Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Panama Beer

By

panama
Today in 1903, Panama gained their Independence from Colombia.

Panama
panama-color

Panama Breweries

Panama Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.08%

panama

  • Full Name: Republic of Panama
  • Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
  • Government Type: Constitutional democracy
  • Language: Spanish (official), English 14%
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
  • Capital: Panamá City
  • Population: 3,510,045; 132nd
  • Area: 75,420 sq km, 118th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than South Carolina
  • National Food: Sancocho de Gallina
  • National Symbols: Harpy Eagle; Holy Ghost Orchid; Panama tree (Sterculia apetala)
  • Affiliations: UN, OAS
  • Independence: From Colombia, November 3, 1903 / From Spain, November 28, 1821

panama-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18
  • BAC: 0.08%
  • Number of Breweries: 5

panama_dollar

  • How to Say “Beer”: cerveza
  • How to Order a Beer: Una cerveza, por favor
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Salud
  • Toasting Etiquette: Panamanians sometimes say “Salud!” (health) before a drink. Otherwise there are no typical toasts or specific protocols to follow when making toasts.

panama-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 63%
  • Wine: 4%
  • Spirits: 33%
  • Other: <1%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 5.85
  • Unrecorded: 1.00
  • Total: 6.85
  • Beer: 3.71

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 5.9 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, location
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No

Patterns of Drinking Score: N/A

Prohibition: None

panama-no-amer

Belize Beer

By

belize
Today in 1981, Belize gained their Independence from the United Kingdom.

Belize
belize-color

Belize Breweries

Belize Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: Belize Agricultural Health Authority

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Labels must include the following information: Name of food or beverage; Name and address of themanufacturer; Net contents and weight/volume; Country of origin; Batch/lot identification number; Date marketing; Storage instructions; and List of ingredients in descending order.

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.08%

belize

  • Full Name: Belize
  • Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
  • Government Type: Parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
  • Language: Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2%
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic 39.3%, Pentacostal 8.3%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.3%, Anglican 4.5%, Mennonite 3.7%, Baptist 3.5%, Methodist 2.8%, Nazarene 2.8%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.6%, other 9.9% (includes Bahai Faith, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Mormon), other (unknown) 3.1%, none 15.2%
  • Capital: Belmopan
  • Population: 327,719; 177th
  • Area: 22,966 sq km, 152nd
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than Massachusetts
  • National Food: Boil Up; recipe
  • National Symbols: Baird’s Tapir; Black Orchid; Honduras Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla); Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, Azure Window;
  • Affiliations: UN, Commonwealth, OAS
  • Independence: From the UK, September 21, 1981 / f.k.a. British Honduras

belize-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18
  • BAC: 0.08%
  • Number of Breweries: 1

belize-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: cerveza
  • How to Order a Beer: Una cerveza, por favor
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Salud
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

belize-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 67%
  • Wine: 2%
  • Spirits: 31%
  • Other: <1%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 5.07
  • Unrecorded: 1.00
  • Total: 6.07
  • Beer: 3.89

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 5.1 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Increase
  • Excise Taxes: N/A
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: N/A
  • Advertising Restrictions: N/A
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: N/A

Patterns of Drinking Score: 4

Prohibition: None

belize-na

Nicaragua Beer

By

nicaragua
Today in 1821, Nicaragua gained their Independence from Spain.

Nicaragua
nicaragua-color

Nicaragua Breweries

  • Compañía Cervecera de Nicaragua

Nicaragua Brewery Guides

Other Guides

  • CIA World Factbook
  • Official Website
  • U.S. Embassy
  • Wikipedia

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.08%

nicaragua

  • Full Name: Republic of Nicaragua
  • Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
  • Government Type: Republic
  • Language: Spanish (official) 97.5%, Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% [Note: English and indigenous languages found on the Atlantic coast]
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic 58.5%, Protestant 23.2% (Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%), Jehovah’s Witnesses 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7%
  • Capital: Managua
  • Population: 5,727,707; 108th
  • Area: 130,370 sq km, 98th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than New York state
  • National Food: Gallo pinto
  • National Symbols: Turquoise-browed Motmot; Sacuanjoche
  • Affiliations: UN, OAS
  • Independence: From Spain, September 15, 1821

nicaragua-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 19
  • BAC: 0.08%
  • Number of Breweries: 1

nicaragua-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: cerveza
  • How to Order a Beer: Una cerveza, por favor
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Salud
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

nicaragua-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 30%
  • Wine: 1%
  • Spirits: 69%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 3.77
  • Unrecorded: 1.60
  • Total: 5.37
  • Beer: 1.13

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 3.8 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, intoxicated persons
  • Advertising Restrictions: No
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No

Patterns of Drinking Score: 3

Prohibition: None

nicaragua-na

Honduras Beer

By

honduras
Today in 1821, Honduras gained their Independence from Spain.

Honduras
honduras-color

Honduras Breweries

Honduras Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.07%

honduras

  • Full Name: Republic of Honduras
  • Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua
  • Government Type: Democratic Constitutional Republic
  • Language: Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%
  • Capital: Tegucigalpa
  • Population: 8,296,693; 93rd
  • Area: 112,090 sq km, 103rd
  • Comparative Area: Slightly larger than Tennessee
  • National Food: Baleada, Carne Asada, Sopa de Caracol (Conch Soup)
  • National Symbols: White-tailed deer, Scarlet Macaw; Hazelnut pine
  • Affiliations: UN, OAS
  • Independence: From Spain, September 15, 1821

honduras-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18
  • BAC: 0.07%
  • Number of Breweries: 4

honduras-money-2

  • How to Say “Beer”: cerveza
  • How to Order a Beer: Una cerveza, por favor
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Salud
  • Toasting Etiquette: N/A

honduras-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 40%
  • Wine: 1%
  • Spirits: 59%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 3.08
  • Unrecorded: 1.40
  • Total: 4.48
  • Beer: 1.29

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 3.1 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, places
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: Yes

Patterns of Drinking Score: 3

Prohibition: None

honduras-na

Guatemala Beer

By

guatemala
Today in 1821, Guatemala gained their Independence from Spain.

Guatemala
guatemala-color

Guatemala Breweries

Guatemala Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: Organismo Internacional Regional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (OIRSA); Comisión Guatemalteca de Normas Guatemala Standards Commission (COGUANOR)

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Labels must include the following information: Name of the product; Description of the product; Physical characteristics (including ingredients); Net weight/volume; Name, address, and telephone number of the distributor; Expiration date (if applicable)

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.08%

guatemala

  • Full Name: Republic of Guatemala
  • Location: Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
  • Government Type: Constitutional Democratic Republic
  • Language: Spanish (official) 60%, Amerindian languages 40% [Note: there are 23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca]
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
  • Capital: Guatemala City
  • Population: 14,099,032; 69th
  • Area: 108,889 sq km, 107th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than Tennessee
  • National Food: Pepián
  • National Symbols: Quetzal; “Monja Blanca” orchid; Ceiba; Temple I of Tikal, St. Clara’s Arch in Antigua Guatemala, Lake Atitlan
  • Affiliations: UN, OAS
  • Independence: From Spain, September 15, 1821

guatemala-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18
  • BAC: 0.08%
  • Number of Breweries: 3

guatemala-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: cerveza
  • How to Order a Beer: Una cerveza, por favor
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Salud
  • Toasting Etiquette: The standard toast is to raise your glass and say, “Salud!” You should always offer your own toast: say how pleased you are to be in Guatemala and commend everyone for treating you in such a family-like manner.

guatemala-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 47%
  • Wine: 1%
  • Spirits: 50%
  • Other: 2%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 2.43
  • Unrecorded: 1.60
  • Total: 4.03
  • Beer: 1.12

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 2.4 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, specific events
  • Advertising Restrictions: No
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No

Patterns of Drinking Score: 4

Prohibition: None

guatelama-na

El Salvador Beer

By

el_salvador
Today in 1821, El Salvador gained their Independence from Spain.

El Salvador
el-salvador-color

El Salvador Breweries

El Salvador Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: None

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Not Known

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.05%

el-salvador

  • Full Name: Republic of El Salvador
  • Location: Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
  • Government Type: Republic
  • Language: Spanish (official), Nahua (among some Amerindians)
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8%
  • Capital: San Salvador
  • Population: 6,090,646; 106th
  • Area: 21,041 sq km, 153rd
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than Massachusetts
  • National Food: Pupusa
  • National Symbols: Turquoise-browed Motmot, Eumomota superciliosa (Torogoz); Maquilishuat (Tabebuia rosea)
  • Affiliations: UN, OAS
  • Independence: From Spain, September 15, 1821

el-salvador-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18
  • BAC: 0.05%
  • Number of Breweries: 1

el-salvador-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: cerveza
  • How to Order a Beer: Una cerveza, por favor
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Salud
  • Toasting Etiquette: When proposing a toast, people just raise the glass and say, “Salud!” You should always offer your own toast and should say something to the effect that you are pleased to be in El Salvador after hearing so much about it. Then commend the people for treating you in such a family-like manner.

    At the beginning of a meal, someone says “Buen provecho!” (Enjoy your food!). This is the most common social toast, and while not said as a toast in the strictest sense of the word, it’s a must for anyone eating with Salvadorans.

el-salvador-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 35%
  • Wine: 2%
  • Spirits: 63%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 2.61
  • Unrecorded: 1.00
  • Total: 3.61
  • Beer: 0.88

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 2.6 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, petrol stations
  • Advertising Restrictions: No
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No

Patterns of Drinking Score: 3

Prohibition: None

el-salvador-na

Costa Rica Beer

By

costa_rica
Today in 1821, Costa Rica gained their Independence from Spain.

Costa Rica
costa-rica-color

Costa Rica Breweries

Costa Rica Brewery Guides

Other Guides

Guild: None Known

National Regulatory Agency: Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud); Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Commerce (Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio)

Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: Labels must include the following information: Product name; Net content in SI units (e.g., liters); Manufacturer name and address; Bottler; Distributor or importer; Country of origin; Lot ID must appear on each package, either written in plain language or in code; Expiration date (for alcohol beverages with less than 10% alcohol per volume); Directions for use; Sanitary registry number

Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.075%

costa-rica

  • Full Name: Republic of Costa Rica
  • Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
  • Government Type: Democratic Republic
  • Language: Spanish (official), English
  • Religion(s): Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
  • Capital: San José
  • Population: 4,636,348; 121st
  • Area: 51,100 sq km, 130th
  • Comparative Area: Slightly smaller than West Virginia
  • National Food: Gallo pinto
  • National Symbols: Clay-colored Robin (bird), White-tailed deer (animal); Guarianthe skinneri; Guanacaste (Enterolobium cyclocarpum)
  • Affiliations: UN, OAS
  • Independence: From Spain, September 15, 1821

costa-rica-coa

  • Alcohol Legal: Yes
  • Minimum Drinking Age: 18
  • BAC: 0.075%
  • Number of Breweries: 3

costa-rica-money

  • How to Say “Beer”: cerveza
  • How to Order a Beer: Una cerveza, por favor
  • How to Say “Cheers”: Salud
  • Toasting Etiquette: Toasts are made more often than not. Ticos make toasts to their families mostly, for it is the core of their daily lives.

costa-rica-map

Alcohol Consumption By Type:

  • Beer: 55%
  • Wine: 4%
  • Spirits: 41%
  • Other: <1%

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):

  • Recorded: 4.15
  • Unrecorded: 1.40
  • Total: 5.55
  • Beer: 2.29

WHO Alcohol Data:

  • Per Capita Consumption: 4.2 litres
  • Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
  • Excise Taxes: Yes
  • Minimum Age: 18
  • Sales Restrictions: Time, location, specific events, intoxicated persons, petrol stations
  • Advertising Restrictions: Yes
  • Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: Yes

Patterns of Drinking Score: 3

Prohibition: None

costa-rica-na