Backus and Johnston brewery is the main brewery in Peru with an enormous market share, producing numerous long-running brands including Cusquena beer.
Pilsen Callao is an extremely popular beer in Peru and boasts the highest market share among light lagers.
Craft beer culture in Peru is flourishing, with Nuevo Mundo and Cumbres brewery opening up new spots that use quinoa in their beers to give them a distinctive taste.
Cusquena lager is an exquisitely crafted beer produced in Cuzco, Peru using only premium ingredients - Saaz hops and crystal clear Andean glacial melt water from 18,000 feet altitude are among them - for its light crisp taste which has won international renown for purity and quality.
Backus comes in four year-round varieties - golden lager (dorada), wheat beer (trigo), red lager (rojo) and dark lager (negra) as well as one seasonal pearl quinoa beer brewed specifically for Backus by SAB Miller company.
Even though Peru's craft beer scene is still developing quickly, its expansion can be seen rapidly in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A restaurant called Llama Inn recently opened offering beers from various forward-thinking Peruvian breweries; two from Cervesur brewery alone (Cusquena included).
Craft beer may have captured America, but in Peru one local brand is taking over sudsy pride from jungle to coast: Cusquena has quickly become the go-to brew, as evidenced by its presence everywhere from restaurant signage in Lima's steep streets to electronic marquees in shopping malls.
Backus and Johnston is the sole owner of Peruvian beer consumption, making their recent campaign by McCann Lima to celebrate all things Peruvian such as fashion, natural landscapes, and of course beer a success.
The brewery runs an impressive social responsibility programme, encouraging people to unite over their love of beer through its "Law of Friendship." This set of words appears on billboards and posters around Peru to encourage people to get together over shared interests - in this case beer! In Lima and Cusco particularly, its popularity among chefs for creating Peru's new wave cuisine can be partly attributed to its ability to complement spicy flavors while complimenting rich starchy dishes perfectly.
Cristal Lager is an American-style lager with a light golden hue, popular among both locals and visitors. Cristal's brewers claim it has a deliciously refreshing taste with just enough bitterness to leave you wanting more.
Cristal can be found throughout the country at bars, restaurants and hotels as well as grocery stores and markets. Sold in large 650ml bottles for as little as S/.6 each bottle may cost depending on where it's purchased.
Peruvians consume an abundance of beer. According to market research group Euromonitor, they consume an average of 45.4 liters annually per person in this market - leaving little wiggle room for new brands such as Victoria (a premium craft beer crafted with chicha de jora).
Cusquena beer is widely recognized throughout Peru and can be found throughout its territory. Brewed in Cusco - just 40km from Machu Picchu's world heritage site - using glacial water from the Andes according to Reinheitsgebot guidelines, Cusquena provides an extremely light yet refreshing beer ideal for pairing with many dishes.
Cosquena beer is also often used to help soothe spicy meals. Available in dark beer, wheat beer and lager varieties. In addition to regular production runs of their regular lager product line, they also produce seasonal beers with different ingredients.
While tourists often favor pisco sours as a refreshing drink, Lima residents typically favor a crisp cold brew beer instead. You'll see it on tables at restaurants, on Lima streets and even high up in the Andes; sometimes people will even leave some as an offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth).
