In this Daily: Costa Rican Craft Beer at Cervecería Independiente
Part of the vibrancy of living in Las Catalinas is the lively Guanacaste community that surrounds town, which features a number of small towns each with their own identity. From places further inland like Tempate and Cartagena to the towns that dot the coast like Potrero, Flamingo, Brasilito, and beyond, these colorful places each have little spots worth visiting during a longer stay in Las Catalinas.
The view from the southern highlands towards Bahía Potrero
One such spot is Cervecería Independiente, a craft brewery based out of Surfside in Playa Potrero that features a rotating selection of single-batch beers served in the outdoors.
Cervecería Independiente
Cervecería Independiente was founded by TJ and Cathy, a husband and wife team who fell in love with Potrero and decided to uproot their burgeoning operation in the U.S. and set up shop on the main road in Surfside.
A glass of Cervecería Independiente's Belgian ale | PC: Cervecería Independiente
TJ, the master brewer of Cervecería Independiente, has a background in brewing and a careful eye for detail, and views each batch as a chance to improve on the last. His first rounds of brews hit the basics -- IPAs, wheat beers, lagers, darker offerings -- but he has always had a creative streak, and also featured beers infused with flavors like black raspberry, smoked mango, and chocolate.
Demand from the visitors and residents of Surfside quickly rose, and by Cervecería Independiente’s second high season there were frequent beer outages, leading the team to install three new kettles to keep up. This also allowed for a broader menu, ranging from four to eight small-batch beers available based on availability.
What’s on the Menu
At Cervecería Independiente, the vision is always on the new, and the menu reflects the team’s constant drive to produce different, better brews. However, TJ likes to keep a wide variety of beers for a wide variety of palettes, so that everyone who walks in can find something that they like on the wall.
Home brewed root beer and fresh fruit gaseosas (or soft drinks) are mainstays, an offering for those who prefer non-alcoholic options.
The classic American style IPA | PC: Cervecería Independiente
As for the beer, there’s always an IPA or two on the menu, Cervecería Independiente’s take on the world’s most popular craft beer, as well as a simple, high-quality wheat beer for those used to “beer-flavored beer”. The Black Lager is a well-loved classic that the team continually works to refine, and there is often another light lager on the menu as well, like the sessionable Saison.
The light, fruity Saison | PC: Cervecería Independiente
The more adventurous offerings cover both ends of the spectrum from fruity radler to imperial stout. Recent brews have featured a Smoked Mango Gose, a Black Raspberry Sour, and the “night ender” of the Chocolate Stout, a rich dark beer that measures in at a significant 14% alcohol content.
The dark, rich chocolate stout | PC: Cervecería Independiente
“If you like beer, any beer at all,” TJ says, “we try to have something for you. Even if you don’t really like beer that much, we’ve got a few things for that too.”
Visit Cervecería Independiente from Las Catalinas
Cervecería Independiente is on the paved road passing through Surfside, and makes up a large portion of El Garden, an open air food garden and social space that also features bagels, sliders, street food, and pizza. Thanks to its position on the main road, Cervecería Independiente is a natural gathering point for many of Potrero and Surfside residents, and has a lively social atmosphere full of interesting people to meet. In all, it makes up one of the many local spots and shops in the area around Las Catalinas.
The brewery is open every day from 11am to 8pm, except for on Sundays, when Cervecería Independiente closes early. If you’re interested in a visit, reach out to concierge, who can organize a ride there and back.
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