Maciek Uszpolewicza and Lecha Gałaszewskiego founded Browar Ukiel in 2017 near Olsztyn, Poland.
Their micro-brewery began in the typical craft fashion and is part of the growing wave of small brewers popping up in Poland. Uszpolewicza and Gałaszewskiego begain homebrewing in a garage in Olsztyn in 2014, mainly for themselves and friends.
Their beer became popular for annual cruises in Masuria. Encouraged by the growing demand they found a disused barn and farm in nearby Gutkowo near Lake Ukiel. They renovated the place and began commercial operations as Browar Ukiel with their first bottling in November 2017, buoyed by the success of their Ukiel West Coast, which had won the gold medal in a competition.
As they expanded they hired Kamil Tchorzewski as an additional brewer.
Beer Idiot Dieter Proost interviewed Uszpolewicza and Tchorzewski in Warsaw during a recent trip there.
Photos: Browar Ukiel
