Okocim -- far from O.K.

Okocim -- far from O.K.

The Wife and I had dinner at Halina's tonight, and because it's BYOB, we picked up a four-pack of Okocim from the liquor store across the street. The price was right (about four bucks), and it says right on the label that it's "O.K. Beer," but I have believe this is typical ad agency hype. Okocim is the most godawful stuff, bland, one-dimensional, and on par with Schlitz or some other major US pisswater beer substitute.

This brand must have a helluva distribution network -- if it had to survive on taste alone, it would not exist. I cannot imagine a circumstance that would compel me to bring another drop of this dreck to my lips, and I could bring myself to drink only three of the four large cans in the pack.

Hammond

I've had Okocim's lager a few times, and I don't recall it being that bad, but I don't recall it being good at all either. I feel that way about most Polish lagers I've tried.

I do recall thinking that Okocim's dark beer...don't remember if it's a porter or not, though I recall it as pretty dark...was pretty decent.

Okocim was a very prevalent beer in Poland when I was there a year or so ago. Many Poles were drinking it, so my guess is that it's prevalence here probably mirrors it's prevalence there. Sorta like Lite and Bud -- piss beers, in my opinion, but very popular. I guess there are lots of beers out there that, on taste alone, shouldn't seem to merit their popularity.

I don't, however, place Okocim on par with Lite, Bud or Coors. I think it's better; less piss-watery. It's not the best, or even close to the best beer anyone will have, but it's not as bad as those.

Anonymous wrote:Okocim was a very prevalent beer in Poland when I was there a year or so ago. Many Poles were drinking it, so my guess is that it's prevalence here probably mirrors it's prevalence there. Sorta like Lite and Bud -- piss beers, in my opinion, but very popular. I guess there are lots of beers out there that, on taste alone, shouldn't seem to merit their popularity.

I don't, however, place Okocim on par with Lite, Bud or Coors. I think it's better; less piss-watery. It's not the best, or even close to the best beer anyone will have, but it's not as bad as those.

Anonymous is me. Somehow managed to post without logging in first.

Oops, every time we start a new board some doofus (ahem) sets the permissions wrong and we have one Guest post before he realizes it and we're back to having to register to post.

Mike G wrote:Oops, every time we start a new board some doofus (ahem) sets the permissions wrong and we have one Guest post before he realizes it and we're back to having to register to post.

I guess that'd be me.

aschie30 wrote:

Mike G wrote:Oops, every time we start a new board some doofus (ahem) sets the permissions wrong and we have one Guest post before he realizes it and we're back to having to register to post.

I guess that'd be me.

Aschie30, I think MikeG was referring to an oversight by an administrator (probably himself). I can't imagine how this could have been your fault.

Hammond

aschie30 wrote:

Mike G wrote:Oops, every time we start a new board some doofus (ahem) sets the permissions wrong and we have one Guest post before he realizes it and we're back to having to register to post.

I guess that'd be me.

Mike was referring to himself, aschie30, not you. He didn't set the board up properly, which allowed you to post as a "guest".

Best,
Michael

Le doof, c'est moi.

Tyskie is my favorite Polish beer. Nice and crisp with a decent hoppiness, to my mind it's an excellent example of a German style lager although you'd never hear me tell any of my installers that

I think Okocim OK beer is pretty typical of the Euro pale lager style. Hops are present but are low in bitterness, with a slightly sweet taste from the malt.

eatchicago wrote:

aschie30 wrote:

Mike G wrote:Oops, every time we start a new board some doofus (ahem) sets the permissions wrong and we have one Guest post before he realizes it and we're back to having to register to post.

I guess that'd be me.

Mike was referring to himself, aschie30, not you. He didn't set the board up properly, which allowed you to post as a "guest".

Best,
Michael

Got it. (I didn't really think anything was my fault, but thought Mike was being tongue-in-cheek.)

Okocim is pretty good. If I'm having a Polish lager, I'll either have that or the ubiquitous Zywiec. They're both clean, refreshing pilsener-style beers, and I don't really have a preference for one or the other.

However, Okocim's Porter is sublime, but you've gotta like thick, heavy, and somewhat syrupy beers. This is not really a brew you want to pound back more than a bottle (possibly two) of. Beer Advocate.com rates it as their #1 Baltic Porter, and Rate Beer.com has it in the 90th percentile over all. A very, very good beer for a cold fall or winter's day. I highly recommend anyone who likes porters to give this a shot.

I agree that Okocim O.K. lager is nothing special (though I'd choose it over Bud any day) and I like their porter quite a bit. Another nice beer they make is Okocim Palone, a lightly smoked schwartzbier. I first tried this at the Curds & Ale festival, paired with Roth Käse Vintage Van Gogh, an aged Gouda-style cheese. A very pleasant combination.

For Polish Pilsner-style beers, I'm partial to Hevelius Classic (not the stronger Kaper). Now that I think about it I haven't seen it recently but haven't looked very hard.

Rene G wrote:I agree that Okocim O.K. lager is nothing special (though I'd choose it over Bud any day) and I like their porter quite a bit. Another nice beer they make is Okocim Palone, a lightly smoked schwartzbier...

Agreed. I also like the Okocim Mocne ('Strong'), a so-called 'Malt Liquor'.

O.K. is okay by me, but for the most part I only buy it when it is on sale or if it's the easiest brand to grab at my local Polish deli*; it falls in the narrowly defined category of 'refreshment beer' for me (i.e., fulfilling in a superior fashion the rôle of water).

Here it is, doing its job a couple of months ago:

Berliner-style split yellow peas, a fine Polish Knackwurst from Rich's*, Mostrich aus Deutschland, and double-fried 'Pommes' or 'Frytki'.
Pruska-Polska przekãska.

Okocim was bought up by Carlsberg some time back.

Szanowni pan'stwo, na zdrowie!
Anton

* Rich's Deli:
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=42016#42016

Is there a difference between Mostrich and Senf?

Octarine wrote:Is there a difference between Mostrich and Senf?

Historically, yes (or at least sort of), but these days they're used to refer to the same thing, Mostrich (also Mostert) being in the most general of terms more a northern word, Senf more a southern word, though Senf has gained general currency in the standard.

Antonius

Well that makes sense having spent most of my time in Schwabisch Gmund down south. Danke!

Antonius wrote:[
O.K. is okay by me, but for the most part I only buy it when it is on sale or if it's the easiest brand to grab at my local Polish deli*; it falls in the narrowly defined category of 'refreshment beer' for me (i.e., fulfilling in a superior fashion the rôle of water).

Refreshment beer, yes, which is pretty much what Heineken is to me, too. I read your comments elsewhere, and agree that Heineken is not bad, not great, but hey, it was "John F. Kennedy's beer," and it did something to raise the level of beer action in the country. I have a case of Heinekin cooling in a secondary refrigerator and sometimes -- when I don't need to think about what I'm drinking or I'm just having some light dinner -- it's just right, cool, crisp and nonaggressive...and I do prefer Heineken to O.K. pretty much any day.

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:Okocim -- far from O.K.

The Wife and I had dinner at Halina's tonight, and because it's BYOB, we picked up a four-pack of Okocim from the liquor store across the street. The price was right (about four bucks), and it says right on the label that it's "O.K. Beer," but I have believe this is typical ad agency hype. Okocim is the most godawful stuff, bland, one-dimensional, and on par with Schlitz or some other major US pisswater beer substitute.

This brand must have a helluva distribution network -- if it had to survive on taste alone, it would not exist. I cannot imagine a circumstance that would compel me to bring another drop of this dreck to my lips, and I could bring myself to drink only three of the four large cans in the pack.

Hammond

It sounds like the beer was stale, like it got heated during transport or something. I've had O.K. in bottles that others and myself have picked up, most of the time its fine, but there have been times when we've come across some bad bottles, but they were bought at noteably crappy grocery or liquor stores where other imports were bad as well. My friends and I like getting it at Cafe Lura where they keep it at the right temperature. It has a distinct hoppiness that becomes apparent if not served at a proper temperature, and I guess what one could call an acquired taste.

There's a time and a place for O.K. Beer. IMO, it's literally the CLEANEST beer out there. All the hops and flavor hit you really quick and then disappear faster than the $60 you took out of the atm before going out with the boys. I think it's a good, non-intrusive beer to have with food (which I guess you don't agree with) or to wash down a fuller, heavy beer which you really have to commit to (like a Bells Expedition or a DT).

It's too bad that you didn't enjoy it, especially since it's becoming increasingly easier to find not to mention it's very reasonable price. I suggest trying their Palone brew before you dismiss the brewery as a whole. It's a darker, fuller taste that I think is defintely good enough to add to your beer arsenal.

David Hammond wrote: I cannot imagine a circumstance that would compel me to bring another drop of this dreck to my lips, and I could bring myself to drink only three of the four large cans in the pack.

David, sounds to me like it was growing on you!

JSM wrote:

David Hammond wrote: I cannot imagine a circumstance that would compel me to bring another drop of this dreck to my lips, and I could bring myself to drink only three of the four large cans in the pack.

David, sounds to me like it was growing on you!

Hey John, yes, that was a kind of joke at my own expense.

I must say, though, I have had OK since then, and it did not seem as bad as that one time. It was, after all, in can, so perhaps it was mishandled (as suggested above). I cannot say, though, that any of my experiences with this particiular brew have been anything like exceptional. Still, there is a place for unexceptional beer...and sometimes beer or ale can be "too exeptional."

I bought a four-pack of Dogfish Head 90-Minute IPA, and it was stunningly intense, with a one-of-kind knee drop to the palate that almost hurt. I think of myself as a hop-head, but this was tongue-thrashing, bud-blistering brew that almost defies you to take more than one bottle a day.

David Hammond wrote:I bought a four-pack of Dogfish Head 90-Minute IPA, and it was stunningly intense, with a one-of-kind knee drop to the palate that almost hurt. I think of myself as a hop-head, but this was tongue-thrashing, bud-blistering brew that almost defies you to take more than one bottle a day.

That is indeed a very good brew if you like hops. I would also suggest trying the Goose Island Imperial IPA if you can find it. And, of course, the king of IIPAs, Three Floyd's Dreadnaught, which will make the 90 minute IPA seem like Bud Light to you. OK, I exaggerate, but it will obliterate your taste buds.

If you're ever up in Milwaukee, Leinenkugel's is making some small batch of beers that are not bottled in a line called Big Eddy. Their first Big Eddy brew is an imperial IPA, and is available at the Landmark 1850, Romans Pub, and a couple of other places on tap. Yes, it's very good. Yes, I know, it's Leinenkugel's. Trust me on this one, it's solid.