Fuerza Publica, the national police force of Costa Rica, recently reported the arrest of two suspected smugglers on the border with Panama. The men were driving separate cars, but they… Read more » Continue reading →
Fuerza Publica, the national police force of Costa Rica, recently reported the arrest of two suspected smugglers on the border with Panama. The men were driving separate cars, but they appeared to be working together in an effort to illicitly introduce 240 bottles and cans of beer to Costa Rica. Of special note within the nefarious cargo: Seven cases of Milwaukee’s Best Premium, proudly manufactured in the United States by the Miller Brewing Company.
Liquor smuggling from Panama to Costa Rica is nothing new. In the past, however, such unlawful importation was largely confined to premium brands such as Johnny Walker whiskey, Tanqueray No. 10 gin, Chateau de Beaucastel wine, 1800 tequila, etc. These are brands that well-to-do Ticos are willing to shell out for at trendy bars and restaurants, but these items are subject to heavy import taxes.
Until recently, police investigators figured out that most smuggled booze from Panama, where it is dirt-cheap to find, was destined to stock the shelves of liquor stores in Costa Rica or the storerooms of bars, restaurants, dance clubs, strip joints, etc. Small-time smuggling operations such as the one described earlier in this article, however, are leading investigators to believe that these crimes are becoming more personal.
The seized Milwaukee’s Best was probably not destined to be sold to a bar or restaurant owner in Escazu, San Pedro or Santa Ana. Patrons at those establishments would not be caught dead drinking one of Milwaukee’s finest products. The confiscated Beasts, as they are fondly called by U.S. beer drinkers, were probably destined for a pulperia or a modest drinking establishment frequented by broke expats.
Looking for $1 Beer in Costa Rica
Why would anyone drink Milwaukee’s Best in Costa Rica? The answer can be found in the sticker price. Beer drinkers in Costa Rica can expect to pay between 1,000 to 2,000 colones ($2 to $4) for domestic brews (Imperial, Pilsen, etc.); less at liquor or grocery stores, but always more than a dollar per unit. This is a far cry from the early 21st century, a time when U.S. expats in Costa Rica would load coins into payphones and make long distance calls to tell their friends about paying less than $1 for frosty bottles of Imperial. Alas, that is no longer the case.
The inflationary times we live in have expanded the beer spectrum in Costa Rica. Even at dusty roadside pulperias in Guanacaste, beer shoppers can now find cheap U.S. and Dutch imports such as Bud Light and Hollandia. Six-packs and cases of Milwaukee’s Best can be found at Wal-Mart, PriceSmart, etc. Only when purchased at the packaged retail level, beer in Costa Rica can approximate the mythical $1 threshold. But what about beer that is poured and lovingly served in a relaxing establishment, can such an experience be enjoyed in Costa Rica for just $1?
It stands to reason that expats who constantly complain about everything being too expensive in Costa Rica would be the target consumer segment for Milwaukee’s Best and other cheap U.S. beers; however, such complaints extend beyond our borders. Beer drinkers feeling the pinch are part of a global phenomenon that Kyle Swenson of the Miami New Times recently investigated in his fine piece One Man’s Quest to Find a $1 Beer in South Florida:
If any place has a dollar draft, I figure, it’s got to be the [Veterans of Foreign Wars] VFW Post 3559 an open secret tucked into a condo building on West Avenue, with buzzer access. Marlboro smoke veils the small room looking out onto Biscayne Bay.
But there’s no dollar beer here. Bud Light comes in the bottle for $2.25. I load up on two.
At Lost Weekend on Española Way, a Fat Tire is $5.02. I skip over to Finnegan’s Way on Ocean ($5). The Whitelaw Hotel and Bar ($7.62). FL Cafe ($7.56). Tomorrow, I’ll find a Post-it that says beech place draf $5.24.
At a gas station, I score a Bud Light tallboy ($1.68), prophylactic that sucker in a bag, and slurp it on the corner of Collins and 12th.
We are not going to spoil you with the results of Mr. Swenson’s noble quest (you should read the great article instead), but let’s go back to his purchase of a brown-bagged Bud Light for $1.68 at a gas station: At select stores in Costa Rica, U.S. imports are cheaper. This can be correlated with the surprise many Ticos who visit the U.S. get when they find six-packs of Imperial being sold for less than at Pali.
The $1 beer in Costa Rica is not entirely a thing of the past, but it is an uncommon occurrence. Domestic brews for $1 (between 500 and 600 colones at the current exchange rate) can still be found on a promotional basis as part of two-for-one deals at some bars, but more likely at turnos, carnivals, town fairs, festivals, etc. At this time, the best bet would be to head to a store that carries Milwaukee’s Best or Hollandias for $1. The problem with this approach is largely existential, as in Did I actually come to Costa Rica to drink Milwaukee’s Best?