Volcano Brewing Company

Brewery, Bar, Eatery

Playa Tamarindo, 152
Tamarindo, 50309
Costa Rica

506 2653 1262 | map
volcanobrewingcompany.com

In 2001 we went on a surfing adventure, driving a bus from San Diego to Costa Rica in search of epic waves and the PURA VIDA life. We found paradise in a sleepy surf town called Tamarindo.

Life was almost perfect, but unfortunately Costa Rica did not have any pale ale. We started Volcano Brewing Company so we could share quality craft beer with thirsty surfers and wandering travellers from around the world.
BEER STATS
Average:
3.68
Beers:
3
Ratings:
16
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.93
Reviews:
3
Ratings:
8
pDev:
23.16%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by Danuel:
Photo of Danuel
Rated by Danuel from Texas

5/5  rDev +27.2%

Oct 31, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of Phoodcritic
Rated by Phoodcritic from Michigan

2.3/5  rDev -41.5%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 1 | service: 4 | selection: 1 | food: 3.25
This is the first time I’ve been to a brew pub that had NONE of its own beer available because they had run out. Nice beach front vibe though.
Mar 05, 2022
Photo of dbl_delta
Reviewed by dbl_delta from Pennsylvania

4.01/5  rDev +2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.75
So Volcano Brewing is located in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, which is a little beachfront town that has sort of a touristy surfer vibe to it. (It was probably a really cool place a couple of decades ago, but tourism caught up with it and now it's just..touristy.) Volcano Brewing is part of the tourism influx but, IMHO, it's all good. Apparently started by a couple of surfers who found good surf but bad beer (and to their credit, fixed the bad beer part), it is beachfront and has kind of morphed into a synergistic relationship with the next door restaurant (the food is pretty good) and surf shop (apparently surfers get pretty thirsty). They only brew a few beers, but they're better than anything I've found in Central America or the Caribbean.
Sitting at a picnic table with a decent IPA fresh out of the tap, watching the sun set over the Pacific, attended to by attentive if not expert wait staff - it doesn't get much better than this!
Jan 24, 2019
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4
this place is actually in tamarindo right on the beach, lake arenal hotel and microbrewery used to be called volcano apparently, but these guys took the name when they opened their spot on the beach. very cool set up, with the brew house visible from the street, shiny and new looking, and the place is all open air, no walls, all patio, its fantastic. smallish and comfortable, with maybe a 10 seat bar or so and sort of merging with the restaurant next door, where you can order food from (quite good too). they had only two of their own beers on while i was there, both named witch's rock, a pale and an ipa, and both were okay but rather unremarkable. they do have the best draft lineup in town though, with a lot of other tasty local costa rica craft beers on, as well as quite a few handles to stone, which i didnt know sent beer down there. the folks behind the bar were super friendly, but we didnt meet the brewery or anyone involved with production. they were out of a few flavors, so the beer is obviously popular there. the vibe is what makes it though, right on the beach you can just sip ales and watch the surfers until the sun goes down. we went here a bunch of times while we were in town, and enjoyed it a lot. would have liked to try more of their own beer, but maybe next time! if you are in tamarindo, you cant miss this place.
May 15, 2017
 
Rated: 3.78 by einman from Minnesota

May 24, 2016
 
Rated: 2.78 by Eman17 from Illinois

Dec 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4.51 by Rasmutant from Iowa

Jan 03, 2015
Photo of RocketFrogDavid
Reviewed by RocketFrogDavid from Virginia

4.95/5  rDev +26%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Visited in September 2012, they have been open less than a year and it was dry season. First, you have to know that Costa Rica has two Craft Breweries, totaling 4 different beers, and Volcano has them all, so that is why selection gets top marks. This is a very chill place and they have an all inclusive packages that is between $90-$110 per day, yes, all you can drink and eat.

Food is farm fresh local, try the Jalapeno Chicken. I knock of half a point as their cheese quesadilla was not good, but everything else was awesome.

The view of the lake is amazing, so tranquil up there. Love that they bring you samples of beer as soon as you sit down.

Beer, they make two beers, I loved the Witches Rock Pale Ale, best beer in Costa Rica. After drinking Imperials this will feel like a hop bomb, but it is not, It's a smooth butter beer with a nice hop note (they use cascade). The Gato Malo is a nice dark ale, easy to drink, light bodied and a little sweet. The staff are nice as can be and will give you great pointers on where you want to visit around the area.
Sep 17, 2012
Volcano Brewing Company in Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Brewery rating: 3.68 out of 5 with 16 ratings