How Lima's Craft Beer Scene Is Paying Homage To Its Incan Past

Peru’s beer scene has exploded in the last couple of years. The country that once proudly only brewed Pilsen, Cristal and Cusqueña, now has countless craft beers and bars to choose from. Check out how Peru’s beer scene is looking to the past to create progressive beers that are entirely Peruvian.

If you go to a super market or to a gastropub, you’ll recognize many of the beers. You’ll find your IPAs and pilsners; you’ll find your stouts, pale ales and porters; you’ll find most every ale and lager and they’re all delicious.

After you’ve tried all your home-town beer-style favorites, you’ll notice others that you’ve never seen or tried before. You’ll find purple corn beer, quinoa beer, Peruvian coffee beer and chica pilsner. These beers boast unique flavor combinations you couldn’t ever have tried in the States or in Europe and they pay homage to Peru’s Inca past.

The beers

Cumbres was one of the first to arrive on the craft-beer scene, trailblazing a path that was completely Peruvian and creating exotic flavors that the beer world had never tasted. From unique grain choices to Amazon fruits, this brewery has done it all.
Maiz Morado IPA

In this beer they use Peru’s purple corn as a base. The beer is a popular drink in just about every part of Peru and it’s cool that they decided to make it into a beer, even cooler that they turned it into an IPA. The beer is surprisingly fruity with hops hitting your pallet next.

Quinoa

This beer explores the possibilities of one of Peru’s most famous grains and chief exports. The smell is very fruity and has a sort of lemon zest taste.
Coffee Beer

While coffee beers are done all over the world, this beer uses locally grown Peruvian coffee, which is some of the best in the world.

Sacred Valley Brewing – Cusco, Peru

This brewery is one of the highest in the world and in the heart of the Inca’s sacred Valley.

Chicha Pilsner

Part pilsner and part Inca corn beer. This beer uses the chicha to jora, which is fermented corn beer that dates back to the Incas and a unique tradition that the Andean region of Peru still keeps alive.
Coffee Stout

With fresh Peruvian coffee and cocoa, what’s not to like about this beer?

Labeling

Not only do the beers use ingredients and traditions that are uniquely Peruvian, but the beer bottles also pay homage to their rich cultural history. The Sierra Andina brew company uses images and names of iconic Peruvian people and places. With names like Inti (Andean sun god) Golden Ale, Shaman IPA, Don Juan Porter and Pachacutech, the Sierra Andean Brew company keeps traditions and myths alive. While some beers may copy certain styles from abroad, they still find ways to make their brewing and drinking experience authentically Peruvian.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.