36 Big Differences My American Family Noticed about Poland - Part 1 of 3

BIG NEWS FROM RUSSELL! HELP US GET TO TEXAS! I am on a mission to send a Polish youth baseball team from Katowice to Austin, Texas in the spring of 2025 for some PL vs. USA baseball games! If you have been enjoying my videos over the last six years, I'd love to have you contribute to this exciting idea by donating whatever you can to either the GoFundMe link or the Zrzutka.pl link below. Every little bit helps us a lot, and it would mean so much to these kids and make my decade! Thank you in advance, and see you in the next episodes :)
GoFundMe: gofund.me/0707c630
Zrzutka.pl: zrzutka.pl/7uuyv6
It's the summer of 2023, and 9 family members of mine from Alabama and Texas have just spent 2 weeks touring Poland for the first time where they visited various cities, met my Polish friends and family, and tried many of Poland's tastiest dishes. During these 2 weeks, I made careful note of every funny difference they noticed about everyday life here. In this new series of 3 videos, it's my pleasure to share them all with you. I look forward to your comments :)

[@patriciaraczynski503]

As a southern girl (Panama City, FL) living in Poland since May, 2023 with my husband that was born here. I am absolutely loving immersing myself in the Polish culture. I love the Polish foods especially the Golabki my mother-in-law makes. The local outdoor market is simply amazing with all the fresh fruits, veggies, organic eggs, meats! There is definitely no food shortage in Poland. I'll admit, I am struggling with the language but know the most useful words. I think I could live here forever, but I will have to get back to the US sometimes to see my dear children and grandchildren! I'm even watching the Spanish soap opera "Acacias 38" with my mother-in-law! Love your videos and was watching them to learn what to expect when we moved here! 😊

[@lucynk-aqz-ska4118]

Filmy tego typu są interesujące. Sami zapominamy jak ciekawy i bogaty kulturowo jest nasz kraj. Mamy to wszystko na codzień i wydaje nam się to tak oczywiste, że czasami aż nudne, pospolite. Dopiero zachwyt kogoś innego przypomina nam nasze dawne radości z tych oczywistych i pospolitych rzeczy. ❤❤❤

[@SuiGenerisAbbie]

We have so missed you, being here on KZbin. We are SO PLEASED to see you back here, Russell!

[@Samkmusic1]

As a fellow American and fellow Orlen hotdog lover, I can relate. Also shoutout to Łomza beer in the beer section.

[@nobodynemoq]

I loved it when someone called smalec "pork jam" 🤣 P.S. Good to see you back! ♥

[@nataliakatarzyna6279]

Oh yes, I eat polish bread all my life and I'm still excited every time when I buy fresh, warm loaf 😁

[@mariabrashear8902]

Funny thing I learned about grape jelly. Apparently red or black currant were prohibited in US for some amount of time because they carried some disease that used to kill pine trees. Because of that companies started to make stuff out of grapes instead of currant.

[@LoveMyPoland]

Yes! Love black currant juice!

[@adamzieba8364]

"The History Guy" made a video about it on KZbin.

[@utahdan231]

Grape jelly was produced in Massachusetts as a side product of grape juice in Welch’s company. During WW1 it was sent to soldiers in the front. They loved it. It’s made to this day and very delicious. That’s the history of grape jelly , not Polish black currant. Currants are not popular or liked in USA.

[@LoveMyPoland]

I appreciate your comments, Dan :) Thanks! @@utahdan231

[@peteroz7332]

​@@LoveMyPolandregarding beer: I challenge/urge anybody to try: MIŁOSŁAW *niefiltrowane* 👍💪💥 scrumptious... or AMBER *żywe* yummy 😁

[@jarosawklejnocki6633]

Nie no spoko, Russell, nie nudzisz :) Bardzo fajnie Cię oglądać i słuchać :)

[@nonperson22]

Kelner stawia przed Russell'em talerzyk z sernikiem i talerzyk z kanapką ze smalcem. Russell wybiera kanapkę 🤗🤭🤫

[@LoveMyPoland]

Tak jest! 😜

[@bartoszjasinski]

Jak sernik z rodzynkami to wybór jest prosty. Ino sznita ze smalcem!

[@boskee]

@@bartoszjasinski A smalec z rodzynkami?

[@bartoszjasinski]

@@boskee Kurcze... niby smalec z rodzynkami nie jest tak zły jak sernik z rodzynkami... nie wiem.

[@peepkagirl1]

Hi Russel!!! Was so happy to enjoy a wonderful new video!!! ALL of yours are great!!! I was born & raised in Cleveland, OH but have lived in South Carolina for 30 years, so I know the U.S. North & South. But, no matter where you're at, the "Polish" never leaves you!!! 😊 I really don't have an opinion on the beer as I never drink! Just not my thing, but Polish food always wins in my opinion! I'd love to try your grilled kielbasa & the Polish bread is to die for! I bake my own!!! The "crummier" things get in the US., the more I think about moving to Poland! I've watched ALL of your videos & I'd be like a duck in water in Poland!!! Love & hugs to you & your beautiful family! 😅❤😊 usa

[@blackbird42]

To be fair, in a country where most people live in small/medium apartments in the cities, double door fridge is already quite a big thing to have. Plus they're relatively expensive for our standards, so I'm not really that surprised with them being rare.

[@thedude4795]

Not common in wealthier countries either (Sweden).

[@jopkins11]

It's much more hot and many more hot days in a south of US than here.

[@Asptuber]

And doesn't a fridge like that need a water connection too? Or do you have to remember to fill it up? Sounds like lots of bother and expense for a marginal benefit.

[@blackbird42]

@@Asptuber apparently there are models with both the plumbing and the tank

[@margplsr3120]

there are more common in houses not homes

[@basiagoscik6927]

Welcome back, I am glad they enjoyed Poland, like any other countries they will always be differences, cannot wait for the next

[@mariel9385]

Yes, this definitely was a fascinating video! I can actually imagine your family's 'eyes like saucers' when they visited grocery stores, etc. It is a different culture. My family (both sides) came from Poland, and I still make the true Polish recipes they brought with them from Europe. Bread is absolutely yummy! Can't wait for your next two installments.

[@reallyboringindividual]

4:08 when I visited the states, I was absolutely AMAZED at the choice of craft and semi-commercial specialty beer. Sure, we have *some* selection in Poland as well but man... I absolutely loved all the locally brewed beers in Phoenix!

[@ziggy129]

Hi Russell. I think we have the same taste. I like Zywiec and kotlety schabowe. I hope your family from Texas enjoyed the trip to Poland. Greetings from New York!

[@J-S.I]

1:39 💯 correct. I’ve been living outside of Poland for the last 25 years and one and only thing is still miss is the bread. My parents too of course 😅and the snow😂

[@ireneuszpyrak961]

Dziękujemy, za jakże miłe słowa. Pozdrawiam z okolic Częstochowy 😊

[@adamzieba8364]

4:48 I have an old vine in my garden here in Łódź. It must be very old - it was already there when my late parents bought this house 45 years ago, but it produces still a lot of small, round, green grapes that have a thick skin, lots of seeds and very sweet flesh. I remember my mum making decent house wine, but my wife and I decided to make grape jam instead. We invented a method of removing the seeds and every September we prepare 2 dozen jars of jam after the harvest.

[@galitferber1969]

L❤ve the polish food and love the smulech

[@user-uh2mp8jl3q]

Just found you ,brilliant you funny mate,, me from Liverpool uk ,all the best to you n family ,thank you all

[@anetasotys9334]

We do Ice in ice moulds. Frigdes with ice dispensers are really expensive

[@shylockwesker5530]

And take a lot of space.

[@SuiGenerisAbbie]

👍 I love Żywiec beer. I can even say the name properly. I am excited, and CANNOT WAIT for parts two and three, Russell! I love the cultural differences between countries. I love videos about them, alot. 👍

[@martinjiranek5915]

Missed your videos Russel, hope your family enjoyed Poland!

[@michapajak6786]

I'm watching it in South Dakota, on my month trip of USA. 13 states so far;)

[@utahdan231]

Have fun.

[@TallisKeeton]

smalec - lard is one of those kinds of food easily preserved for long time. when salted and gathered in stoneware in cold place its energetic and easily preserved. thats why smalec was popular in old times when there were no friges and people were not able to chose from variety of energetic meals (like today) esp in cold winters. when u have to work outside with average temp like -20, -30 C for 3 - 4 months all our modern ideas about veganism look insane :)

[@ulysses1685]

Veganism is nonsense indeed, but smalec is not good idea either 😉

[@TallisKeeton]

@@ulysses1685 well, it depends on ecological conditions. you dont need it in tropical clime of course, but it realy helps in colder climes. We need vit D and when you cannot produce it enough from the sunlight becouse you dont have enough sunlight for 4 - 6 colder months the only thing you need is food with fat. Up to the Alpes and around Mediterranean lands its enough to eat olive oil, north of the Alpes you need butter, and around the north seas you need lard. Lard - thats where the word "larder" comes from, from cold storage for lard. The more south you live the more sunlight gives you more vit D, the more north you live (like Alaska or Iceland, or even Baltics) the less sunlight and the more need for fat to achieve enough vit D. And when you dont like to eat some synthetic pastiles, well butter and lard is the best. Or fat cream.

[@Rankus5150]

5:25 WOW this speaks straight to my soul. Coming from SoCal I've always had an ice dispenser on the fridge and it drives me up the wall to not have one when in Poland. It actually is the very first thing I look for in apartment photos haha (altho sadly I have yet to snag a flat with one). My poor Polish girlfriend has never had one and as of yet does not share my enthusiasm, but hopefully that will change one day!

[@utahdan231]

Can’t imagine my life without ice maker and dispenser. ❤

[@pstrzel]

Are you kidding?! I grew up on smalec. I scrape the leftover fat from making bacon and save it for later use on "pajda".

[@Dreju78]

Did you tell your family that hot dogs / parówki here are also pork?😁 The 'default meat'! When someone says "..with meat" in the US, it's beef, here "..with meat" is pork 😁

[@ysy662]

Russ... you are a helluva' sport :)

[@jacekkubala6944]

Russel, next time suggest your family to try some beer from smaller Polish breweries, it tastes much better. My favourites are: Amber (Koźlak, Pszeniczniak, Porter Gdański), Komes (variety of porters), Olsztyn (Miodne). But beer from other small breweries are also good (Tenczynek, Jurajskie, Ciechan etc etc.).

[@LoveMyPoland]

Will do! Thanks 👍

[@Morriepl]

Coming from Poland - I tried some US craft beers in Portland area - and those were good as well. Almost as good as Polish ones ;)

[@denislinehan5581]

Just a shot in the dark. Writing a docu/drama involving my Ucle and Aunt that ends up in Warsaw 1944. (You can imagine some of it already.). Am seeking a proof reader who might be able to per-read it and validate the historical authenticity of the work as a whole. Any reference or ideas would be appreciated, but if none coming...understood. But keep the LMP videos coming. Love following your family's adventures. Thanks Denis

[@markmulder996]

I'm Dutch and i absolutely love some bread with smalec. At any Polish wedding, you'll find me at the "szwedzki stół" getting my hands on some "wiejski chleb ze smalcem".

[@margplsr3120]

Czekamy i czekamy cierpliwie na kolejne filmiki :-)

[@thedude4795]

No, ice dispensers aren't common in northern Europe, either, as far as I know.

[@deltaZabrze]

U should record short vids with reactions of Your family members ;) It would be more convincing ;)

[@marcinzabochnicki1607]

Hi Russell, Maja and I send our regards to your family and of course special greetings to your mum. We wish them wonderful moments in Poland. Pozdrawiamy z Gdańska :)

[@niuffka7962]

I can't wait for the rest!

[@BDTrooper76]

I am not Polish, but my wife is from Poland, born and raised. We live in California, and have easy access to some Polish beers, mostly Zywiec and Okocim. My favorite Polish beer is Lech, but I have not been able to buy any yet in our home state. I hope that changes.

[@LoveMyPoland]

I hope so too 👍👍👍

[@RussellNelson]

Yes, Polish bread is wonderful. I SUPER LOVE the weird hot dogs with garlic sauce. You can buy a special cooker for those buns here in the US, but it's designed for commercial kitchens and is wildly expensive. Most restaurants in the US serve food with insufficient salt. Easier to under-salt to avoid the risk of over-salting and serving an inedible dish. I love me some Gazowana.

[@sonicbull7276]

Man - I have a fridge like that since 2008.

[@marthamika7372]

Great video 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@Asptuber]

I like schmalz (sometimes), but I've never had it in Poland! Only in Germany. Best one I ever had was goose fat with a tiny amount of crisp minuscule pieces of crispy skin and apple(!) mixed in. Salt: Yes, this year we noticed that sometimes restaurant meals needed a bit of extra salt - we chalked it up to it being hot outside (when you've sat in a hot car all day you naturally feel like you need more salt). But there might be a trend here, I don't remember this from pre-pandemic. (Coming from Finland we are quite used to low salt everything.) Beer! The change here since we started coming to (and through) Poland 20+ years ago is staggering. Beer has always been good, but the variety now is insane. And you can still get piwo sokim, even when it isn't on the menu :-) Another change we noticed was that it now seemed really common for hotels and restaurants to also have some small local beer on the menu. And niefiltrowane, ie hefeweizen-style has become common!

[@Lillireify]

There are as many types of smalec as people in Poland :) depending on who makes it it can be just straight up salty pig fat with crispy bacon bits, some add fried onion, some variants do have small apple cubes (highly recommend, but I see you've already had it :D ), some even add milk and all types of spices :) goose schmaltz is delicious as well. .......DAMN now I got hungry for smalec :D

[@sujathakowalczyk3364]

The most common mistake even by native speakers is "Return back" (0.08) .I used to say reply back and my dad always said both the words mean the same. Very commonly in corporates you would hear reply back the email please or can you reply back soon. Fantastic comparisons!

[@wojstube9359]

Lubię Coronę (popularne piwo z Meksyku) i Millera (amerykanskie piwo) na letnim grillu, ale poskie piwa to najwyższa półka.

[@stachupoz]

Smalec it's pig jam😊. Nice to see You again

[@CieplinskiPawel]

@5: It's _french style_ hot dogs❗ 3:59 *That's how we feel* about cereal in US🤭

[@wt4451]

Hi Russel! Just wanted to say that my hubby and I love your videos and always look forward to watching them. These are truly awesome! They help me appreciate my Polish culture/ heritage.👌😊 👍👍

[@LoveMyPoland]

It's my pleasure 😊. Thanks 😊👍

[@katarzynaherman4814]

Yeah, sometimes we expect things to be the same everywhere. But luckily we don't. Which is greate as we might miss something from the country we visited. As to the fridges with water dispenser... I think this is not very higenic. Although living in a hotter place - that could change my mind. 😀

[@anetasotys9334]

No wonder they liked the bread. American bread even looks like sponge😂 Like a toast is supposed to be toasted😂

[@PanLukash]

To wszystko prawda, widać że swoje ludzie ta rodzinka z usa ;)

[@veevoir]

3:40 funnily enough - I had an opposite feedback, but from Europeans - that we do salt quite a lot. So it seems the Great Salting Order is: most of Western Europe < Poland < USA And if some people say we salt too much, some say we salt too little - we probably salt just enough ;) 5:25 while fridges with dispensers are available, I feel like people simply consider it a luxury (or even a gimmick) you pay too much extra for. Not enough bang for your buck.

[@jjforcebreaker]

Always amusing to hear these observations. Great vid!

[@przemslaw]

Welcome back! Great video! Next time let them have some really good beer, not Kasztelan or Żywiec!

[@Janosik_Janosikowy]

Looking forward to the next one!

[@WGal-er8bm]

I forgot about smalec -should be called coronary distress jam - LOL. Great video, can't wait to see the next two.

[@swedenreality6082]

smalec is a Polish thing for sure i love it

[@agata3958]

Very interesting! I don't understand how someone can dislike sparkling water 😂 it's way more fun to drink than still water. I always buy Muszynianka

[@utahdan231]

I don’t know how you can drink it. It makes one’s belly like a balloon.

[@SuiGenerisAbbie]

💖 I love your list. 💖 I am a foodie! Smalec, I rather like. It's like having savoury butter on bread. Pickles I can live without, however.

[@thedude4795]

So interesting what the cattle-owners said about wheat and rye. I wonder whats grown in the American south.

[@Asptuber]

And interesting that they didn't notice oats - but then maybe there isn't that much of it in Poland (my recent trip makes something of a blur of the fields of Slovakia, Poland and the Baltics), but I'm pretty sure I noticed some. Wheat, oats and rye (or barley) is pretty easy to spot out of a car window. As is of course maize/corn. But this trip I also spotted another crop (in the north, and then also in LT and LV) that I just couldn't identify. After much creative googling I've decided that it was rapeseed just prior to harvest: colour like very ripe wheat or oats, but totally different plant shape - very different from how it looks when it is flowering.

[@haroldbetterson1877]

I went to pierogiQ thanks to you, was amazing! ❤

[@z8k]

Macie dobre craftowe piwa, w Kaliforni np pilem bardzo smaczne IPA i AIPA, bardzo lokalne- np w 29 Palms kupilem czteropak Coachella Valley a nastepnego dnia ogladalem ta wlasnie doline. W San Franciso pilem dobre kwasne piwa. Natomiat co do zroznicowania i mnogosci wyboru w wielkich sklepach masz racje, polski supermarket ma obecnie duzo wiecej craftu niz taki Wallmart.

[@brewstore8080]

Thanks for a great episode! 😊 Few years ago in US were already about 9.000 craft breweries, so i'd say you propably can get best beers in the world there :)

[@mateuszcielas3362]

love you for that

[@bartoszjasinski]

Russel! Finally new video! ^_^

[@GdzieJestNemo]

waiting for next episode : ) I find that lot of people from US never had pickles outside the weird McD type and theyget surprised by the taste of rear ones and the variety of types of pickles

[@kaboo8740]

👍👍👏👏👏

[@bartoszjasinski]

Sznita z fetem i szpyrkami - mmm, eee... ojoj... tzn. kromka ze smalcem i skwarkami. Ale bych wdupioł, ło ciul... i te ogórki.

[@michapajak6786]

11. Buying sparkilng water in USA is quest like nothing else. It's almost impossible, so if we was able to find some, we usually bought all theye have at store;)

[@utahdan231]

Do you live on a desert 🌵? 😅😅😅

[@ysy662]

Actually .... Samuel Adams can go toe to toe with ANY Polish beers!

[@danieljurkiewicz1695]

Schabowy is the King! :) I guess weather was not so good for them, so much rain in July and August.

[@AB-ve5by]

Tak jest, mój hicior to pajda swojskiego chleba ze smalcem i ogórkiem małosolnym, mniam, mniam :)

[@TheZiggyZappy]

Sparkling water tastes like tv static

[@irenejerzygirl27v18]

My Mom used to fry bacon pieces pour the grease and the bacon bits into a bowl put it in the fridge to solidify the grease and the next day we would spread it on a piece of rye bread and eat it it like it was butter.

[@annsmith4897]

💞🇵🇱💟Czesc i Chwala Bohaterom💟🇵🇱💞

[@michapajak6786]

On 7th point, my family think everything is to sweet in USA

[@supreme3376]

Well i have that ref crushing diceing

[@Pinzpilot101]

Did anyone ask where are the Fire hydrants????🤣.

[@ankagolunska6248]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@emsz8928]

The bread in States is like a tost bread in Poland. Artificial and spongy. On Work&Travel days I missed the most our fresh, crunchy polish bread

[@utahdan231]

WHO told you that? There are at least 40 kinds of bread. If you are not cheap you can get the most delicious sourdough breads of any kind. If you family served that for you it means they are cheap.

[@E.S.K.]

Kupujemy nową lodówkę, większą niż standardowe w Polsce. I warunek podstawowy- żadnej kostkarki czy nalewaka do wody :p A smalcu nigdy nie lubiłam, a jestem Polką z krwi i kości :)

[@anon_24]

Hello brother! I'm a little bit shocked about hot dogs, I thought we copied them from US, haha. And about too much salt... yeah, I'm not a salt user, but my family and friends like to 'oversalt' things. That must be a polish thing. The next thing, about ice in the fridge, we, Poles, don't like to spend too much money. If you have cold water in a tap why you should have it in the fridge too? :D

[@LoveMyPoland]

It's convenient and the fridge cools the water. Convenience mostly... 😁

[@izazamojska]

I have a fridge with woter and ice dispenser :D

[@izazamojska]

Also, in Poland it is popular to have a frige built into kitchen cabinets (lodówka w zabudowie). My friends like that ice dispenser at my place, and when they remodeled their kitchens they consider getting fridge like this, but they also don't want stand alone fridge, they want it hidden away loking like the rest of the cabinets. So when it comes to the decision the looks triumphs over the ice.

[@martingorbush2944]

Nice one. Uwielbiam chleb ze smalcem i skwarkami, ale musi być dobrej jakości. Niektóre mają dziwny posmak.

[@Pinzpilot101]

I am a fan of smalec......in truth I came from a poor family in UK and in the 60's I grew up on Beef or pork dripping on 'doorsteps'. this was what we poor people called thick slices of unsliced country style bread......something to note......for the last 10 years every time we went to restaurants, especially out in the sticks,(boonies to you) we were always given a plate of bread with a small pot of smalec as an appetiser while the food was prepared and cooked.....Not now...the cost of living crisis? has stopped that practice.....(we know some owners and they say it is just a cost they cannot bear at the moment).

[@rafalsmet]

Actually US has the biggest variety of beers in the world. Craft revolution started there!

[@TallisKeeton]

Oh, I never knew such friges are available in Poland - thats good to know, I would like to buy such one when my frige would broke. :)

[@bartoszjasinski]

Oczywiście, że są, tylko zabierają przestrzeń ładunkową. Musisz zdecydować albo kiszone ogórki albo woda na lód. Nie jesteś prawdziwym polakiem jak wybierzesz lód xD

[@TallisKeeton]

@@bartoszjasinski ok :) no cóż, to w takim razie, poniewaz ogórków nie jem (lubie, ale unikam z powodow trawiennych) kupie zwyklą lodówę, a chłodzic sie bede kawą chłodzoną w lodówce tak jak lubie :)

[@bartoszjasinski]

@@TallisKeeton :D kup jaką chcesz, ja Ci zaglądać do kuchni nie będę ;) chociaż uważam, że kawa to tylko na gorąco (choć podobnie jak ty z ogórkami tak ja mam kosę z kawą)

[@TallisKeeton]

@@bartoszjasinski a ja lubie mrożoną kawę :) a najlepiej to jeszcze po irlandzku i mrożoną jednoczesnie.

[@pj8208]

@@bartoszjasinski nie zabierają nic. Sam mam taką lodówkę juz od prawie 15 lat. Coś w ten deseń LG GSLV31DSXE. Nie jest to jakieś bardzo drogie, a dodatkowo można do niej podłączyć wodę i mieć ją dodatkowo filtrowaną

[@pinang1]

I honestly do not understand Polish fascination with the sparkling water. I come back to Poland to visit family every year and I have trouble finding any drinkable bottled water in the house. There is tens of bottles of variety of sparkling waters, mineralized waters with fruity flavours and so on. The same in stores. While I liked sparkling when I was a kid, it is a disgusting thing and I have no idea how people can drink it instead of normal still water. So at home I just end up drinking tap water which is fine.

[@Z4KIUS]

I cannot fathom how bad American bread have to be to make everyone praise the shadow of the former glory of the Polish bread, nowadays getting a good bread is like a miracle!

[@tomaszlech1432]

😀

[@venox48]

So you say u can't or didn't want to drink tap water in Czestochowa?

[@januszkurahenowski2860]

Double door fridges with ice and water aren't as desirable as they take a lot of space and with not as many hot days here it's just not necessary, same goes for AC. You can endure a couple of weeks of hot weather and not spend a ton of money on that stuff. But i do have such fridge and I know other people with such fridges so they aren't non existent here.

[@ebarteldes]

I cannot stomach smalec. I tried on my first trip to Poland, they were selling at a street fair in the Warsaw Old Town. I had a bite and didn't quite feel it so I ordered a full slice, and next thing I know the damn stuff makes my lips seem like they have been oiled. No thank you, enjoy... more for you!

[@LoveMyPoland]

😉. Buttered popcorn has a similar effect

[@ebarteldes]

@@LoveMyPoland very true.

[@thedude4795]

Sounds like a meat- and beer-lovers paradise.

[@lukeace347]

Co do punktu 10 to my mamy niestety lód za oknem przez pół roku...

[@PedroElPolako]

Hot Dogs are french kind, it's their never ending cultural war against America that bred them. I personally prefer American type of Hot Dog, less practical but so much more variety.

[@pedeiksz]

The hotdogs from gas stations and from żabka arę called french style here ;) not a polish invention

[@sharkinahat]

I didn't expect beer on the list. There's almost 10 000 breweries in the US and less than 300 in Poland. As for quality - the Polish industrial, big brand, mainstream 'international lager' type beer tastes exactly the same as industrial, big brand, mainstream 'international lager' type beer anywhere else in the world.

[@LoveMyPoland]

Right. mainstream beer brands here are from all over Europe really add up!

[@Asptuber]

Hmmm. I don't know if I would quite agree about the Polish "international lager" style being exactly the same as everywhere else. In a certain sense it is (and I'm sure some of the big ones are), but for some reason I find it easier to drink - maybe less hoppy or more balanced/refreshing? (It was actually in Poland that I learned that "international lager" -style beer is actually drinkable, I'm stupidly sensitive to a certain kind of hoppy bitterness, and especially Zywiec is actually drinkable for me, even without sok do piwa.) One thing about beer that Poland has had for a long time is weird and wonderful radler-type concoctions. These are not always _good_, but you do get eyes like saucers when you come to that section in a big Auchan. Maybe it is the piwo sokim tradition that sparked this, but no where else have I seen this type of creativity. This year I didn't have the time or inclination to sample this segment (but I noticed it was still huge), I wonder if there are still caffeinated beer-coffee drinks?

[@lollylula6399]

🤍❤

[@Karolomen]

2:19 "Poles do cook everything and that includes us too"... I don't think cannibalism is a common practice in Poland.

[@LoveMyPoland]

😂...not everything everything