Bad news for craft beer fans in OSJ

[Kikkycat]

Returned to OSJ this morning from the Adventure of the Seas and discovered that both Old Harbor Brewing and Pizza e Birra (in El Convento) have closed. Thankfully, Taberna Lupulo is hopping (pun completely intended), but it is a small place and they don't serve food until around 6pm.

[Ms411]

That's really sad. Thanks for the update.

 

With beer so popular now, that should have been a big attraction, but I always thought that location wasn't very visible.

 

Poor Puerto Rico. No good news on the horizon for them I'm afraid.

[alfaeric]

That's really sad. Thanks for the update.

 

With beer so popular now, that should have been a big attraction, but I always thought that location wasn't very visible.

 

Poor Puerto Rico. No good news on the horizon for them I'm afraid.

 

Dunno about that- the craft beer in San Juan is more for the tourists. We go to Ponce a lot (family), and being the 2nd largest city in Puerto Rico- it does not have a craft brewer in town.

 

When we first went to San Juan back in '94, there wasn't a beer place like that....

 

Even places like the Hard Rock have been "coming soon" for a few years.

 

I'd rather San Juan keep being Puerto Rican than typical ports with typical tourist type places.

[Ms411]

I see a lot of Puerto Ricans drinking Medalla, so it seems that beer is pretty popular there with locals. Maybe not craft beer, but Medalla.

 

Beer has been a part of Caribbean history since Columbus, and probably before he and other explorers brought it over from Europe. The History Channel covered it in an episode.

 

Now will look up history of Medalla...

[Lionesss]

Being well into the legal drinking age by many years:eek: I never knew what a "craft" beer was till just last November.

 

So I tried one.

 

Ok.

 

Give me a Bud light......

 

Guess to old to change for me.

 

 

And I wonder how safe these craft beers are that just spring up everywhere.

 

Just saying.

[Kikkycat]

The information was intended for Craft beer fans. Not for people who can't recognize flavor when it's in front of them. As far as "safe", all beer is much safer than plain water because it has to go through the brewing process which includes a period of boiling. Craft brewers care very much about the quality of their product, as a customer is very likely to have the chance to meet them personally as opposed to the macro brewed stuff where you're not even sure in which of many locations it's been made, much less by whom.

 

There are some up and coming places in Puerto Rico, the most promising (in my opinion) is F.O.K. (Fresh of Keg). They are in Caguas, and we've found their product at Taberna Lupulo and in Luquillo at Kiosko 25.

[Ms411]

And beer's safety is why it was consumed on trans Atlantic voyages and in the New World. The original inhabitants had fermented beverages that resembled beer but used indigenous ingredients.

[Ms411]

Thanks for posting other beer sources!

[Kikkycat]

Dunno about that- the craft beer in San Juan is more for the tourists. We go to Ponce a lot (family), and being the 2nd largest city in Puerto Rico- it does not have a craft brewer in town.

 

 

 

When we first went to San Juan back in '94, there wasn't a beer place like that....

 

 

 

Even places like the Hard Rock have been "coming soon" for a few years.

 

 

 

I'd rather San Juan keep being Puerto Rican than typical ports with typical tourist type places.

 

 

By the way, there IS a craft brewery in Ponce. Señorial is located there. We had two of their beers, an oatmeal stout and a pale ale, at Taberna Lupulo in OSJ last night.

[Kikkycat]

There's also Barlovento Brewing in Manatí (between Dorado and Arecibo). We had a session IPA in Luquillo and it was very tasty. I don't think most of these places have a tasting room of any sort, so you have to search out restaurants and bars carrying a selection of local beer. Taberna Lupulo is the most accessible to most without a rental car. Taberna Boricua, located in the main part of San Juan city (not OSJ), has a decent selection also.

[alfaeric]

I see a lot of Puerto Ricans drinking Medalla, so it seems that beer is pretty popular there with locals. Maybe not craft beer, but Medalla.

 

Beer has been a part of Caribbean history since Columbus, and probably before he and other explorers brought it over from Europe. The History Channel covered it in an episode.

 

Now will look up history of Medalla...

 

And my in-laws drink coors light. It's more about a cold fresh beer than something that is interesting tasting.

 

Which is my point.

 

Strong tasting is reserved for the food.

[Kikkycat]

I didn't realize we were limited in how many things we could have that were flavorful. What's wrong with having a flavorful beer that complements flavorful food perfectly?

[crewsweeper]

Sounds like Taberna Lupulo is the place to stop by in OSJ.

 

One of the nice things about having local brews in foreign ports is that they are a bit fresher and many aren't easily available stateside. So you do get a sense of local tastes. May not be the best you've ever had or something you'd want to drink regularly, but many certainly beat out the mass produced beers being heavily marketed in this country.

 

I love craft beers for their uniqueness. But do find the West Coast Style IPAs a bit too hoppy at times, and am not a fan of the latest fruit/veggie infusions stuff. Nor all the sweet junk being dumped into porters and stouts. Some are okay and some aren't worth it. As the head brewmaster at Founders remarked to me at a tasting last year when I gave him a sample of a popular Florida craft beer company's latest new production, "What the f is this?":eek:

[geegee1]

I didn't realize we were limited in how many things we could have that were flavorful. What's wrong with having a flavorful beer that complements flavorful food perfectly?

 

Between all of your posts, thanks for confirming to me that the only thing worse than a coffee snob is a beer snob.

Cheers!

[Kikkycat]

Between all of your posts, thanks for confirming to me that the only thing worse than a coffee snob is a beer snob.

 

Cheers!

 

 

Salud to you as well. I don't carry a beer snob card as I had a Medalla Light yesterday at a baseball game and I drank all of it. I do think too many people limit their choices by thinking only certain kinds of food go with beer. Paired nicely, the right beer can elevate cuisine every bit as well as wine. Beer diversity is fantastic. I'm sorry to see its' availability being limited in OSJ though.

 

PS, PR coffee is fantastic!!

[brianroberts2526]

Sounds like Taberna Lupulo is the place to stop by in OSJ.

 

One of the nice things about having local brews in foreign ports is that they are a bit fresher and many aren't easily available stateside. So you do get a sense of local tastes. May not be the best you've ever had or something you'd want to drink regularly, but many certainly beat out the mass produced beers being heavily marketed in this country.

 

I love craft beers for their uniqueness. But do find the West Coast Style IPAs a bit too hoppy at times, and am not a fan of the latest fruit/veggie infusions stuff. Nor all the sweet junk being dumped into porters and stouts. Some are okay and some aren't worth it. As the head brewmaster at Founders remarked to me at a tasting last year when I gave him a sample of a popular Florida craft beer company's latest new production, "What the f is this?":eek:

 

I love Founders, but isn't part of the fun of all these local craft breweries opening up is that they can brew many, many different styles and types?

[crewsweeper]

Being well into the legal drinking age by many years:eek: I never knew what a "craft" beer was till just last November.

 

So I tried one.

 

Ok.

 

Give me a Bud light......

 

Guess to old to change for me.

 

 

And I wonder how safe these craft beers are that just spring up everywhere.

 

Just saying.

 

I'm betting someone served you an IPA... The current rage is to hop these up to the hilt. So for someone not into craft beer these can be bitter. Craft beer brewers make all styles of beers. Look for a Lager or Pilsner or a mild English Ale to start off with.

[sail7seas]

Whatever they serve, wherever they serve it, I hope San Juan/Puerto Rico can start climbing out of their severe financial issues. I love San Juan and hope circumstances improve quickly for them.

[Keith1010]

Sorry to hear about these closings.

 

Keith

[cardamon]

Salud to you as well. I don't carry a beer snob card as I had a Medalla Light yesterday at a baseball game and I drank all of it. I do think too many people limit their choices by thinking only certain kinds of food go with beer. Paired nicely, the right beer can elevate cuisine every bit as well as wine. Beer diversity is fantastic. I'm sorry to see its' availability being limited in OSJ though.

 

PS, PR coffee is fantastic!!

 

Appreciating great craft beerS is like learning to eat beef Wellington when you grew up on pot roast: new flavors, pleasing to the eye, and a whole new vocabulary. I think craft beers take time to learn to enjoy- and with new microbreweries popping up all the time, it is so much fun to follow. I am married to a beer geek: always trying to find microbreweries for him, on every vacation.

So thank you for keeping us updated- we would have looked for the microbrewery that was close to the pier, now closed.

Looking forward to finding a few craft beers on the Anthem.

[Mr. Boston]

Whatever they serve, wherever they serve it, I hope San Juan/Puerto Rico can start climbing out of their severe financial issues. I love San Juan and hope circumstances improve quickly for them.

 

 

 

I'm with you Sail. We love Puerto Rico and it's uniqueness. While I've never tried a craft beer there we might just have to go there to try some to help our friends out!

 

 

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