 The grain used in Grodziskie is malted wheat . During the malting process , the wheat is dried in kilns that are heated by oak @-@ burning furnaces . Instead of using the furnaces to heat air which is then used to dry the wheat , the hot smoke from the kilns is forced directly through the grain bed . The smoke dries the grain , and imparts a light color and an intense , pleasant , smoky flavor . This process would not be possible in kilns that burn coal or coke as fuel because the soot in the smoke would cause the grain to become discolored and contribute undesirable harsh flavors . The smoke from the malting process also adds chemical components that help preserve the beverage , giving it a long shelf life despite its low alcohol content . There is a legend that in the 1950s , a box of Grodziskie was discovered buried in the sands of North Africa , left behind by German soldiers in World War II . The beer was opened and found to be as fresh as the day it was made . The exact degree of smokiness that resulted from the oak <unk> in historical times is not known . In addition to wheat , there were periods when the beer also included malted barley in various proportions , but for most of its history , it was made entirely from wheat . 
