Several people have asked me about their second favorite activity, getting drunk! So, here's some basic info.

BEER: Costa Rican beer is good, but it isn't world-class and it isn't cheap. There's only one brewery here but it produces several different brands.

Imperial, the national favorite, is a fairly light lager, of relatively low alcohol content (4.3%). If you like lagers, it's a good beer. Locals drink it with ice (con hielo). The price in grocery stores is about 60 cents a can, with no discount for six-packs. In Tico bars the average price is 90 cents. In Gringo bars in San Jose, the average price is probably about $2.00.

Pilsen, the next most popular brand, is also a lager but has slightly higher alcohol content. The price is the same.

Heineken is brewed locally under license. For my taste, it's the best locally-brewed beer for the money, about 70 cents a can in the grocery stores and not much more expensive than Imperial and Pilsen, if at all, in bars.

Bavaria is a heavier brew with a more distinct malt flavor. The price is the same as Heineken.

Ice is an ice-brewed beer with a fairly high alcohol content. It's not very popular, or very good. Price is about the same as Imperial.

Several imports are available. The most popular are Corona and Budweiser. Prices are higher and the beer isn't any better.

WINE: Wines are produced locally but aren't worth mentioning. Chilean wines are readily available at comparable or better prices than in the States. Some are excellent. A lot of California wines are available, mostly mediocre ones at relatively high prices. Some of the Italian and German wines are great bargains. French wines are French wines it the good ones are expensive; the mediocre ones are cheap.

LIQUOR: It's hard to make generalizations because availability and prices are very different from the States, but I'll try to give you the basics.

Bourbon and other American/Canadian whiskies are expensive. Crown Royal is unavailable. If you want them, bring them with you!

Most scotch whisky, my liquor of choice, is cheap here. For example, Johnny Walker Red Label is about $18 for a liter, less than you'd pay in a duty-free shop. Crawford's, a fairly good bar scotch, is less than $10 per liter.

Vodka is really cheap unless you insist on drinking top-shelf call brands. I buy Rostov or Gordon's for $3 or $4 a liter.

Gin isn't popular here and, as a result, is relatively expensive.

Tequila is widely available and is comparably priced to the States.

Rum is distilled locally and many imported brands are available, but it isn't a great bargain. Centenario is the best of the Costa Rican rums, but is nothing special in my opinion. Some of the premium imports are much less expensive, or more readily available, than in the States. (For example, Appleton's is probably about 2/3 the price.) Some really good rums which are hard to find in the States, such as Jane Barbencourt rum from Haiti, are available here at reasonable prices, as are some of the Cuban rums.

CORDIALS: Call brand imports like Bailey's are incredibly expensive or unavailable. Generic Triple Sec is cheap. I don't buy many of these so I can't give you more info.

ROTGUT: Every country has a cheap, locally-produced favorite. Here it's Guaro. It's really cheap and has high alcohol content. What else can I tell you?

OTHER MUSINGS: Coca Cola bottles a soft drink here I really like, called "Lift". As far as I know it's not available in the States. It's made from apple juice and chemicals (Do you remember the old "chicken is chicken" commercial?). It tastes really good! Best of all, it mixes great with vodka. You can get a great buzz, really cheap, on vodka and Lift and the taste won't make you sick even if the quantity does.

If you're determined to take some duty-free local booze home with you, in my opinion there's only one real choice - Cafe Britt. It's a coffee-based liquor and is one of the world's best. The price is about $8.00 a bottle and it's wonderful! Use it as you would Kalhua or Tia Maria. It's cheaper and better. Try it on ice cream - it's great.

NON-LIQUID MOOD-ALTERING REFRESHMENT: What can I say? It's all here, it's probably cheaper than in the States, and I doubt there's a lot of risk, but it's just as illegal. I'd rather not spend time in jail, but if I had to, I'd MUCH rather do do it in the U.S. than here. Save it for after you go home. It's just not worth the risk.

Pura Vida,
TampaGringo

Im surprised you gave little mention to the national drink,GUARO!It is a must for all visitors
to try at least one good guaro drunk.A $3 bottle
will make you see GOD on Avenida Central.
Im a bourbon drinker,however,most tico places
dont stock it.vodka,scotch,guaro,rum,beer are readily available.and if you want soda with your scotch,you are charged extra!bienvenidos a costa
rica!

For the non-drikers don't miss Cafe Britt coffee. I prefer the dark roast. To my taste the best coffee I've ever drunk. Still order it in the States from their web site. Paid $4 a bag at the airport. Higher off the web site but damn good.

Hey TG,

Some of us ex-desert rats also drink cerveza "con hielo"!!!!!!!

See you in March!

MMD

I bought a 750 of Herradura Reposado Tequila at the airport duty free for 14US. It costs twice that much in Mexico and more in US! Maybe the recent price increase due to overharvest of agave hasn't caught up yet. Git some!

Crown Royal and other Segrams Products availabal at the IDEM club. Be ready for sticker shock

I'm a bourbon guy myself and yes, you'd be well advised to bring your own. It's expensive in San Jose and you may have to chase it down, which is a hassle if you're not in the running around mood. I suggest finding it in a plastic bottle if possible. Sounds unusual maybe, but they are selling it that way now and i can't taste the difference. If you've ever had a bottle of booze break in your suitcase you understand where I'm coming from. Ancient Age, Kentucky Tavern and Early Times are sold in plastic bottles around here (Ft. Lauderdale). Also, you'll save a nice piece of coin doing this. I like to have a few stiff ones in my room before leaving for the evening and then just drink local beers the rest of the night. Very economical way to go and you can offer the lady of the hour a gringo drink in the room when you bring her back. Finally... be circumspect about consuming too much rum (or guaro)as it can leave a nasty hangover the next morning...especially the cheap stuff. Party hardy!

Do you ever run across chicas that appreciate the good stuff from the USA?

The vast majority of chicas do not drink booze. Some few may be tempted with a sip of a sweet drink, like a rum in coke. That is the way it is. They prefer orange juice and Red Bull.

Occasionally, YES! Also remember that some people just find the good 'ol USA irresistable and love all things Norte Americano. Guess it has a certain level of cache. I sometimes take a 1.75 liter bottle (plastico, naturalmente) on a short excursion and just leave the bottle as a gift. Somebody always will appreciate it...maybe the desk clerk at the hotel? As Jack2001 mentions though, most chicas don't get too hammered like we mongers. I drink bourbon with coke or 7-up and the ladies usually like that. Sometimes if the chica isn't used to hard liquor one drink can have a liberating effect. Not enough to make her sick or anything, just a bit more extroverted (so to speak).

Uh, Jack or anybody, what in heck IS Red Bull--I ordered one, in a can, for a Colombiana and when she had me taste it I was kind of shocked at how sweet/sour it was. Is it nonalcoholic?

Hello Balam,
Mainem5 here. Had fun with you cman and Wmax in CR. Dinner at Tin Ho was great! Red Bull is a "sport drink" made with sugar,caffene and fruit flavors. It is non-alcoholic. Take care.

Hey Mainem5, there you are! Enjoyed it too, and wouldn't mind catching up on what happened when we went our separate ways, can you e-mail me at QITZE@YAHOO.COM? Thanks too on that drink, guess I should be grateful she reached for a sport drink after our session!