The Travel Chica

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Valdivia Knows How to Make Good Beer

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I admit to being a beer snob.

I have complained a lot about the lack of good beer in Latin America.  Luckily, I found good hand-crafted beer in Buenos Aires and a bar with a great selection of Patagonian artisanal beers in El Chalten.

I first discovered the Chilean beer Kuntsmann from my friend and local tour guide in Buenos Aires.  When I found out that it is actually brewed in Valdivia, I knew that I had to do a beer tasting.

Cerveceria Kuntsmann

I was a little disturbed to see how touristy, almost Disney-like, the cerveceria is.

They even have a humongous, over-priced gift shop.

But… they make some kick-ass beers.

I did the full sampling.

It was quite a value. 

9 small samples for US$5.00.

My Favorites

1.  Gran Torobayo

I have had the Torobayo before, and I thought it was delicious.  The Gran Torobayo is new this season, and it is even better!  Just a bit more flavor

2.  Unfiltered Lager

What impressed me about the lager is that it still had substance.  I enjoyed the unfiltered (aka sin filtrar) lager better than the regular lager.

Honorable Mentions

1.  Miel

I have never liked a honey beer until now.  This had an authentic honey smell and was not super sweet like other honey beers I have tried.

2.  Arándanos (aka blueberry)

I have never liked a fruit-based beer until now either.  The blueberry flavor was fresh and again, not sweet at all.  A deliciously refreshing beer for Summer.

Cerveceria Salzburg

Just a couple of kilometers down the road, I found Cerveceria Salzburg.

This place is not touristy at all.

I asked for a sampling, and they offered me the three beers they have on draft (at no charge).

Then I purchased a bottle of the Doppelbock.

The Verdict

I really enjoyed the Doppelbock. Overall, good beer compared to what I have experienced in the rest of Latin America, but it just is not as good as Kuntsmann.

Cerveceria Calle Calle

Now we are getting off the beaten path. 

Viella, the owner of the comfortable and cool eco-hostel Airesbuenos in Valdivia, took me to a lesser-known cerveceria with a beautiful setting on the other side of town.

The owner was not in, so I did not get to meet him, but he seems like an interesting, quirky guy.  He’s very eco-conscious and has multiple projects going on.

Most importantly, he knows how to make good beer.

All they had on draft was the stout.

I am not normally a big fan of stout, but this was exceptional.

It didn’t have that too-sweet taste some stouts have.  And it wasn’t too bitter.

Other Great Chilean Beers

At this risk of sounding like an alcoholic, I will share the other beers I have tried around town.

Cuello Negro

The roja is the best.

Don’t get confused because “negro” is in the name. They have more than dark beer.


El Duende

Do you know of any other great Chilean beers I need to try?

Comments

  1. Very tidy post, nice to be shown a bit more of the unknown. Also nice to hear a female perspective. Beer often ends up being the preserve of guys, so good to get a female perspective.

  14. I think Cerveceria Calle Calle is my favorite. I do enjoy a good drink with an amazing view. It just makes it that much more peaceful. Thanks for sharing I’m sure all those beers are delicious!

  19. Outside of Europe and North America, I think it is fair to say there is, generally, a lack of good beer. To qualify what I means by that, good beer is not cold & cheap. (Cold & cheap beer is simply that.) It is made with care using quality ingredients, not rice, high fructose corn syrup, or foaming agents.

    While I really like Chilean red wine, I haven’t yet found a Chilean beer that matches the same level of enjoyment. So, I appreciate the research you’ve done, and will take advantage of it if I ever get there.

    One Latin American beer that did impress me was a Champagne beer from Eisenbahn in Brazil – http://www.eisenbahn.com.br/. If you haven’t tried anything from them, may be worth keeping an eye out for. I haven’t tried anything else from them, so I can’t speak to their other styles.
    Rick Green recently posted..Biting Back: Cambodia’s Taste for Insects

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