Pilsen
Cerveceria Costa Rica

 

Bought and consumed in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. One of 2 beers that are ubiquitous thoughout Costa Rica, in every store and little shop. This one has a bit of a harsh bite and a finish of grass and grain. Highly carbonated. I prefer the other popular beer here.

 

 

 

This one was brought to me from Costa Rica; hand delivered by my friend, PhytoGen cotton agronomist Russell Nuti. Thanks! The story goes, it and a bottle of Imperial flew home in his boot. Must have been a cowboy boot. Hope it doesn't impact the aroma or flavor.

Pours crystal clear deep straw/pale gold. A respectable amount of effervescence rises from the bottom of the glass. An ungentle but not aggressive pour produces 3+ fingers of billowy, shaving cream foamy, moderately lasting, white head that leaves thin motes and streaks of lace as it recedes. A nice surface cap and collar ring add to the presentation. Aroma is crisp, dry pilsner malts and yeast: biscuit and cracker with lemon, floral and grassy hops; there are also fruity and honey-like hints. Taste is a more vibrant but similar version of the nose: cracker, biscuit and sweet clean grain with lemon and grass hops. Honey, floral and fruitiness are also present. This brew is sweet and wet fronted with little bitterness. In fact there's almost no bitterness until the aftertaste. The dry promise of the nose does not develop until late in the finish where it lingers into the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied with moderate carbonation, crisp, tongue clinging and lightly prickly. Dryness, bitterness and a slight astringency occur late in the swallow and aftertaste. A modest but decent example of the Bohemian pilsner style, it is very drinkable. Doesn't appear it's travel time in a boot adversely affected it's aroma or flavor.

 

A89, A90, A91

 

 

Went through a 15er from WalMart in Liberia for $17. Cheapest place I’ve found down here. It’s an okay beer that is much like any general US macro. A little on the sweet side but does not go overboard like some. Hey, I’m 71 YO and have put a lot of beer down my throat in the last 50years. To much analysis is what makes life miserable. Drink Imperial or Pilsen and don’t complain. If you don’t want to do that pick up a 12pk of the Beast. Miller sells a lot down here, as in Panama. Wowwww, the Beast, brings America to you!

 

this was hands down our favorite of the national lager brands, and anything these guys make or that you could find everywhere in costa rica. its a pretty solid lager, almost entirely devoid of the adjunct crap all the other ones have, especially when they warm up, and while its obviously short of the mark set by better international pils types, its a beacon of quality refreshment in their otherwise forgettable portfolio. its not as dry as the best, and certainly not as hoppy, but all the elements are there to be appreciated, its light and crisp without being watery or flavorless, and it just felt to us much higher quality than the others. there is a mild pils malt sweetness up front that is sort of its defining feature, and its snappy in the finish, super refreshing when its freezing, but it warms up not bad either, especially compared to its peers, and thats critical in costa rica where its so hot and humid that unless you are a three or four sip per beer kind of guy, your beer is definitely going to get at least a little warm on you. i probably had 30 of these over the past week, and enjoyed every one of them, morning, late night, hungover, dead sober, can, bottle, you name it. nice to have one to rely on, and of the macro stuff, this was my horse. brief cultural anecdote here, the locals warned me often that this was "strong beer", which i guess it is compared to many of the others, but come on! i thought that was a hoot!

 

 

 

Between the two of the biggest macros here in Costa Rica, this is my favorite. Decent amount of flavor, and perfect for those hot and humid days at the beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Similar to a Schlitz

 

 

12 oz. Pours pale straw with tall, long lasting, fluffy, white head and lively carbonation. Aroma is of grassy hops and pale malt. Body is light and crisp. Pale malt and grassy hops combine on the palate. Finish is short and dry. Good to try once.

 

Poured from a 12 OZ bottle into a pint glass at the World of Beer in Cary, NC. This beer is a crystal clear golden color with a thick white head. The aroma is big on grain and has very little hop to it. The taste is fairly weak with an AAL grain flavor. Bottom line, this is a good beer to drink when you want to drink a lot of beer.

 

More like Pissen. This stuff is terrible. Few options available while on vacation in Costa Rica but this is the worst of the "major" brews there. Pours gold like any other macro pilsner or lager, which plenty of carbonation and white head. Tastes terrible.

 

Best beer I had in Central America.