Imperial
Product brand
UnclaimedImperial is a Costa Rican lager beer brand produced by Florida Ice & Farm Company.
Last updated October 24, 2026
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Overview
Imperial, also known as Cerveza Imperial, is a Costa Rican lager beer brand manufactured by Florida Ice & Farm Company, commonly abbreviated as FIFCO. The brand traces its origins to 1924, when it was first produced by the Ortega brewery under the direction of Carl Walter Steinvorth, a prominent businessman who was also identified as the first orthodontist in Central America. Imperial subsequently became one of the best-known beer brands associated with Costa Rica and remains part of FIFCO's beer portfolio. The brand's visual identity is centered on an eagle emblem. Costa Ricans commonly refer to Imperial as "Aguila" or "Aguilita," meaning "Eagle" or "Little Eagle," because of the eagle featured in the logo. The emblem draws on European heraldic imagery, including the Imperial Eagle, and gives the beer a distinctive national-market identity. The logo was designed by Enrique and Wolfgang Hangen, brothers who owned the Costa Rican advertising agency Casa Gráfica. The same designers also created the logos for other Costa Rican beer brands, including Pilsen and Bavaria, drawing on iconography connected with their German heritage. Imperial is positioned as a mainstream Costa Rican lager with strong cultural recognition in its home market. Its portfolio has expanded beyond the original beer through line extensions including Imperial Light, Imperial Silver, and Imperial Ultra. These variants allow the brand to address different preferences within the lager category, including lighter and more contemporary formulations. The wider FIFCO beer portfolio includes Pilsen, Bavaria, and Rock Ice, placing Imperial within a broader Costa Rican brewing and beverage business rather than as an independent brewery. The brand has also received international recognition. Imperial won a Gold Medal at Monde Selection in Belgium in 2007, an award that provided external validation of its product quality. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate corporate headquarters for the brand, a standalone listing, or a distinct website. Imperial is best understood as a consumer beer brand owned and produced by FIFCO, with its historical and cultural base in Costa Rica.
History
Imperial's documented history begins in Costa Rica in 1924. The beer was first produced by the Ortega brewery, with Carl Walter Steinvorth identified as the person responsible for its creation or early production. Steinvorth was a prominent businessman and is described in the reference material as the first orthodontist in Central America. The early development of Imperial therefore belongs to Costa Rica's formative brewing industry, when locally produced beer was becoming an established part of the country's commercial and social life. Over time, Imperial became associated with the Costa Rican beer market and was later produced by Florida Ice & Farm Company, or FIFCO. FIFCO is a major Costa Rican food and beverage company whose brewing portfolio also includes Pilsen, Bavaria, and Rock Ice. Imperial's position within this portfolio means that its history is connected both to the original Ortega brewery and to the later consolidation of production and brand management under FIFCO. The available reference material does not specify the precise date on which FIFCO assumed production or ownership, so that transition cannot be dated here. A defining feature of Imperial's identity is its eagle logo. Enrique and Wolfgang Hangen designed the mark while they owned Casa Gráfica, a Costa Rican advertising agency. The Hangen brothers also designed the logos for Pilsen and Bavaria. Their work for Imperial drew on iconography associated with their native Germany, including the Imperial Eagle of European heraldic tradition. The emblem became sufficiently recognizable that Costa Rican consumers came to use the informal names "Aguila" and "Aguilita," translated as "Eagle" and "Little Eagle," when referring to the beer. Imperial later developed a broader product family. The original lager was joined by Imperial Light, Imperial Silver, and Imperial Ultra. These extensions indicate an effort to serve multiple consumption preferences while retaining the core Imperial name and visual identity. The supplied material does not provide launch dates, formulations, alcohol percentages, or detailed packaging histories for these variants, so those characteristics are not specified here. The brand received an international quality distinction in 2007, when it won a Gold Medal at Monde Selection in Belgium. This award is the clearest dated external recognition identified in the available sources. It reinforced Imperial's reputation beyond its domestic market, although the reference material does not quantify exports, sales, market share, or the geographic extent of distribution. Today, Imperial remains an active Costa Rican beer brand within FIFCO's portfolio. Its significance rests on the combination of a long local history, strong recognition in Costa Rica, a distinctive eagle symbol, and a set of related lager products. Public sources supplied for this dossier do not establish a standalone corporate structure, independently listed shares, named current executives, or a dedicated brand website.
Products and positioning
A widely recognized Costa Rican lager associated with national identity, an eagle-centered visual emblem, and an expanded family of lighter and contemporary variants.
Lager beer · 1924
Imperial Original
The original Imperial lager is the core product associated with the brand's Costa Rican history. It is produced within the Florida Ice & Farm Company portfolio and is recognized by its eagle-centered identity. Publicly supplied references do not provide a detailed technical specification for its recipe, alcohol content, or packaging.
Light lager
Imperial Light
Imperial Light is a lighter extension of the core Imperial beer line. It retains the Imperial brand name and is intended to broaden the portfolio beyond the original lager. The available reference material does not state its launch date or detailed nutritional and brewing specifications.
Lager beer
Imperial Silver
Imperial Silver is a related Imperial variant produced within FIFCO's beer portfolio. It extends the brand into a distinct product presentation while maintaining the broader Imperial identity. No further formulation, packaging, or launch information is established by the supplied sources.
Lager beer
Imperial Ultra
Imperial Ultra is one of the named spin-offs from the original Imperial lager. It forms part of the brand's effort to offer multiple variants under a shared identity. The supplied reference does not document its introduction date or technical product characteristics.
Controversies
2020
Imperial responds to workplace harassment allegations with management changes and training
Imperial faced allegations of sexual harassment and other inappropriate conduct. Working Class Outlaws stated that it had restructured management, implemented mandatory sensitivity and sexual harassment training, and retained an outside HR firm in response. The allegations are reported as allegations, not as established findings.
Recent events
Reported
Imperial acquires Deep Catch Namibia Holdings[3]
Imperial acquired all the shares in Deep Catch Namibia Holdings.
- Unconfirmed
Imperial completes sale of South American shipping interests to Hidrovias do Brasil[4]
Imperial closed a deal to sell its interests in its South American shipping business to Hidrovias do Brasil for up to R1.45-billion, subject to conditions including water levels.
Reported
Imperial invests in and partners with Lori Systems[5]
Imperial announced an investment in and partnership with Lori Systems to expand its e-logistics technology solutions across Africa. The partnership includes access to Lori’s platform and support for expansion across Southern African markets.
Reported
Imperial responds to workplace harassment allegations with management changes and training[2]
Following allegations of sexual harassment and other inappropriate conduct at Imperial, Working Class Outlaws said it had restructured management, implemented mandatory sensitivity and sexual harassment training, and retained an outside HR firm. The allegations are reported as allegations, not as established findings.
Reported
Imperial and Bay Tek Entertainment announce partnership[6]
Imperial announced a partnership with Bay Tek Entertainment to bring the Skee-Ball name into homes through a new home arcade game.
Reported
Imperial appoints Simon Younger as Senior Vice President, Upstream[7]
Imperial announced the appointment of S.P. (Simon) Younger as Senior Vice President, Upstream, effective June 1, 2020; he is to succeed J.R. (John) Whelan.
Reported
Imperial and Newtown Partners launch logistics venture fund[8]
Imperial partnered with Newtown Partners to launch a corporate venture capital fund focused on disruptive logistics startups, with an initial investment of $20 million.
Reported
Imperial opens multi-user warehouse in Germany[9]
Imperial opened a multi-user warehouse in Werne, Germany, and one major client had already transferred its logistics operations to the facility.
Sources10 sources
- 1Imperial (beer)en.wikipedia.org
- 2Imperial responds to workplace harassment allegations with management changes and trainingmetrotimes.com
- 3Imperial收购Deep Catch Namibia Holdingsnamibiansun.com
- 4Imperial完成向Hidrovias do Brasil出售南美航运业务权益engineeringnews.co.za
- 5Imperial投资并与Lori Systems合作it-online.co.za
- 6Imperial 与 Bay Tek Entertainment 宣布合作prnewswire.com
- 7Imperial任命Simon Younger为上游业务高级副总裁financialpost.com
- 8Imperial与Newtown Partners推出物流领域创投基金iol.co.za
- 9Imperial在德国启用多用户仓库postandparcel.info
- 10Imperial sells South American shipping business - IT-Onlineit-online.co.za
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