What’s new from Peru? A friend of mine recently visited a local Peruvian countryside grocery store and thought of me as she discovered a display of Cerveza de Coca. This is a beer made with coca leaves. To my knowledge the beer isn’t exported to the U.S. yet, but it is being exported to other parts of the world. She managed to import one bottle for me to taste. After knocking down a cold coca leaf beer here’s my assessment.

“Cerveza de Coca” is brewed by Cerveceria Peruanha. The front label headlines “Smart Drink” in English. The rest is in Spanish. Here’s my translation.

Health claims: Coca leaves are an anti depressant, improve concentration, elevate alertness, promote resistance, anti stress, slimming, strengthens memory, helpful for osteoporosis, helpful for osteoarthritis, helps reduce high cholesterol, reduces amnesia, helps with diabetes, helps regulate high blood pressure and low blood pressure.

Ingredients: malt, water, coca leaves and brewers yeast. (snake oil was not listed as an ingredient)

Photo left: coca leaves ready for harvest

I tasted the beer before I read the health claims and ingredients. Poured in a clean wine glass, the beer produced a white foamy head that sustained itself throughout the tasting. The beer hazy, perhaps from protein-chill haze or the evident yeast sediment. I found the aroma surprisingly fruity, winey and pleasantly champagne-like. I also suspected a degree of lactic fermentation in the aroma, later confirmed with tasting. The lactic flavor was clean, a bit complex, not overdone and pleasantly refreshing. With the absence of hops no bitterness was perceived. An evident and unusual herbal, black pepper-like flavor provided mystery and enjoyment.

I’ve never chewed coca leaves so don’t know what it tastes like, but from all indications it adds a pleasant character to what some call “beer.”

Photo right: Entrepreneur, artist, Wander Lust Imports, Studio Hart, etc. Brenda Hart pauses with a plate of roast guinea pigs between Cerveza de Coca shopping sprees. Photo courtesy Brenda Hart.

Would I go out and buy this beer as my regular go to beer? Probably not, but if choice was absent I would certainly enjoy this as a refreshing beer and a welcome accompaniment with a meal. Perhaps especially with local Peruvian food.

Okay, I’m adventurous and would probably try a spit roasted guinea pig, which is a Peruvian delicacy. But for now I’ll leave it to my friend Brenda to describe the taste of guinea pig on a stick. A cross between rabbit and chicken, wrapped in a rubbery skin.

Cerveza de Coca; Encounters of the coca kind is worth checking out – if you can find it.