Peru doesn’t have a well developed beer culture. In most parts of the country there are just two options: Pilsen or Cuzqueña. A few other mass produced brands are available too, though they are all simple lagers that taste quite similar to one another. Even the imports are limited to Stell, Peroni, or Corona. So, when I discovered the stand of the Mushna microbrewery at Lima’s annual gastronomic festival Mistura, I was quite surprised. The small brewery from Tacna, in the south of the country near the Chilean border, had three beers on tap: Irish Red Ale, Pale Ale, and a Robust Porter. The alcohol content ranges from 4.3% to 5%, so they’re not overly strong, but are a definite improvement from water-like Pilsen. The barman said at the moment the beers were only available in Tacna, though that they were actively trying to pick up interest from bars and restaurants in Lima. Mushna has no website for the time being.

Nicholas Gill (470 Posts)

Writer and photographer Nicholas Gill is the editor/publisher of New World Review. He lives in Lima, Peru and Brooklyn, New York. His work has appeared in publications such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, CondeNast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Afar, and Penthouse. Visit his personal website (nicholas-gill.com) for more information.