Where to Find a Good Beer While Traveling in South America

Beer– It’s not really the first thing that comes to mind when you think of South America right? Pisco, caipirinhas, aguardiente, wines from Mendoza…. now that’s more fitting. Anyone who knows me knows I appreciate a good (and strong) quality beer. During our trip around South America I was always on the hunt for a place in town serving tasty craft beers. In some countries they were hard to find while in others artisanal brews were plentiful and delicious. So for the sake of nostalgia and in honor of national beer day here’s a summary of top places in South America where we enjoyed a nice cold one!

Colombia

Medellin

Go to Cerveceria Libre to get some relief from the crappy watered down national beer of Colombia and to listen to some good old 90’s rock! These guys brew their own IPA, stout, brown ale and a fruit beer while featuring some bottled beers from other craft breweries popping up around Colombia. It is a haven for beer lovers visiting Medellin.

Bogota

Bogota Beer Company  has been dubbed “La cervecería pequeña más grande de Colombia” or “Colombia’s biggest ‘small’ brewery”. This place can be found throughout Bogota and their bottled beers are served at many eateries throughout Colombia. Although BBC may seem like a large brewery they still produce their beers in small batches and use quality ingredients. This all makes for some tasty brews.

Ecuador

Cuenca

Jodoco Belgium Brew is a rare find in the expat sanctuary that is Cuenca. They offer a variety of large quality bottled beers at a great price including a rotating sour ale. Pair their fantastic beer with their delicious foods and enjoy it all while people watching outside on their lovely courtyard.

Bolivia

Copacabana

La Orilla Restaurant has incredible food and an extensive beer list. Some of the beers they offer are quite strong so come hungry and plan to leave with a good buzz. That will make some of the steep hills you have to climb in Copacabana a bit easier…

Chile

Valparaiso

Fauna Restaurant atop Cerro Alegre has some of the best views in the city. Enjoy a great selection of local craft brews while gazing out at Valparaiso. Then hop over to the slide in Passeo Dimalow for some good old-fashioned fun!

Santiago

Amadeus has an extensive beer list offering over 100 beers from 9 different countries. Their beers pair nicely with their delicious thin crust pizzas and sandwiches.

Puerto Natales

Baguales has a story that’s almost as good as their beer. Founded by three friends who met while rock climbing in California, this brew pub in Patagonia offers some fantastic beers including a hearty dark ale, a refreshing pale ale and unique selection of rotating seasonal beers. This place is a great treat after completing the W trek in Torres del Paine!

Argentina

Cordoba & Bariloche

We visited Antares in both Cordoba and Bariloche. Their beer menu is huge and you can have a hard time deciding what to order. Luckily they offer beer flights where you can try up to 4 beers for a reasonable price. Their barley wine is super good!

Bariloche

Manush has a huge selection of various lagers, ales and stouts–the trick is finding out when they are offering what. Regardless of what’s on tap you’re likely to find something that suits your needs and delicious food to pair it with. The place gets packed– get there early or call ahead.

Buenos Aires

At Blue Dog you’ll find a great vibe, great food and great beer! What more could you ask for? They have a rotating selection of ciders, IPAs, porters and more. Ask about their happy hour specials from 6-8pm.

Uruguay

Colonia

Choperia Mastra has a variety of seasonal beers and regular brews including IPAs, a chocolate stout and even a passion fruit beer. We visited the one in the charming town of Colonia. Call ahead as they have strange opening hours.