Traveling in Nicaragua? I'll Bet You Could Use a BEER!!!
Dec 29 '05 (Updated Jun 03 '08)
The Bottom Line Can a thirsty traveler find a decent pint of beer in Nicaragua??? Here's the answer!
Greetings from Nicaragua! As part of my year-end vacation, I'm spending a few days in beautiful Nicaragua, where the scenery is beyond heavenly, even though the beer selection is of a decidedly lower geographic point.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do, and when in Nicaragua, drink like the Nicos do. That's where I can help. Here's a little background info on beer in Nicaragua, along with some tasting notes that might help you decide what to order when you belly up to the bar after watching yet another glorious sunset in paradise.
About Beer in Nicaragua...
The beer scene in Nicaragua is just like it is in the rest of Latin America, only different.
Oh sure, you still have lots of mediocre pale, light-bodied American-style lagers dominating the scene, and they all come from just one major domestic brewery, which mirrors the situation in lots of other Latin countries, but where Nicaragua differs is that this is one of the few Latin countries that seems to have many imported brands available.
It's easy to find imported brands in Nicaragua. It's hard to find good imported brands. Almost all the imports suck.
Nicos (as folks from Nicaragua are generally known) have developed a taste for some of the worst beers sold in the world. You can buy Bud in Nicaragua. You can buy Corona. You can even buy Brahva from Brazil, or Bahia from Honduras. I do believe that there must be some kind of law that prohibits beers above the 2-star quality level from being imported to Nicaragua because Lord knows, I haven't seen yet one single good import. Lots of trashcan fodder for folks who know nothing of good beer, but nothing that a discriminating palate would recognize as potable.
At least the weather is always sunny and warm, so light lagers go down easy when chilled bien fria...and I don't believe there's anywhere in Nicaragua without at least a few dozen ice cold coolers chock full of ice cold brewskis.
In Nicaragua, there is exactly one major brewery. It goes by the name Compania de Cervecera de Nicaragua. The company dates back to the mid 1920s, but the big, ultra-modern beer factory, with rows of gleaming white tanks, located on the shores of Lake Managua definitely doesn't. I've heard that the physical plant is of German design and that CCN actually has a brewmaster trained in Germany at Weihenstephan. He must go bonkers having to churn out barrels of stuff that Germans wouldn't see as fit to wash cars with...
Oh well. When in Nicaragua, do as the Nicos do. Let's drink some Nicaraguan beer!
Tasting Today's Nicaraguan Beers...
By far, the lion's share of beer served in Nicaragua is locally brewed domestic brands. There's five of the suckers. Here's my opinion on all of 'em...
Victoria:
This seems to be one of the most popular brands. It's friggin' everywhere! The beer is pale yellow in color, well conditioned, with a sharp earthy hop aroma dominating. It's similar to basic continental pilsner-inspired lager beers, and is the best of the mainline Nicaraguan beers.
Victoria Light:
Thin, insubstantial, and fundamentally unbalanced with a harsh stale hop scent. That's basically Victoria Light. 0 stars.
Toña:
Hmmm. Excessively pale with an unappetizing appearance. Under-conditioning gives it a "smooth" texture and mouthfeel. The scent is laced with DMS --- harsh corn, overcooked. The flavor resembles beer only in name. 1/2 star, but only because the word "cerveza" appears on the label.
Premium:
O-M-G! If I thought Toña was bad, it was only because I drank one before trying Premium. The beer pours with just the faintest glimmer of yellow with hints of algae-looking greenish-blue (reminds me of what you'd see if you dropped a couple drops of that Tarantuala Azula tequila in a cup of water). Gassy with coarse bubbles reminscent of mineral water. Poor head retention. Corn in the nose, big time. 0 to 1/2 star.
Bufalo:
I understand that this beer just recently came out and that it isn't marketed that widely. Too bad, really, because it's the only beer made in Nicaragua that didn't reek of badly handled adjunct grains. Faint praise, I know, but you dig for the compliments where you can find 'em (or "if you can find 'em", in the case of Nica beer). The beer pours with a deep golden color and a well-formed, creamy white head. It's somewhat dry on the palate with a slight peppery hop finish. Compare this to a fairly decent regional mainstream U.S. lager, like Yuengling Premium. 2-1/2 stars.
Oh yeah. Almost forgot. You can find Heineken just about anywhere too, and it's brewed in Managua!
Another Round?
Well, there you have it. More than you probably ever wanted to know about beer in Nicaragua. Michael Jackson supposedly jokes that he can't even THINK of a reason to go to Latin America. Usually, I can find some good beers just about anywhere, but in Nicaragua, that's a very difficult thing to do. I love the rugged beauty of the country and its shockingly sensual scenery, and if I do come back, it's for the raw beauty of the place --- it sure won't be for the beer. Now I gotta get moving to catch a plane back to San Jose, where I've heard that a tall cool bottle of Bavaria Negra has my name on it...
Closely Related Reading...
Want to know more about drinking beer in other Latin American countries? Here ya go...
* Beer in Costa Rica
* Beer in Brazil
* Beer in Ecuador
* Beer in Panama: Part 1
* Beer in Panama: Part 2
* Beer in Peru
* Beer in Mexico
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