Craft Beer – Making It’s Mark in Peru and Beyond

, Craft Beer – Making It’s Mark in Peru and BeyondThe setting is the 2015 South Beer Cup, 2015, Mar de Plata, Buenos Aires Argentina.  There are 85 breweries in attendance, all from Latin America’s emerging craft beer scene, which has truly exploded in the last 5 years.  Many participants are new, but that’s not limited their desire to make the best beer in the world.  Over 800 beers are being presented, in almost 50 beer categories, and the brewers are ready. There are , Craft Beer – Making It’s Mark in Peru and Beyond250 breweries from most nations in the region (with the majority from Argentina and Brazil).  Peru, the 4th largest country in Latin America, has delivered 6 breweries this year– 2% of the total breweries attending.

But quantity does not limit the quality of these beers that were delivered to the competition in very carefully packed suitcases.  Out of the 6 Peruvian breweries in attendance, 4 metals are won!  Bronze for the Sauco Sour from Sacred Valley Brewing.  Silver for the Panam Pale Ale from Nuevo Mundo and the Fifty Lager from Barranco Beer Company.  And Gold to the wheat beer of Valle Wit Sacred Valley! 

All 6 breweries returned to Peru, proud of each other, and of the growing recognition that their country’s craft beer is now receiving on the world’s stage…

Peruvian brewers are passionate in their belief that serious craft beer advances in the country. They want their consumers to have ever-increasing options for great beer. We at ACB are fully on board with their thinking. And given their recent success in international competitions, we think they are well on their way to achieving their goal! 

With its craft beer, Peru is upholding its rich tradition of culinary excellence.  And, as part of ACBs series about beer Peru, I am going to introduce a few breweries that you absolutely need to check out when touring this amazing Andean nation.

Barranco Beer Company – Located in the bohemian Barranco district, Barranco Beer is a must stop for anyone passing through Lima.  And this year they’ve truly stepped up their game introducing fresh and rich American style IPAs, Stouts and Saisons all brewed by Justin, a freshly imported brewer from Stone Brewery.  There is also some killer food here.  I recommend pairing one of the locals award winning Lagers with a brick oven Pizza Morada, a purple corn crust pizza with amazon tomato sauce topped with traditional Peruvian ingredients.  We won’t get into how much time this ACB writer spends at this spot in Lima.

Sacred Valley Brewing –   Heading to Machu Picchu? When lucky for you right on the trek there is a world class brewery located outside of Ollantaytambo in the Scared Valley (i.e. where you catch the train to the famous ruins).  Here you can try some finely brewed special brews including a Chicha Pilsner, Black IPA or Black Elderberry  Sour beer, all brewed with traditional ingredients and by a world class brewer (also imported from our fav city, Eugene Oregon).  You can drink these brews while surrounded by the Andes Mountains and Inca ruins, not bad.

, Craft Beer – Making It’s Mark in Peru and BeyondBarbarian Brewery – The beer of these three Peruvian beer lovers are truly everywhere, and thank goodness because the beer rocks.  Their Lima Pale Ale, Red Ale, Hoppy Wheat, Porter or IPA can be found in the best restaurants all around Peru.   I recommend heading to one of the famous Peruvian chef, Gastón Acurio’s, restaurants and getting a Barbarian beer with your world class meal.

Nuevo Mundo:  Not going to lie, this writer has some serious bias for American style beers.  But if you are looking for the rich taste of Belgian style beers, Peru can give you that also.  This pair from France serve up many delicious beers including a Pale Ale, Amber Ale, Blonde Ale and a Triple.  Also they are doing brewery visits on Friday evenings in Lima, another must do if you are in Lima.

So there you go – a small overview of some of the beers that Peru is offering today.  There are many other not to be missed beers, and too many to put here, so my plan is to keep drinking, and give you an update soon.

 

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