Beverages
The traditional breakfast drink, besides coffee, is called agua dulce ("sweet water") and is made from tapa de dulce, an ingredient very similar to the American "brown sugar". "Tapa de Dulce" is made with sugar cane juice which is boiled down in traditional trapiches and put to solidify in conical molds with the top cut off called tapas ("lids"). Then some of this tapa is scraped off and dissolved into boiling water or milk to make the agua dulce.
Coffee is usually served at breakfast and during traditional coffee breaks in the afternoon, usually around 3:00 pm. It has traditionally been brewed in a native Costa Rican drip brew device called a chorreador.
The traditional drinks for lunch are called refrescos naturales, or frescos or naturales for short, and consist of liquefied fruits diluted in either water or milk and sweetened to taste. They come in many varieties such as canteloupe, blackberry, strawberry, watermelon, mango, tamarind, passion fruit, guanabana, cas, and lime.
Another popular drink is known as a granizado, a slush drink made of finely shaved ice and flavored syrup. The most popular flavor is kola. This is not the cola usually associated with carbonated soda, but a fruity flavored syrup. It is usually served with evaporated and/or condensed milk on top.
The national liquor of Costa Rica, guaro, is made from sugar cane. Costa Ricans often drink guaro as a shot or mixed with juice or soda. The cost of guaro is very cheap compared to beer (cerveza) in Costa Rica which has one major beer producer. Imperial is the most popular beer and is an American-style lager that is also available in Light. Pilsen is a Bohemian style Pilsner produced in Costa Rica. During the 2007 holiday season, a 6.0 version with higher alcohol content was produced. Due to its popularity, production of Pilsen 6.0 was continued through mid-2008. At that point, it was replaced with Pilsen Red. It has a 5.2% alcohol content and a hint of red coloring. Bavaria is offered in Light, Dark or Gold. The Dutch beer, Heineken, is also produced in Costa Rica. Imported beers can be found in some markets, but are common only in parts of San José or larger tourist towns.
Costa Rica produces an excellent rum: Ron Centenario and the Flor de Caña rums made in Nicaragua are also widely available.
Read more about this topic: Costa Rican Cuisine