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Cusqueña Premium Lager

Backus & Johnston
Peru·Lager
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Peru's premium lager, brewed in Cusco since 1908 when Ernesto Günther founded Cervecera Alemana in the old Inca capital. All-malt to the Reinheitsgebot, hopped with Saaz, brewed on Andean glacial meltwater from 18,000-foot springs. 5% ABV, 14 IBU, golden and cleanly bitter — the export face of Peruvian brewing.

ABV
5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
SRM
pale gold3
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
cleannoble hopmalty
clean
noble hop
malty
Aroma
Noble hop character dominates the nose with soft, herbal Saaz notes and subtle floral undertones.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Cusqueña Premium Lager

◎ Appearance

Bright golden hue with excellent clarity and fine, persistent head formation. The carbonation is lively and well-integrated, creating steady beading throughout. Schaumhaftung is clean and structured, holding a thin collar of bright white foam.

bright goldenhighly clearfine carbonationpersistent head

◌ Aroma

Noble hop character dominates the nose with soft, herbal Saaz notes and subtle floral undertones. Clean Malz backbone provides a delicate grain sweetness without adjunct heaviness. The profile is restrained and composed, allowing the high-altitude water's mineral character to frame the aromatic presentation.

Saaz hopherbal, floralgrain sweetnessmineral clarity

◐ Taste

The palate opens with a clean, crisp entry and moderate body that remains light without thinness. Noble hop bitterness (22 IBU) integrates smoothly with subtle Malz notes, creating a dry, well-balanced mid-palate. The finish is lean and refreshing, with lingering hop bite that never turns harsh or astringent.

crisp, drybalanced bitternesslight-bodiedsmooth finish

◑ Finish

A clean, fairly brief finish with dry noble-hop aftertaste and residual grain character. The beer concludes refreshingly without sweetness or unwanted fermentation notes.

dry aftertasterefreshinghop-forward
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
77
Taste
79
Appearance
80
Finish
76
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve well-chilled at 4–6°C. Carbonation and crispness are the main event — cold preserves both.

Stein

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store cold and drink fresh. Lagers are at their crispest within 3–4 months.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Cusqueña Premium Lager

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About Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Lager?

Euro Pale Lagers are clean, refreshing lagers with 4–5.5% ABV and IBU 10–25. Soft malt sweetness, light hop bitterness and high carbonation make them supremely drinkable.

Finding a similar Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same clean, crisp, dry character as Cusqueña Premium Lager will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Lager beers in hopIQ →Browse Peru beers →