Drinks Menu - Jimmy Bradley's Irish Bar, Warsaw
It's an Irish Bar but we are in Poland!
At Jimmy Bradley's we have an extensive selection of drinks for you to choose from.
Being an Irish bar, of course we serve the best that Ireland has to offer such as Guinness; which we serve in the traditional way and we have to say that we've not found a better pint of Guinness anywhere else in Poland!
Being located in Warsaw, we also cater for our Polish friends and you will find all of the Polish favourites on our drinks menu. Poland is on the border of European "vodka" and "beer culture". Poles enjoy alcoholic drinks at least as much as other Europeans. You can buy beer, vodka and wine. Although Poland is known as the birthplace of vodka, local beer seems to have much more appeal to many Poles. Another traditional alcoholic beverage is mead. Polish liqueurs and nalewka (alcoholic tincture) are a must.
Officially, in order to buy alcohol one should be over 18 years old and be able to prove it with a valid ID (which is strictly enforced).
Beer
Poland's brewery tradition began in the Middle Ages. Today Poland is one of top beer countries in Europe. Although not well known internationally, Poland traditionally sports some of the best pilsner-type lagers worldwide. The most common brands include:
- Lech (pronounced LEH)
- Żywiec (pronounced ZHIV-y-ets)
- Tyskie (pronounced TIS-kee)
- Okocim (pronounced oh-KO-cheem)
- Warka (pronounced VAR-kah)
- Łomża (pronounced Uom-zha)
- Tatra
Vodka
- Żubrówka (Zhe-BROOF-ka) - vodka with flavors derived from Bison Grass, from eastern Poland.
- Żołądkowa Gorzka (Zho-want-KO-va GORZH-ka) - vodka with "bitter" (gorzka) in the name, but sweet in the taste. Just like Żubrówka, it's an unique Polish product and definitely a must-try.
- Żytnia (ZHIT-nea) - rye vodka
- Wyborowa (Vi-bo-RO-va) - One of Poland's most popular potato vodkas. This is also one of the most common exported brands. Strong and pleasant.
- Biała Dama (Be-AH-wa DAH-ma) is not actually a vodka but a name given by winos to cheap rectified spirits of dubious origin. best avided if you like your eyesight the way it is.
- Luksusowa (Look-sus-OH-vah) "Luxurious" - Another popular brand, and a common export along with Wyborowa.
Deluxe (more expensive) brands include Chopin and Belvedere. Expect to pay about 100 złoty a bottle (2007 prices). Most Poles consider these brands to be "export brands", and usually don't drink them.
Wine
Poland does make a few quality wines around Zielona Góra in Dolnośląskie, Małopolskie and Podkarpackie in the Beskids with the most famous Polish wineyard in of the Dionisos of Jasło and Świętokrzyskie in central Poland. They used to be only available from the manufacturer or at wine festivals, like in Zielona Góra. But with a new law passed in 2008, this has changed and Polish wines will also be available in retail starting in 2009.
As for imported wine, apart from the usual old and new world standards, there is usually a choice of decent table wines from central and eastern Europe, such as Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, the Balkans, and Georgia.
It the winter time, many Poles drink grzaniec (mulled wine), made of red wine heated with spices such as cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. A similar drink can be made with beer, although wine is the most popular method.
