If someone offers you a good Costa Rican beer, they’re not your friend. They’re lying to you. There’s no such thing as a good Costa Rican beer. Before I get into this, I would like to remind you that I’m not a beer snob. I’ll drink pretty much anything you put in front of me, although I’m not a fan of the trend towards excess hops. Aside from that, I like beer. But not Costa Rican beer.
Imperial seems to be the national beer. As a friend said, it’s functional. It’ll get you there, but you have to drink a lot of it, and you’re going to regret it later. It’s not very good. I’d rather drink a Miller Lite than Imperial. But it was readily available off the resort, so this was what I drank most when I wasn’t at the resort bar.
Imperial Light is the light version of Imperial. Whatever redeeming qualities Imperial had are apparently removed for the light version. Local water has more flavor and almost as much color as Imperial Light.
Bavaria Gold is a bit malty, but surprisingly flat. I had one with some BBQ at Longboard, and it was so bad, I didn’t finish it. I was eating BBQ, and I didn’t finish my beer. Let that sink in for a minute. I think that’s all I really need to say about it.
Witch’s Rock Gato Malo Nut Brown Ale, by the Volcano Brewing Company, was served on tap at the Witch’s Rock Surf Camp. It was heavy on the chocolate and coffee notes, but it was too light to be a stout or porter. I think that’s what they were trying for, but it didn’t quite happen.
Witch’s Rock Pale Ale was very hoppy, which I’m not a fan of. I don’t think I tasted much besides the hops and carbonation.
Witch’s Rock IPA was, surprisingly, less hoppy than the Gato Malo or the Pale Ale, and the beer that I drank the most at the surf camp. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the rest. But it was cold and on tap at the surf camp, so it was a viable option. I think it’s a more recent addition to the Volcano Brewing Company’s offerings.
There were several other beers available, but I was so tired of disliking all the beer I had tried, I actually didn’t end up drinking that much. That’s probably better for my liver, but it’s not what I wanted while I was on vacation.
