National beers are finally getting a good run for their money in Costa Rica. The wait for delicious small batch brews being offered on tap at local restaurants and bars is at last over. This is a monumental time in this country’s history, as up until now the local market has been dominated by non-premium quality products. The trend up until recently has been to produce “large scale commercial” style brews, but that has been changing. Craft beer on tap is being poured more often in our country as savvy entrepreneurs have been steadily setting up “craft beer” businesses throughout the country creating all kinds of styles and flavors for locals and foreigners alike to enjoy.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with a good old tried and tested mass-produced beer, it’s just that it does not provide any form of excitement to the consumer if they are looking for something different. The distinct flavors and nuances that result from hand crafted beer seem endless, enabling newbies and connoisseurs alike to enjoy an almost endless variety of styles when they have a pint. Of course, it is not just about how much better craft beers taste over the traditional name brands available at stores throughout the country, as there are other benefits to choosing products that are micro brewed instead.
By buying craft beer, you also support the economy on a local level, since the beer is made by small independently owned breweries located in different communities throughout Costa Rica. With more and more brew pubs “popping up” around the country, the local job markets are able to offer more diversified career opportunities to people which is a great economic spin-off that benefits many families. When you consider how many “moving parts” there are to a craft beer brewery, it is easy to see that it contributes considerably to the local job markets of towns throughout the country.
When you eat out, you hope that the ingredients being used for creating your meal are of a good quality, and with beer it should be much the same thing. The quality of an ale changes dramatically depending on how well the ingredients are sourced, so buying choice Cascade hops instead of whatever is cheapest at the moment should result in better beer. In the town of Dominical, located just south of Manuel Antonio, Fuego Brew Pub has just recently opened its doors to the public, and it has already proven that it makes some very choice brews indeed! Quality is of course a major concern for their Master Brewer, and he is known for being very picky!
The days of having the choice between few similar style beers are finally over for good it would appear, and we will see a steady growth in this promising new market. If you have not done so yet, do yourself the favor of going out to your nearest local brewery and ask them to give you a tasting of the beers they are offering on tap. This is a fun thing to do and will allow you to choose your favorite one as well as give you other options for the next visit. Here is to those people who made enjoying craft beer in Costa Rica possible, cheers!