Last Updated: August 21, 2025
Having moved to Costa Rica from Boston, a city with dozens of different breweries, one of our first orders of business was to try every beer that we could find. So what exactly can you expect when ordering a cerveza here in paradise? This post will cover the three most popular beers in Costa Rica, Imperial, Pilsen, and Bavaria. We’ll also share our favorite craft brew options, breweries you can visit, beer costs, and some beer-related Q&A.
Costa Rica’s Top 3 Domestic Beers
1. Imperial
Imperial is by far the most popular beer in Costa Rica. This beer has been around since 1924 and has become a recognizable symbol for tourists and locals alike.
Practically everyone who visits Costa Rica goes home with a T-shirt, hat, or some sort of Imperial souvenir proudly displaying Imperial’s black eagle logo.
Imperial Beer Review & Tasting Notes
Imperial is a light lager that is comparable to the mass-market beers of the US like Budweiser and Coors because of its low bitterness, mild malts, and modest alcohol content.
With a light golden color, Imperial usually has a small, white fizzy head when poured. This beer is a bit watery and very drinkable for Costa Rica’s hot weather.
The light aroma and grassy taste profile can become somewhat “skunky” when warm. To prevent this, we recommend you drink quickly or ask for a michelada, as the locals sometimes do. That’s an Imperial served in a salt-rimmed glass with ice and lime juice. Very tropical!
Imperial also makes variations of the original, including Imperial Light, Imperial Silver, and the newer Imperial Michelada (either lime and salt or lime, mango, and salt). Personally, we lean towards the Silver when switching it up because it tastes a little smoother to us.
Imperial Stats
ABV (alcohol by volume): 4.6%
IBU (International Bitterness Units): 14
Calories per serving: 140
Approximate Grocery Store Price: 960 colones (approx. $1.75) each.
Approximate Restaurant Price: 1,400 colones (approx. $2.75) each.
The Verdict on Imperial Beer
Although it’s watery and doesn’t have much flavor, we associate the laid back pura vida mentality with a cold Imperial. Therefore, we love it. But it’s a love-hate relationship.
2. Pilsen
Pilsen is the second most popular beer brand in Costa Rica. This beer has been around since 1888 and is easily recognizable by its red and white label.
Pilsen Beer Review & Tasting Notes
Pilsen is also a light lager but has a slightly fuller body (but still watery) and very slight hop bitterness, which leaves a drier taste on the tongue.
Like its biggest competitor Imperial, Pilsen beer is golden in color (although slightly darker) and has a small, quickly disappearing head when poured.
Pilsen also shares the grassy aroma, is light and drinkable on a hot day, and can become skunky when warm.
Pilsen also makes Pilsen 6.0, which is a fuller malt version with a sweet aftertaste and higher alcohol content (6%).
Pilsen Stats
ABV: 5.1%
IBU: 17.1
Calories per serving: 150
Approximate Grocery Store Price: 960 colones (approx. $1.75) each.
Approximate Restaurant Price: 1,400 colones (approx. $2.75) each.
The Verdict on Pilsen
Overall, Pilsen is very similar to Imperial but when tasted side by side comes across a little heavier. We prefer it to Imperial because it has more flavor and it’s usually our drink of choice at smaller local restaurants and bars that don’t have craft beer options.
3. Bavaria
Finally, there is Bavaria, which can also be found at almost every restaurant and bar in Costa Rica.
Bavaria is a beer brand you might recognize from Holland, but Costa Rica’s offerings are different. The version here is brewed by Cerveceria Costa Rica, the same brewery that produces Imperial and Pilsen. Bavaria has been around since the 1930s in Costa Rica.
For this taste test, we chose Bavaria Gold, but there is also Bavaria Light and Bavaria Masters.
Bavaria Beer Review & Tasting Notes
Bavaria Gold is a German Pilsner with an amber color, more brown/gold colored than Imperial or Pilsen. The head is a bit larger and more frothy.
To us, Bavaria Gold is almost like a cross between Imperial and Pilsen but smoother to drink, without the grassy aftertaste.
Bavaria Stats
ABV: 5.0%
IBU: 14.5
No calorie information listed.
Approximate Grocery Store Price: 960 colones (approx. $1.75) each.
Approximate Restaurant Price: 2,000 colones (approx. $4.00) each.
The Verdict on Bavaria
We previously really liked the Bavaria brand because they had a darker, Munich Dunkel-style lager (Bavaria Dark). Since that beer was discontinued a few years back, we haven’t really explored Bavaria’s options too much. The Bavaria Gold could replace our Pilsen choice at small local restaurants, but it is usually more expensive, maybe not worth the extra cost. The Masters version we tried was not pleasant to drink.
Our Take on the Local Mass-Market Beer Choices in Costa Rica
Overall, the most common beer brands in Costa Rica are mediocre at best. Sure, we used to crave a frosty Imperial when on vacation and still tip back a Pilsen or Bavaria sometimes. But now that we have lived here for more than a decade, we often want something more hoppy or flavorful.
Thankfully, the craft brew movement is flourishing in Costa Rica. Below we’ll share some of our favorite craft brews as well as some craft breweries you can visit in Costa Rica.
Craft Beers in Costa Rica
When we first moved to Costa Rica in 2013, we could count the craft beer choices on one hand. Many of them aren’t even around anymore. But these days, you can find tasty cervezas artesenales (artisanal beers) in almost every major tourist town and city.
Here are some popular choices. We will note which ones have breweries or restaurants you can visit.
Largest Distribution
These craft beers have the largest distribution (that we know of) and are found at many restaurants and large supermarkets in Costa Rica. In our opinion, they also have the most consistent flavors and carbonation levels.
- Costa Rica’s Craft Brewing Company
- Papagayo Brewing Company
- Cerveceria San Roque
- Numu Brewing Company
Let’s go into more detail about these four choices, then we’ll share some others.
Costa Rica’s Craft Brewing Company (Has Brewery Tour & Restaurant)
This is probably Costa Rica’s largest craft brewery, offering around eight regular varieties as well as seasonal and experimental brews. They have a large distribution of cans and bottles available at stores and restaurants.
Our favorites are the Indomito IPA (7.6%) and Marbella West Coast IPA (6.0%).
Three others that are also often available are their Segua Red Ale (4.8%), Libertas Golden Ale (4.3%), and Coral Premium Lager (4.7%).
Costa Rica’s Craft Brewing Co. is located in Ciudad Colon, a suburb of San Jose. They offer brewery tours with advanced reservations. They also have a popular restaurant called La Planta Brewpub where you can order beer flights and taste some of their newest experiments alongside a bar food menu.
Papagayo Brewing Company (Has Brewery Tour & Restaurants)
With four trusty options, the Papagayo Brewing Co. is one of our go-to beers at restaurants. They have a Tropical IPA (6.2%), Passion Fruit Ale (5.5%), Beach Lager (5.0%), and Offshore Ale (4.5%).
We really like all the options but our favorite is the Tropical IPA. It is a medium-hoppy beer with a decent alcohol content.
Papagayo Brewing Company’s production facility is located at the Solarium Plaza, directly across from the airport in Liberia, Guanacaste. They have a tap room and offer tours of the brewery.
Additionally, Papagayo has three brew pubs. They are located in the towns of Las Catalinas (near Potrero), Tamarindo, and Playa Hermosa (near Jaco). We have heard that one might open in Manuel Antonio eventually too.
Cerveceria San Roque
Cerveceria San Roque is located in the town of Grecia in Costa Rica’s Central Valley.
This family-owned brewery is a silent underdog in the Costa Rica craft brew market. We have been drinking their beers, identified by snake names and labels, since 2017 when they started but never really paid much attention to their brand because the brewing company’s name is in really small print on the labels.
San Roque offers five flavors, including the Matabuey Indian Pale Ale (6%), Terciopelo Golden Ale (4.5%), Cascabel Summer Ale (4.3%), Toboba Coffee Porter (4.0%), and Becker Pilsner. Our favorites are the Matabuey and Cascabel, which are the Spanish names for the bushmaster snake and tropical rattlesnake.
These bottled beers are common to find at supermarkets, restaurants, resorts, and bars. They even brew private label beers for restaurants and resorts like Baldi Hot Springs.
Another awesome thing about San Roque Brewery is that they give back to organizations like Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center and the Oceans Foundation! Our website also gives back to local organizations, so we really appreciate this about them.
Numu Brewing Company (Has Brewery Tasting Room/Tour)
Numu Brewing Company is a rising star in the world of Costa Rica’s craft beers. Originally, we had to travel to Guanacaste in the northwestern part of Costa Rica to find these brews, but they have started to distribute them around the entire country.
Cans are Numu’s specialty, and you’ll commonly find three great varieties: Chorotega IPA (6%), Sabanero Belgian Saison (5%), and Liberiana Kolsch (4.5%). These cans are great to bring to the beach, pool, a fishing trip, etc.
For some of their smaller batches, you can visit their taproom, also located at the Solarium Plaza across from Guanacaste Airport in Liberia. Same plaza as Papagayo Brewing.
Other Craft Breweries We’ve Tried (Alphabetical)
Cerveceria Belmar, Monteverde
A small brewery at the upscale Belmar Hotel in Monteverde, one of our top hotel picks in the cloud forest. The brewery is at the pub-style restaurant separate from the hotel.
Butterfly Brewing Company, Montezuma
Fun restaurant and brewery with a half-dozen of their excellent craft beers on tap. There is also a butterfly garden to visit if you go during the day.
Costa Rica Beer Factory, San Jose
Popular bottled beer with good distribution. Notably, their Tortuguero IPA is made using a dry hop process. Costa Rica Beer Factory also has a busy brewpub in downtown San Jose’s Escalante neighborhood. They do special tastings and brewing courses. Their restaurant’s beer menu almost certainly has the best collection of craft beers in Costa Rica. It includes dozens of options from both here and around the world.
Eremita Cerveceria, Escazu & Jaco
Brewery with restaurant located in Alto de las Palomas, Escazu. They also have a newer restaurant in Jaco with around 8-10 of their beers on tap as well as $2 cans to go and good food.
Fuego Brew Co., Dominical
Located in Dominical, a surfer town on Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast. Cool brewery and restaurant that is built in an elevated treehouse-type building. We’ve always enjoyed their beers, which include standard offerings like IPAs and lagers, as well as some more tropical flavors like pineapple or guanabana (soursop).
Cerveceria Gracia, Santa Ana
Small brewery with four solid offerings: IPA, Double IPA, Porter, and Summer Ale. Formerly had a restaurant but now only a tap room/store. The Ara IPA is really good!
La Cofradia Brewing Co., Cartago
This brewery has been around for 10+ years and is best known for the cartoon-style characters on their labels. The illustrations can be funny or borderline inappropriate. The San Pamela IPA is a good example—there must be a story behind that one!
La Selva Cerveza Artesanal, Cabuya
Remotely located in Cabuya on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, near Montezuma and Santa Teresa. This brewery has been around for a while, and they were one of the original breweries in Costa Rica. Their beers are mostly found locally on the peninsula and their brewery is open for visits, but message them ahead of time to make sure.
Las Olas Brewing, Playa Grande
Located near the surfing destination of Playa Grande, this operation is completely open air. The brew tanks are outside in the tropical heat but cooled through tubes from an inside source. Has a restaurant onsite too.
Lake Arenal Brewery near Tilaran and Nuevo Arenal
At an older eco-hotel near Lake Arenal, this is a good stop on the drive from Guanacaste Airport to La Fortuna. Relaxed atmosphere with pool tables, lounge chairs, tasty beer, and a decent food menu. You can find their beers in some other places around Costa Rica too.
Monteverde Brewing Company, Monteverde & La Fortuna
We had one of the best beers in recent memory (Kinkajou Hazy IPA) here after changing a flat tire about 100 feet from the entrance. This brewery in Monteverde not only has great beer, but the food is excellent too. They have another location in La Fortuna and are working on expanding distribution around Costa Rica.
Potrero Brewing Company, Potrero
Fun, laid-back brewery in the beach town of Potrero. Large open spot with a few small restaurants in the side yard to grab pizza, sandwiches, tacos, etc. This is also very close to Flamingo if you are staying there. Tasty beer!
PuddleFish Brewery, Jaco
Located on Route 32 at the southern end of Jaco Beach. This brewery serves up craft beer on tap, in cans, bottles, and growlers. Fun spot that often has live music or events, but the food menu is small.
Whale Tail Brewery, Uvita
We were living in the area when this brewery started out in a small downstairs garage under another restaurant. They quickly outgrew that and moved into a nice space with a stage for music and have a gastropub restaurant (on the road toward the Uvita Waterfall). They continue to serve up solid craft beers in Uvita.
Volcano Brewing Company, Tamarindo
This was one of Costa Rica’s first craft breweries. We first tasted these beers when they were still located on Lake Arenal, where the Lake Arenal Brewing Company is now. They moved to Tamarindo several years ago and have built a nice brewing facility alongside the Witch’s Rock Surf Camp. Their beers are on tap at the two beachfront restaurants there, Eat at Joes and El Vaquero. You can also grab a growler to go.
Conclusion
We are lucky that Costa Rica’s beer choices are so diverse and tasty. As we continue to try new beers around Costa Rica, we’ll keep updating this list. We hope this post has helped you understand what to expect when getting beer in Costa Rica. Whether you try some classics like Imperial and Pilsen or some artisanal beers brewed around the country, we hope you enjoy!
Have a comment about beer in Costa Rica? Ask it below.
Still have questions? Here are some FAQs that might help.
The most popular beer in Costa Rica is Imperial, considered the national beer of Costa Rica. The next most popular is Pilsen.
To purchase alcoholic beverages in Costa Rica, you must be 18 years old. This applies to beer and liquor.
You can visit craft breweries across the country (many of which we have listed in this article), but unfortunately, not the Imperial beer factory. The parent company of Imperial, FIFCO (Florida Ice and Farm Company), did briefly offer a tour of their brewing production plant in June 2024. But that was only for a limited time to celebrate their 100th anniversary.
You can purchase beer at most grocery stores or convenience stores in Costa Rica as well as dedicated liquor stores. The variety of beer will generally be best in larger grocery stores, although sometimes smaller, specialty stores have a great selection.
At supermarkets, domestic mainstream beers like Imperial cost about ₡960 (approx. $1.75 USD) each. Craft beers cost around ₡1,600-2,500 (approx. $3-5 USD) each. At restaurants, the prices are typically about 75% more.
Most beer in Costa Rica is sold either as singles, 6 packs, 12 packs, or 24 packs. Imported beers may occasionally be sold as 30 packs, but it is not very common. Unfortunately, there isn’t too much cost savings when buying beer in bulk. If you buy a 6 pack, for example, they will scan one beer and change the quantity to 6. Sometimes there are promotions but not always.
Yes, it’s common to find Coors Light, Budweiser and Bud Light, Busch Light, and Milwaukee’s Best at bigger stores. Samuel Adams, an American craft beer, can be bought at some grocery store chains too. Corona, Stripe, Sol, and Guiness (popular beers imported to the US) are also available in Costa Rica.
Yes, there are a few different kinds of non-alcoholic beers available in Costa Rica. The most common is called Free Damm, which is imported from Barcelona, Spain. They have a non-alcoholic lager beer and a more malty Tostada (toasted) version. Available in cans or bottles.
Technically, Costa Rican law prohibits drinking alcohol in public places, and you could get fined. However, enforcement is generally relaxed. Many people drink beer on Costa Rica’s beaches without issues. If you do drink on the beach, keep a low profile and be respectful. Rowdy drinking could get you fined or even removed by police.
Looking for more information to help you plan? Check out these resources:
Vino de Coyol: Costa Rica’s Moonshine – Learn about a local drink called vino de coyol.
Restaurant Guides & Food – Check out this category for food- and beverage-related posts, including restaurant guides for some of the major destinations.
Costa Rica’s Water: Safe to Drink or Buy Bottled? – In this post, we explain about drinking water safety and the towns where it’s better to buy bottled water.
Packing for Costa Rica: The Essentials – Get organized for Costa Rica’s diverse climates and activities with this post.
Practical Travel – More articles on health and safety, money, transportation options, weather, and other practical planning tips.
