The artisan or craft beer business continues to grow and strengthen in Costa Rica; recently, several artisan breweries participated in the international competition “Copa Cervezas de America” (America Beers Cup) that took place in Santiago de Chile and had the participation of many Latin American brewers.

Copa Cervezas de América was born in 2011 and is now one of the most important beer competitions in Latin America. It brings together some of the best professional breweries, brew masters and beer enthusiasts in the region with the objective of contributing to the creation of beer culture, setting high standards and exchanging knowledge; it also holds the brewers’ conference and supplier expo.

During the competition, the beers are evaluated by at least 50 judges of international recognition, according to their website, “participants must be professional breweries with beers that are only commercialized in any country of the American continent”.

Costa Rican breweries received several recognitions, among them:

Calle Cimarrona: Won Gold Medal and Best Strong Belgian Ale with Botánica (Saison)
Cervecería Primate: Gold Medal for Ba.Za (Berry Mead)
Costa Rica Meadery: Gold Medal for ChiCheMel Caribeño (Experimental Mead)
La Micro Brewing Company: Gold Medal for Conejo Mago (American IPA)
TreintayCinco: Silver Medal for Ensayo 26 (Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer)
Cervecería Gracia: Bronze Medal for Alba (Best Bitter)
TreintayCinco: Bronze Medal for Mamacandela (Tropical Stout)
Cervecería Rancho Humo: Bronze Medal for Murmuraciones (Brett Beer)
Cervecería Wilk Craft Beer: Bronze Medal for Porquetos (American Porter)