Browar Nepomucen

Szkaradowo is a village on the border of the Wielkopolska and Lower Silesia regions of Poland. The brewery was established in a renovated century-old bakery building, giving it an unusual physical character relative to purpose-built craft brewery facilities. Browar Nepomucen operates independently, with a focus on experimental and varied styles.

The brewery's signature identity is the Forest series, brewed with real pine and spruce needles incorporated into the brewing process. That botanical character carries into the AF range: the first alcohol-free beer, launched in 2019, drew directly from the Forest concept. The non-alcoholic beers are brewed using a specialised yeast strain that cannot ferment maltose, the main fermentable sugar in beer. This means the beer reaches its low alcohol level through fermentation rather than through dealcoholisation, where beer is brewed to full strength and then has the alcohol extracted.

The AF range is one of the most varied from a Polish craft producer, covering IPAs, pastry sours, and isotonic beer formats. A separate sub-brand, Nachmielona, extends the brewery's hop focus into hop-infused waters, a category distinct from beer altogether. The isotonic format is a considered inclusion for fitness-focused drinkers who want a low-alcohol drink with active hydration properties.

Distribution into international markets is handled through specialist alcohol-free retailers. The range sits in the premium bracket for imported craft AF beer. The breadth of the AF programme, from IPAs and pastry sours to isotonic beers and hop-infused waters, is unusual for an independent craft brewery of this scale.