Pilsen - Cerveceria Costa Rica

udouche

3/5  rDev +6.8%

12-14-2012 21:31:19 | More by udouche

cm1313

Germany

2.75/5  rDev -2.1%

05-09-2013 15:24:00 | More by cm1313

magnusdave

New York

2.75/5  rDev -2.1%

02-20-2013 22:07:37 | More by magnusdave

Foulon

1.75/5  rDev -37.7%

01-04-2013 21:07:11 | More by Foulon

cambabeer

Florida

2.43/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This is a pretty trashy czech pilsner. It tastes smells and feels much more like an adjunct lager. Looks pale yellow, with big carbonation and a head that dissipates pretty quickly. Smells crisp and malty, plus metallic and a little rotten. Tastes a little better then it smells, but still not good. The hops are a little redeeming but the boringness of the malt character and the rotten veggies that inhabit the aftertaste are quite annoying. Oh well. When in costa rica, options for good beer are seriously limited. Seriously.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 18:33:35 | More by cambabeer

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.03/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz can brought back by a good friend from his trip to Costa Rica, Thanks for the opportunity Rob!
Pours a solid golden yellow with a smallish white head that dissipates quickly. Smells of sweet pilsner malt with hints of grain honey and enough hops to keep it from cloying. Sweet rich grainy malt with a slight floral hop flavor. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a slightly sweet mouthfeel. I liked this best of the three beers we sampled at our impromptu Central America lager fest. Decent beer for the style but could have really used some more hops.

Serving type: can

07-23-2012 21:08:15 | More by johnnnniee

LvanB

1/5  rDev -64.4%

06-03-2012 02:43:06 | More by LvanB

od_sf

California

2.25/5  rDev -19.9%

05-07-2012 01:48:06 | More by od_sf

Souleman

California

1.75/5  rDev -37.7%

03-28-2012 14:15:13 | More by Souleman

wdarcy77

Massachusetts

2.5/5  rDev -11%

02-26-2012 14:01:44 | More by wdarcy77

jmich24

Michigan

2.5/5  rDev -11%

01-21-2012 07:25:27 | More by jmich24

jmhart

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev +24.6%

01-04-2012 21:34:27 | More by jmhart

diskoduk1

Massachusetts

2.5/5  rDev -11%

12-31-2011 01:49:39 | More by diskoduk1

beerme626

Kentucky

1/5  rDev -64.4%

12-13-2011 05:20:04 | More by beerme626

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

2.53/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle: Again poured a clear bright yellow color lager with a medium bubbly white head with not much retention. Aroma of light corn note is attenuated by balanced sweetness. Rice provided a well balance taste with a hint of sweetness and a bland aftertaste. Body is OK for style. Not as bad as bland as it can be.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2010 03:32:01 | More by Phyl21ca

AgingWarrior

Florida

2.6/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A colleague gave me two cans of this brew. Poured a very light yellow color into my Terrapin pint glass. Lots of fizzy bubbles and about a finger of white head. The head disappeared very quickly as did the bubbles. The head did provide some thin lacing.

Smell's like grassy grains. Not a very strong scent, but rather bland and weak.

Taste is like the smell, grainy, rather bland and weak.

Mouth feel is light body and light carbonation. Just not a lot to feel here.

I suppose this has average drinkability, but I don't know why I'd want to drink it. It's just bland and somewhat devoid of any real taste.

Serving type: can

05-19-2010 13:01:47 | More by AgingWarrior

rallison

California

3.3/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bought and tasted in Costa Rica - side to side with Imperial, Pilsen and Bavaria Gold.

A: All were fine for the style with good carbonation that produced a nice head. 4s all around.

S: Imperial had a strong cooked corn smell with other vegetal notes - 2.5. Pilsen had light vegetal notes but mostly a simple grainy aroma - 3.0. Bavaria had no discernable vegetal or off notes and had a simple grainy aroma.

T: Imperial was a touch harsh at the front with bitterness and hotness. Refreshing the rest of the way through. 2.5. Pilsen was simple throughout, but refreshing. Light bitterness. 3.0. Bavaria was the least bitter and had a touch more focus on bready malts (just barely). 3.5.

M: Imperial came on slightly strong but was otherwise fine. 3.0. Pilsen - 3.5. Bavaria - 3.5.

D: Given that these are meant for a hot Costa Rican day, they all drink well. I'll give a slight nod to Pilsen and Bavaria. Imperial - 3.5. Pilsen and Bavaria - 4.0.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2009 03:37:17 | More by rallison

DV8HARD

Florida

3.28/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I live in Costa Rica right now and since there is only one Macro-brewery in the country (Cerveceria Cost Rica) this beer and Imperial are the two most common beers, Imperial being more popular but, I like Pilsen more. People here drink a lot, without exaggerating there is a bar on every corner.

This is the beer I drink. I have to say it an average beer. There isn't anything special about the head. The nose and taste is malty. It is probably carbonated more than most beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2009 05:07:11 | More by DV8HARD

dirtylou

Washington

2.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

ah yes pilsen, the alternative to Imperial in the lush costa rican rainforest

appearance: straw golden body, amber tints, minimal white froth

smell: grassy, doughy, meh

taste: i did not care for pilsen at all - foul malt sweetness, no real pilsner traits. Go with Imperial

mouthfeel: mid-range body for the style

drinkability: not great. i only had 2 on my trip

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2009 14:21:09 | More by dirtylou

JoeBloe

New York

3.38/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

new label design from what's pictured here, also reads 5.1% abv on label - i preferred this to imperial or bavaria gold - pretty much the same from can or bottle - good enough for a day's activity in the costa rican sunshine, but made me really appreciate the leffe and duvel bottles i found in a little st elena mercado for a late afternoon siesta on my cabana deck.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2009 18:48:24 | More by JoeBloe

Brianmerrilyn

New York

2.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is the "other beer" available in rural NW Costa Rica outside of La Cruz. After 2 sixers of Imperial, I was ready to try just about anything and saw the locals pulling for this one instead, thereofore when in Rome....

A: Poured into a mini pint glass, almost the same goldenesque as Imperial, but with amber accents to some extent. Still has a quality head of 1.5 fingers and ring laces well.

S: From what I could tell, and I had plenty of time to attempt to glean something, the best I got was minor mini sweet malts, bits of dough.

T: Somewhat followed the nose, very mild hops and tangs of the malts. Average regular hops but muddled and not impressive.

M: Fairly crisp at first, but overall watery and dissapointing.

D: Better than Imperial, but not much even though it's Pilsener as compared to a macro lager. I agree that I preferred the Imperial over this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2008 13:40:52 | More by Brianmerrilyn

TheEremite

California

2.8/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is the smaller of the two major Costa Rican beers (Imperial being the larger). They're similar beers, but Pilsen tastes slightly sweeter and leaves an undesirable cloying maltiness, especially for the overly hot climate of the country. I was happy to have a few with dinner, but given a choice, I'd pick the Imperial 9 times out of 10.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2008 22:42:39 | More by TheEremite

flexabull

California

3.55/5  rDev +26.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

My favorite beer in Costa Rica, it's my beer of choice when I'm down there.

Pours a bright and pale straw gold color. The head is nice, and retains well.

Aroma is quite faint, all I really notice is a hint of sweetness.

Flavors are creamy and crisp. There is some sweetness, and a nice dry slightly hoppy finish.

Mouthfeel is average, but more full bodied than what I expected.

This beer is made to be very drinkable. And it delivers, especially in the heat of Costa Rica. This is quite refreshing, and I certainly had my fair share on my most recent trip... Pura Vida!

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2007 18:06:56 | More by flexabull

alysmith4

District of Columbia

3/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Tried this beer in Costa RIca.. was a good alternative to Imperial, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much. It was a lot lighter in taste and flavor, yet (slightly) higher in alcohol. A solid choice though none-the-less. Worth trying, especially if it means taking a trip to CR!

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2007 22:38:17 | More by alysmith4

GooberMcNutly

Florida

2.25/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Good if you want the standard tropical knockoff of a Bavarian Pilsen. Of course, Costa Rica was populated by a lot of German Immigrants, and it shows that they did what they could with the local ingredients and climate.

More flavor and alcohol than the Imperial, and a little more head and color as well, but the differences were minor. It’s a Bud/Miller thing between the two. Just order whatever the bar specializes in. You will find them mostly interchangeable.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2006 14:27:26 | More by GooberMcNutly