so aggressive that it achieved over 17% ABV… in its base version. We wouldn’t be ourselves if we didn’t also try to properly treat it with low temperatures.
This is how we created what is arguably the strongest beer in Poland – Ice Fat Barrels, with over 31% ABV . Incredibly intense, liqueur-like, distillate-like, thick, and jaw-dropping. It was with this beer that we decided to go out with a bang. Once again, we played the old, familiar song: go big or go home . To hell with the devil.
And It’s Not Over Yet…
All these stories about freeze-distilled beers read like a saga—from a random bock in a Bavarian brewery, through pioneers from Poznań, Wieprz, and Puck, to Ice Fat Barrels, which pushed the boundaries where common sense ends. But like in every myth, the protagonist doesn’t stop halfway. That’s why, for the 20th Warsaw Beer Festival, together with Browar Spółdzielczy , we’re preparing the release of a beer that will add a new chapter to this story. A real whale.
I won’t reveal all the details right away. After all, like a good story, the tension must build. I’ll just say it’s a real iced monster: powerful, rebellious, and brazenly hedonistic. With an interesting twist, which you may have already seen on the brewery’s Instagram Stories, as well as mine. One thing is certain: it will be intense, rich, and intense.
The tenth anniversary of Beer, Bacon & Liberty ( join the event on Facebook! ) and my decade in the Polish craft scene aren’t a harbinger of death, but rather a damned church bell tolling for the inevitable ghost hour. It’s a time when old spirits awaken. Tenfold. Or maybe… even more so?
I would love to invite you to the 20th Warsaw Beer Festival to see for yourself what we cooked there.
Not just a foodie, but also a self-taught chef who cooks and tests recipes from around the globe. A traveler and connoisseur of great dishes across countries and cultures. Certified beer sensory specialist. Owner of a contract craft brewery renowned for wild, experimental brews. A former homebrewer with deep know-how in brewing techniques and beer styles. Loves pushing flavor boundaries—both on the plate and in the glass. His motto: “Go big or go home.”