Comments on: Peruvian Cusquena Lager

By: noob

noob — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:18:27 +0000

Imported available at Asda. 4 330cl bottles @£3. yes, imported 5%er 3 quid! Have stocked my fridge with this excellent brew. And not just because of the price.

By: Bob the Brit

Bob the Brit — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:46:08 +0000

Sad news Tony, but not unusual.

I’d be surprised if SAB MIller enforced the Reinheitsgebot on Cusquena, it’s more likely that the beer has always been brewed to that standard, particularly as the brewery was founded by German ex-pats. SAB Miller may have they’ve decided to promote it, perhaps for the German export market?

It’s also not uncommon for brews to be modified to better cater to international tastes, not something I would agree with, it simply results in a bland selection overall.

The Cusquena marketing here in the UK still claims to use Andes spring water, but of course a cynic would question whether it uses the spring water exclusively, or just a percentage. Brewing does use a LOT of water!

By: Scott-TheBrewClub

Scott-TheBrewClub — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 23:58:55 +0000

Tony – Thanks for the comment. The German ‘standard’ isn’t actually a bad thing if its referring to the German Beer Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot) which only allowed for specific ingredients to be used in beer (barley, water and hops) Obviously they left out yeast, but I guess they didn’t know about it in 1500′s!

Anyway, many brewers claim that standard for marketing purposes, but it does indicate that things like rice or corn aren’t in the beer.

A change in water can certainly make a big difference as well.

If true, I’m sorry to hear that your favorite brew is not what it once was. Perhaps with enough outcry, the powers that be would return it to the original recipe. (But I doubt it)

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:32:48 +0000

I’m from Canada and I tried Cusquena for the first time in 2005 in Lima, Peru. I have returned several times and have always enjoyed this beer. In fact, it quickly became my favourite beer. Not because it wasn’t available in Canada but because it was the cleanest finishing beer I’ve ever had. It was so very crisp in flavour. It was actually similar to an extremely light dry champagne (if such a thing existed). I have been there several times since and have always enjoyed this flavour. I went again in late 2011 (my previous visit was in 2009) and was very disappointed to find that the flavour had completely changed. To me it now tastes very generic. I found a bitterness to it which hadn’t been there before. I suspect that a formulation had changed – perhaps more hops have been added since this is what I tasted (I’ve done many home brews of my own in past years so I understand the taste profiles). In speaking to locals, they suspect that it was as a result of more Cusquena being exported. In the past it was brewed with mountain water for predominantly local consumption with small exports to other Latin American countries. In the mid 2000′s this Quesquena has become a subsidiary of SABMiller based out of London (2nd biggest brewery in the world I think) and I found that it is being brewed to some German standard. Anyway, to me the beer now tastes very similar to all the other beers out there. It has a bite to it that is generically European to me. My brother-in-law also was a fan of this beer. I mourn the true flavour that used to be Cusquena – before it was mass produced for a generic export market.

My 2 cents worth.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:52:55 +0000

I just returned from Cusco and found Cusquena to be just about perfect often I passed up the free “Pisco Sours” that all the hotels provided upon check-in for a Cusquena.

By: Scott_TheBrewClub

Scott_TheBrewClub — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:26:05 +0000

Lisa, thanks for sharing that with us! Bob seemed to like it as well, I’ve not yet had it.

Scott_TheBrewClub’s last blog post..Want to Learn Beer? Start Home Brewing

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:18:11 +0000

A lovely, fresh, mild lager, which as a woman, I found delicious. Has an almost creamy texture yet a fruity taste. It’s light and lies quite nicely on the stomach.