#grain

2025 / Related drinksRelated drinksПБП

Moonshine in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth: A History of a Fiery Spirit

The history of harelka (gorzałka) and grain-based distillation in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, based on Gabriel Rzączyński's 1721 work. Discover how strong spirits were produced, which grains and spices were used, why Gdańsk's anise-flavoured spirit became an export product, and what role distilled beverages played in the culture and medicine of our ancestors.

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2025 / Beer History / ResearchBeer History / ResearchПБП

Beer History / Research21 min

Beer in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Work of Gabriel Rzączyński

What was beer like in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth during the 17th and 18th centuries? Drawing on Gabriel Rzączyński’s 1721 work, this article explores beer varieties and prices, the grain trade, brewing centers in Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland, the importance of water, and historical beliefs about beer’s properties.

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2024 / Beer History / ResearchBeer History / ResearchПБП

Beer History / Research2 min

What Grain Did Our Ancestors Brew Beer From?

A study of Belarusian folklore and ethnographic sources identified 440 records mentioning beer. Only 92 explicitly identify the grain: 43 refer to wheat, 38 to barley and 11 to rye. These records have been plotted on an interactive map.

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