Bucanero Fuerte
Cerveceria Bucanero S.A.

elnachooo from Spain

1.27/5  rDev -54.3%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.25 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 1.25

Al vertirla se nota una espuma cremosa y gaseosa. A la vista tiene un color claro y su aroma es herbáceo con un pequeño dejo frutal. En boca es acuosa, agridulce con una sensación áspera. Mala.

Nov 02, 2018

PorterPro125 from Canada (NB)

3.75/5  rDev +34.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Serving Type: 355 ml Can (Bought at Kiki's Club in Varadero, Cuba)

L- Pours a slightly darker yellow than the average AAL. Topped by a 1 finger white head. Good retention.

S- Caramel, light grain, and a good bit of grassy hops.

T- Identical to the smell. Well balanced and quite flavourful compared to the other Cuban brews (Cristal, Presidente, etc).

F- Light but not enough to be watery. Moderate and steady carbonation.

O- A very good AAL that is definitely better than any American/Canadian AAL that I know of. Still an AAL, but definitely more lively and tasteful than the average BMC fizz water.

May 05, 2017

flyingpig from Scotland

2.25/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 1.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25

355ml Can in Santa Clara, Cuba (1 CUC):
A definite basic lager but an enjoyable one for what it was; I was expecting this one to be a lot worse than it proved to be prior to opening it. The beer was light & semi-sweet with some basic corn & vegetable adjuncts coming through alongside a light bitterness & touches of hay. It was inoffensive & very easy to drink, particularly while sitting in the Cuban sun; a welcome first Cuban beer & one that I ended up going back to several times over the course of my two weeks in the country.

Dec 06, 2016

canucklehead from Canada (BC)

3.24/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

The better choice in Cuba given that most of the time it Crystal that is the beer offered. Slightly darker and more flavorful than Crystal it hits the spot after a hot day in the sun or a long walk around Havana

Mar 03, 2016

BBThunderbolt from Kiribati

3.19/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to a local brewer for this brew, I get to tick Cuba off the countries list! It's a basic Lager that poured a clean, clear pale yellow color that had a thin cap of white head that had no retention or lace. The aroma was on the sweet side, with a light grain scent.

On the tongue, there was a surprising hop kick on top of the fundamental
"warm country lager" flavor. The body was fairly typical for the style, and managed to finish semi-cleanly. Drinkability was good, I could easily pour a few down while on a beach. Overall, a pretty solid example of the type, even if the type isn't all that special.

Feb 28, 2016

CanadianBacon from Canada (QC)

3.08/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Appearance - pours a clear yellow color a couple shades darker than Cristal, 2 fingers of bubbly head that died down fast.

Aroma - A little bit of corn, some toasted malts not much hop aroma at all.

Taste - This is one of the better AAJ's out of Cuba, first you get a light corn with some toasted malts fallowed by that crispness every lager has.

Feel - Light, watery, Crisp, Clean.

Overall - In cuba your most commonly going to drink Cristal, whcih would be the bud or heinakein of cuba. Thiis beer is more or less the stella artois with some toasty characteristics. At dinner I would have one or 2 of these and partying cristal is the way to go.

Feb 22, 2016

Mike_Aguirre from Mexico

3.28/5  rDev +18%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours clear, yellow with a very mild white foam head, no retention. Aroma is mild and malty, no hops. Taste is malty, refreshing, very easy to drink. Has more character than mexican macro lagers.

Feb 15, 2016

stevoj from Idaho

2.29/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25

Aroma is a little musty and taste is immediately tangy/biting. No head to speak of, but ample carbonation. Mouthfeel is right but aftertaste is slightly spicy. Something seems a bit off here...

Dec 10, 2015

FLima from Brazil

2.6/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I remember having this in Cuba a long time ago, but I have no sensorial memory, indicating it might be forgettable...
Golden color with a big fluffy head with short retention.
Aroma with notes of malt sweetness, syrup and mild grassy hops. Better than most Adjuncts Lagers.
Flavor with notes of grainy malt sweetness, grassy and spicy hops, a bit of syrup and some oxidation. Dry aftertaste with a medium easily perceived bitterness.
Light to watery body with good carbonation. Not sure why they say Fuerte for just 5.4% abv, I guess it is a local relative basis.
Considering the style, this is not bad as some says. Hops were easily perceived and I guess the adjunct is just a hint of sugar to boost alcohol a bit; I would just point some oxidation. I would still prioritize the mojitos and having this to rest from them.

Sep 26, 2015

biboergosum from Canada (AB)

2.37/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

350ml (swuh?) brown bottle, which is a faint ray of hope in an otherwise low, low sea of expectations.

This beer pours a clear, medium golden yellow colour, with one fat finger of weakly foamy, and mostly just wanly bubbly dirty white head, which leaves little in the way of lace anywhere near the glass as it quickly blows off.

It smells of gritty, grainy corn malt, rice husks, indistinct (yeah, that's the problem) stewed veggies, subtle nail polish remover, and a hint of actually rummy alcohol (the cheap, pirate-friendly stuff, natch). The taste is more of the same stripe - ungainly corn and rice cracker graininess, understated, at least, stale green vegetables, a consistent acetone astringency, soapy caramel, and a surprisingly bland boozy warmth.

The carbonation is a bit tacky in its blithely frothy manifestations, the body an adequate medium weight for the style, with the attendant clammy and pithy boxes duly checked. It finishes off-dry, the stale corn bread and rice cakes keepin' things real, senor!

Plain and as lacking in enjoyment as one might have guessed this to be - perhaps the name should have given it away: it's really just a stronger (sort of) version of Cristal, which is no big draw, IMHO. If it takes near-freezing temperatures or a lime/lemon/pineapple wedge to make this drinkable, then I suppose I should be looking elsewhere for my fix.

Oct 16, 2014

doktorhops from Australia

2.29/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Big WOW for Doc’s first Cuban beer: Bucanero Fuerte. I have a sense that it will taste absolutely rank however I am hoping for a Mojito-like experience... “hoping” being the key word. Let’s look at some of the shit beer warning signs that can appear on a label: Sugar is an ingredient (unless your beer was brewed in Belgium this is a bad sign), there is a pirate on the label (again if your beer is called “Piraat” and brewed in Belgium you are safe), there are medals on the label you’ve never heard of and probably don’t exist... pray for me reader.

Poured from an odd 350ml into a pokal.

A: Clear golden body with a half centimetre white head, this was hard-poured too, just fizzled away to a thin blanket thank-you-very-much Bucanero (which sounds like a new SUV model btw). 6/10.

S: So much like Corona it isn’t funny, no really - it’s not funny. Corn husk followed by stewed cabbage and white bread. With an added hint of Cuban dark rum. Obviously this a brew that would benefit from a lime wedge being stuffed in the bottle, not a good aroma at all. 3/10.

T: The flavour really peels everything back and it isn’t quite as bad as expected. Yes it is another corn derivative Adjunct Lager but it’s light on the skunk and I imagine if it was colder, like around -4 Celsius, it would be a refreshing summer beer. The citric and bread notes give it a Euro Pale Lager dimension too. 5/10.

M: Mid to light bodied with a light carbonation. 5/10.

D: Look it’s not dreadful (which is big praise for almost any Central American brew), but by another token I won’t be asking Santa to fill my stocking with this, and will be disappointed if Santa decides to do so (bad Santa!). It’s around the below average mark, and it is definitely one of those “sitting-on-the-beach-with-an-ice-cold-one-of-these” beers. No more, no less. 5/10.

Food match: Cuban food is what I imagine this would go with. I’ve never had Cuban food. I don’t know what Cuban food is. I imagine Cuban food to involve cigars and Mojitos somehow.

Oct 04, 2014

Spook from Canada (ON)

1.62/5  rDev -41.7%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.75

Had lots of this beer on tap the most recent trip to Cuba. The beer was extremely overcarbonated every time, you would take a few sips then have bad gas. The beer was so light it hardly had any taste. It reminded me of a can of pabst blue ribbon that had been rolling around under your car seat for 6 months and then you find it and drink it. There was always no head, unless it was from a freshly cracked keg. Overall very poor. The worst beer I have drank to date.

Feb 21, 2013

spinrsx from Canada (ON)

2.56/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

12oz can brought back from Cuba for me by my buddy Tyler

Appearance - Clear gold colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some faint lacing. The head lasted for 2-3 minutes.

Smell - Breads/grains, corn, alcohol

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste corn mixed with some bread and grains. There is also some light hops and a light metallic flavour and a bit of a alcohol harshness. It ends with a grainy/corn aftertaste.

Overall - When I first opened the beer and it was cold, it was much better than when it got to room temperature. When warmer I could really pick up on the cooked vegetable/corn flavour. Regardless, I could still down a few of these ice cold while on the beach.

Feb 11, 2013

wordemupg from Canada (AB)

2.27/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

350ml bottle poured into pint glass 29/8/12

A clear light copper with lots of tiny bubbles feeding a two finger bone white foam that hangs around for a few minuets leaving a few partial rings of lace

S soap, purple candy, and a chemical thing that leaves something too be desired

T a little sweet caramel malt and faint citrus helps its cause a little compared too the smell but its not nearly enough too salvage this one, soapy chemical flavors hard too enjoy

M medium bodied with good carbonation, perhaps a highlight for this ones a average mouth-feel

O nothing I´d want too drink again, tastes and smells pretty lousy, I finished it but only because I´m quite thirsty

so I´m guessing the beers no better in Cuba then Mexico, a Country tic but that´s about it

Aug 30, 2012

Sammy from Canada (ON)

2.38/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

rates with the worth of them. Deep yellow with chemical cleaner bubbles. A little cheese and chemical aroma. Sharp taste, almost no drinkability. Some malts, nothing else to ingest. Thanks Radek for the mixed six-pack.Sugar, rice. Light after the astringency.

Jul 15, 2012

TheHammer from Canada (ON)

1.73/5  rDev -37.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

I just got back from Cuba and having had the bottle, can and on-tap version of this beer, I opted to go with the on-tap as it would seem to be the most charitable (and resort available) medium for this beer. Here's from my notes

Appearance: The body is a deep gold which is nice, and despite pouring with minimal head, it still managed to retain well enough. Not much in the way of lacing though.

Smell: Has a slight raw sugar scent to it, but it's buried beneath a very muddy smell that I don't think is being caused solely by hops. It's however mild enough to not be offensive.

Taste: It starts with a slight sweet sugar and rough grain taste that immediately makes a vicious turn into an excessively bitter taste that is somewhere between mud and wet sand. This taste just keeps pressing on until it's down.

Mouthfeel: Well the carbonation is decent and accentuates every part of the beer, making it a bit of a double edged sword in this case. The transitioning is terrible, but the lack of aftertaste is what saves this one.

Drinkability: By no stretch of the imagination would I call this beer smooth. It starts out rough and quickly turns vicious and does not sit down well. There were a couple times my stomach was beginning to reject it. The only salvation likes in the fact it somehow manages to refreshingly quench your thirst.

Final Thoughts: This beer was awful and wore out it's welcome after the third cup, but somehow I ended up drinking a lot more then I wanted to. Either being handed a cup in the pool, the lobby or a can on the balcony. I switched to Rum fairly quickly. I ended up buying a bottle at the airport because I wanted the bottle cap and it fared no better. A word of advice, stick to Cristal or Rum when in Cuba. Even though it's apparently the "Lady's" beer of Cuba and Bucanero the "Man's" beer (due to the ABV) I enjoyed it far more then this stuff.

May 06, 2012

BretSikkink from Mexico

2.2/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Light brownish gold in color, clear body, insubstantial white head with no lacing or legs. Nothing to see here…the aroma is full of DMS, light fruit and a lovely cornstarch note.

Grainy with a hint of breadiness, pale fruit but nothing interesting, slightly metallic. Thin with a carbonated finish. Nothing interesting whatsoever, but I enjoyed it with some moros y cristianos at a Cuban joint in Mexico. The authentic flavor of a crappy domestic!

Apr 23, 2012

Stocean1 from Canada (ON)

2.5/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

From a can on the beach in cuba, wanted to like this one but was disappointed. Poured a fluffy two finger head that was short lived, some lacing, light amber color.

Smell was a grainy corn with a funky stale bread and some pale fruit.

Taste followed the nose.

Slightly bitter this was light bodied with lots of carbonation, not entirely smooth or refreshing.

A disappointing brew.

Feb 17, 2012

Thehuntmaster from South Africa

1.83/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

350ml bottle 5,4% Abv.
Served chilled.

Appearance: Clear, light golden body. Small white head that dissipates really quickly and leaves not lace.

Smell: Ah, the joys of shitty lager. Sweet, corn starch, metallic, stale malt and cooked vegetables.

Taste: As with the smell, sweet corn, stale malt and metallic.

Mouthfeel: Light, watery and massive carbonation.

Overall: Pretty much what I expected. Another horrid macro...

Aug 11, 2011

DIM from Pennsylvania

2.18/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

a: This was a clear, extremely pale golden color. It poured with a short lived fizzy head.

s: One of the ingredients listed on the side of the bottle is sugar. I found that and little else in the aroma. Maybe a bit of pale malt, but that might be wishful thinking.

t: Sweet overall. Lots of corn syrup with maybe a little honey thrown in. I can't really discern any malts or hops.

m: Wet and fizzy.

o: Its not all that bad I suppose, but I wouldn't ever get another. I just wanted to experience the novelty of a Cuban beer while I had the chance.

Jun 08, 2011

cambabeer from New York

3/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- deep gold yellow color with fast off white head and pretty big carbonation... boring.

S-Very sweet and malty. Obvious barley and fruityness with a little hops.

T- Again, sweet with toasted malt. Just a little bitterness, not strong enough. A little burnt and some ethanol. Not too bad but nothing to stand out or make it unique.

M- Medium bodied with big carbonation and a very clean feel.

D- Easy, I'd have another.

May 11, 2011

metter98 from New York

3.4/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is clear golden yellow in color and poured with a finger high white head. A very light of carbonation is visible from the rising bubbles.
S: There are moderate aromas of grainy and sweet malts in the nose.
T: The taste is rather malty and has flavors of bready and grainy malts.
M: The beer feels light- to medium- bodied and very smooth on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. It has a fuller body compared to other beers in the style.
D: The beer is very easy to drink and has some qualities that make it refreshing.

Dec 09, 2010

jeranbrews from Oklahoma

2.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - low less than one finger of loose fizzy head. Clings to the side like bubbles of fish breath. Pale amber color sammon apple vinegar. Fizzy but without head.

S - vague sweet sour apple cigar vinegar. Bits of brown sugar. But mostly adjunt malts. Presumably cane sugar unclear. Label lists ingredients as barley malt and hop.

T - weak maltyness sweet bland. Smooth enough no off flavors. Also no hop or yeast.

M - fizzy soda like light bodied. Fine for a lager

D - Very proletariat but much better than I expected. Very simple too simple sadly. A fine beer for the masses but never going to win an award.

Nov 11, 2010

karait95 from Mexico

2.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pale yellow translucent color with a small head almost white color.

S: Vague barley aroma some cereal bread smell.

T: Malty taste with a little sweetness and little hop bitterness.

M: Refreshing tasting but really light body with almost no ending.

Aug 09, 2010

MMansfield from Canada (NS)

2.68/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed based on memory as have had countless times in Cuba.

Appearance: Standard macro golden straw color. Thin bone white head, leaves a bit of lace, more some if on tap.

Aroma: Sweet, corny & grainy.

Taste: The same sweet & grainy. This one is stronger than it's sister, Cristal as it's had sugar added in the brewing process.

Mouthfeel: Light and heavily carbonated.

Final Statement: At first I preferred this over Cristal while in Cuba. But this really grew tiring. It is what it is. Would I drink it in Canada? No. Would I rather have something else in Cuba? Yes. But is it ruining my experience on the beautiful island? No.

Jul 07, 2010