Beera Vida!
This is your recreational beer drinkers guide for getting your suds on in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
Imperial, 4.6% Pale Lager
Brewed by: Florida Ice & Farm Company
Say hello to your Costa Rican Bud Light. I found this golden lager to be rather flavorless, watery, and thin bodied, but it can be a thirst quencher if it’s served ice cold.
Overall, it was not the first beer I reached for after a long day of relaxing too hard at the beach, but if you are in desperate need of a cold glass sandwich this is not one you will turn down. Imperial also comes in Silver Imperial and Imperial Light as well.
They have slight differences in taste, but nothing starkly different from the original. This is the beer of Costa Rica.
Where to find: Everywhere
Pilsen, 5.1% Pale Lager
Brewed by: Florida Ice & Farm Company
This is a golden lager that has a slightly fuller body to it than Imperial- not to mention higher alcohol content. The taste is similar to the Imperial in that it can be described as flavorless, watery, and thin bodied, but you can also find a bit of sweetness to it. If you’re going to be drinking Imperial, you might as well drink Pilsen to get more bang for your buck in regard to alcohol content. Recommended use: Aiming fluid when you’re playing pool at Selina’s.
Where to find: Everywhere
Segua Red Ale, 5.0% Amber
Brewed by: Costa Rican Brewing Company
Our first craft libation on this list- This ale pours a true, rose amber color. Segua Red Ale is the closest thing to a San Diego IPA you will come across in the area and is a welcome change from the watery lagers I’ve described above here. You’re likely to find something you can love about it.
True to the warm climate beer category, it has a smooth wonderful middle-ground taste that can be described as refreshing, but also has that craft bite that you are seeking. IPA’s are not entirely my favorite type of beer, but if they float your goat make the effort to grab a pint.
Where to find: La Hacienda, Cafe Milagro, El Picador, Cafe Agua Azul, Barba Roja
Bavaria Gold, 5.1% Pale Lager
Brewed by: Florida Ice & Farm Company
True to its name, it’s a German take on the pale lager. It also is my second favorite Bavaria rendition, but more on that at the end. It has a smooth light body putting it in contrast with the watery bodies of the Imperials and Pilsen’s of Costa Rica.
Not much more to say than calling it a refreshing, fuller bodied beer to drink beach side with your friends. The drinkability over the course of a day is high with this one.
Where to find: Almost Everywhere
Libertas, 4.7% Golden Ale
Brewed by: Costa Rican Brewing Company
Our second craft libation on this list: this is a golden ale with the tropical twist you expect from Costa Rican laughing juice.
If I was more of light beer drinker, I would say this is one that I could find myself drinking back home in the States. This is a refreshing, slightly fruity yeastie boy that goes well with a late afternoon lunch or a break from getting your Shakira on in your dance lessons.
It can be hard to come by in the area, but definitely worth the pickup.
Where to Find: La Hacienda, Cafe Milagro, El Picador, Cafe Agua Azul, Barba Roja
Bavaria Dark, 5.0% Dark Lager
Brewed by: Florida Ice & Farm Company
After fumbling my way through the bleak landscape of beer selection in Costa Rica, I found a beer that whispered sweet nothings to my taste buds.
You would be better off tasting this dark lager blindfolded because it does not taste how it looks. If you’re a dark beer fan like myself, this will leave you wanting more from your dark beer, but it scratches an itch that none of the above could scratch. It pours a dark amber color and the body is much lighter than you expect.
It contains enough hops to dull the overall sweetness, but still manages to be complex enough to keep your taste buds at attention.
Best of all, its readily available in most locations you frequent.
Where to find: Almost Everywhere
Verdict
You are probably not going to Costa Rica for its beer selection, but in a world where Milwaukee’s Best is still in existence you could do far worse.
You undoubtedly are going to be spending most of your time drinking my least favorite beer on this list because frankly you don’t care what you get your hands on as long as it’s cold.
That being said, I urge you to give all of these beers a shot as there will be plenty of time to dust off a cold one along your journey.
I still have some craft brews to try myself such as PerroVida and TreintayCinco, so if you do please let us know your take below!
Salud!
