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  • Exported ingredients.

    I'm heading to Costa Rica in a few months to advise on a friend buying into a brewery down there. The facility is smaller, and more local based. I have no idea if there are any companies that export/import wholesale priced ingredients, besides a local brewing supply shop.

    Any ideas, or experiences?

  • #2
    Originally posted by Rusticleafbrew View Post
    I'm heading to Costa Rica in a few months to advise on a friend buying into a brewery down there. The facility is smaller, and more local based. I have no idea if there are any companies that export/import wholesale priced ingredients, besides a local brewing supply shop.

    Any ideas, or experiences?
    I can't answer much in the way of specifics, but my sister lives in Dominical, and every time she flies back to the US, she packs a boatload of basic supplies in her luggage for the return trip. The tariffs in Costa Rica for certain items are crazy high. If you can possibly source it locally, do it that way. Hops and barley are obviously tough, but things like chemicals and whatnot might be available sourced there.

    I guess you could take quite a bit of hop pellets in your luggage, though. I could imagine my sister doing that. She's mostly bringing back spices and things that are either unavailable in CR, or hideously expensive. I've often thought about retiring down there and opening a brewery, but the logistics of barley and hops are challenging. I don't know if CR has a reciprocal agreement with any other latin american countries where barley might be grown, but that's worth investigating. Does CR have a grain growing region? Where my sister lives, it's tropical rainforest. Barley is a no fly zone there!

    Regards,
    Mike Sharp

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    • #3
      Originally posted by rdcpro View Post
      I can't answer much in the way of specifics, but my sister lives in Dominical, and every time she flies back to the US, she packs a boatload of basic supplies in her luggage for the return trip. The tariffs in Costa Rica for certain items are crazy high. If you can possibly source it locally, do it that way. Hops and barley are obviously tough, but things like chemicals and whatnot might be available sourced there.

      I guess you could take quite a bit of hop pellets in your luggage, though. I could imagine my sister doing that. She's mostly bringing back spices and things that are either unavailable in CR, or hideously expensive. I've often thought about retiring down there and opening a brewery, but the logistics of barley and hops are challenging. I don't know if CR has a reciprocal agreement with any other latin american countries where barley might be grown, but that's worth investigating. Does CR have a grain growing region? Where my sister lives, it's tropical rainforest. Barley is a no fly zone there!

      Regards,
      Mike Sharp

      I have no idea on specifics. From what I've been told, all the breweries there they to work together to source and purchase ingredients. Speaking from my end, (a small 3 bbl brewhouse) planning specific brews and scheduling brew dates is the tricky part. I'll have to contact the brew supply store and see if wholesale pricing is available. Most hops through them range from 20-26 USD.

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      • #4
        Have you tried to contact manufactures to see if they export to Costa Rica and if so who distribute for them?

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Rusticleafbrew View Post
          I have no idea on specifics. From what I've been told, all the breweries there they to work together to source and purchase ingredients. Speaking from my end, (a small 3 bbl brewhouse) planning specific brews and scheduling brew dates is the tricky part. I'll have to contact the brew supply store and see if wholesale pricing is available. Most hops through them range from 20-26 USD.
          Until recently, AFAIK there wasn't any brewery at all near Dominical (she sent me a photo of one that just opened--very nice looking place), but if you're in a larger city with other craft brewers, I'd think group buys would be a great plan. Brewing is probably the only industry where competitors could/would do this together.

          But to import supplies directly without going through the brew supply store, you'll probably want to find a broker to work with, to make sure the forms are filled out correctly, and the duty is paid. I don't think I'd want to run afoul of the authorities.

          Figuring out what/when to brew will probably be more of a "what can I lay my hands on" exercise anyway. Where are you planning on opening? Are your customers mostly ticos or expats?

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          • #6
            Exported ingredients.

            We are in Costa Rica. Hit me up, I can help give you the lay of the land.


            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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