Cusqueña Premium

Lima, Peru
Imported by: Latam Imports
Fort Worth, TX

Available: RI

Cusqueña is one of the few all-malt beers made in South America.

ABV: 4.8
ABW: 3.8
Color: bright golden
Bitterness: 14
Original gravity: n/a

A Peruvian golden lager from a brewery founded by Germans and using pure mountain water from the Andes. The beer is made only from malted barley and is hopped with imported Saaz from the Czech Republic. It has an enticing toasted malt aroma—suggesting an exhaustive decoction-mashing regime—with spicy hops and lemon jelly fruit. Hop resins and biscuity malt dominate the palate with light citrus fruit notes. The finish has resinous and spicy hops, rich malt and tangy fruit. A quenching beer that makes a deep bow in the direction of Pilsen.
- Roger Protz

This beer has a surprisingly deep golden color and stands a sturdy white head. It has a pleasantly full malt aroma with just the slightest whiff of hop in the background. The palate is clean and mildly sweet, with light bitterness providing balance. If Czech brewers made hellesbier, it might not be too far from this. It's a rather nice beer, and a far cry from the Coronas of the world. It would make a perfect pairing with arepas, or, if you want to stay Peruvian, a spicy ceviche.
- Garrett Oliver

Roger Protz
Roger Protz is the author of Complete Guide to World Beer and 300 Beers to Try Before You Die. He is a respected beer authority and editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

Garrett Oliver
Internationally recognized brewer and expert on traditional beer, Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery and the author of The Brewmaster's Table.

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