A craft beer tour of Portugal
As compiled by a guy who just really likes beer
If I had to choose the one question I’ve been asked more often in my entire life, it would be a beer related one. I was confronted with it every time I asked for a beer virtually everywhere during my young adult life in Portugal — which, as a student in a city known for its lavish academic drinking traditions, happened more often than I care to admit. Sit down for a beer at some traditional Portuguese esplanadas these days and you might still be asked that exact same question: Sagres or Super Bock?
For a very long time, these were the two choices you had, so you’d pick one and run with it. That was now your favourite beer, and you wouldn’t be caught dead drinking that other brand you didn’t like as much — that is, of course, until you realised the place you just sat down at is out of your beer, in which case anything goes. I am yet to meet a single beer-drinking Portuguese person who doesn’t swear by one brand or the other. We all do. And we all have our own personal rationale for the unconditional love we have for that one beer: because it’s sweeter, not as sweet, packs a bigger punch, has a better after-taste, the foam is nicer, the bottle’s prettier, the ads are funnier. Some will even choose their beer based on the football club it sponsors.
Mention any of this to a group of Portuguese people having drinks at a bar, and you’re in for a long and detailed exposition on the merits of one over the other — and vice-versa.
We’ve always had a diverse ecosystem of beers, of course, but for a very long time our beer culture was very heavily influenced by these two. Even today, as you roam through most Portuguese cities, their logos are nearly ubiquitous. What’s changed, however, is that you’re a lot less likely to be asked which one of the two brands you want. And where before you would see Sagres, Super Bock, a couple of lesser-known brands and some imported beers, you’ll now see a wide range of Portuguese craft beers competing for your attention.
Over the last few years, I’ve had the chance to taste several of them myself, so I’m compiling a list of my favourites, as well as some of the best places to drink them. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but should be enough to send you on your way. If you do, be sure to write back with some of your own favourites 🍻
Praxis
When I turned 19, I moved to Coimbra—a small but very charming city in the heart of Portugal—to study design. I’ve lived there for all of my 20’s, so I reckon it’s unlikely I’ll ever drink as much beer anywhere else as I did there. It’s no surprise, then, that the first brewery in my list is headquartered in Coimbra.
Praxis is actually a local restaurant and micro-brewery, where you can try out some local delicacies while drinking beer made on the premises. From the restaurant, you can see through to the production facilities, and you’re free to go visit and see how your beer is made, which makes for a very interesting experience. These days, they bottle small batches, so you might find them for sale in a few select places. If you get the chance, you should definitely try Ambar (ruby-coloured and slightly bitter) or the seasonal and aptly-named Strong (alcohol-heavy but very tasteful).
Praxis Beer Museum and Restaurant
Urb. Quinta da Varzea, Lote 29
Coimbra, Portugal
Letra
When I moved to Braga last year, one of the things that helped me overcome my Coimbra saudades was Letra. Their beers are fairly popular pretty much everywhere in mainland Portugal, so I had tried most of them before, but I was very happy to learn that they too run their own restaurant and pub, right next to their brewing plant.
‘Letra’ is portuguese for ‘letter’, and each beer is named after a different one (lowercase for smaller bottles, uppercase for larger ones). Because they name their beers in a sequential order, however, it’s not obvious which is which, so you might want to keep the cheatsheet handy. I’m very partial to the A (Weiss) and F (India Pale Ale) versions. On a good day, their Belgian Dark Strong Ale (E) is also a great choice—it really packs a punch though, so beware.
Letraria Brewpub
Av. Prof. Machado Vilela 147
Vila Verde (Braga), Portugal
Sovina
Sovina (Portuguese for cheapskate) is based in the beautiful city of Porto, and is quite well known and broadly available throughout the country—probably, in part, thanks to their claim to being the first ever micro-brewery in Portugal. They produce simple, no-bullshit, tradition-infused beers, bottled in an humble but unique package. All of their beers are aged in Port barrels—which I guess makes some sort of difference I’m definitely unqualified to notice, but it’s a nice bit of trivia, especially considering it pays tribute to their hometown’s heritage. Another interesting bit of trivia is the fact that they also sell beer-making kits and regularly organise beer-related workshops for those interested in taking up beer-making as an hobby. Oh, and they sell beer soap… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’ve been a long time fan of Sovina’s entire beerfolio, so it’s hard for me to recommend any one in particular. Out of the ones more commonly available, though, I really like their IPA and Trigo (a Weiss-like beer). They have a selection of beers that are harder to find, but really worth your time as well, especially Fresh Hops (made with locally-sourced nugget hops) and Imperial Stout Amora (a blackberry-flavoured Stout that is really something).
Musa
One of the things enthusiasts like about craft beer is the fact that it’s usually made in small batches, by people with little means but a real love for their craft. So having naive and often times amateurish-looking labels on beer bottles is not only common practice, it’s usually sign of authenticity. By that measure, Musa, with its carefully thought-out branding, cheeky rock-inspired names and colourful labels would hardly qualify as craft. Yet for a brand born, more than anything, out of entrepreneurial aspirations, Musa actually produces some very decent craft beers.
By now, it might be clear that I’m an IPA aficionado, so it’s no wonder I’d single out Born in the IPA as Musa’s best beer. For once, though, I might actually be right — it really stands out from the rest of the pack. Mick Lager and Red Zeppelin Ale are the next obvious choices and, while I sadly haven’t had the chance to try it yet, I’ve heard great things of the seasonal and worth-trying-for-the-name-alone Saison O’Connor.
Musa’s most popular beers are carried by several supermarket chains in Portugal, so you’ll quite likely have no problem finding them.
Dois Corvos
No matter how demanding your taste in beers is, there is one Dois Corvos that’s right for you. Arguably the most prolific craft beer makers in Portugal, this brewery currently boasts an astounding 64 different beers on their Untappd page—which makes the fact that it was founded by a couple just four years ago all the more surprising. Of course, this huge diversity of beers should not be attributed to extreme industrial manufacturing prowess, but to the brewers’ love for experimentation. So much so, in fact, that their plant is one of the few places in Portugal where you can taste experimental brews on tap before they make it to market—and even some that might never get there.
My experience with Dois Corvos beers covers such tiny fraction of their beerfolio that it feels wrong for me to be giving out recommendations, but if you really want some pointers on where to start, I think you’d be very well served with either the Finisterra Imperial Porter or IMP5RIO, an imperial saison brewed in collaboration with Braga-based Letra. For something slightly different, you should try the special edition of Into the Woods (a scotch ale aged in whisky barrels for three months).
Dois Corvos Tap Room
Rua Capitão Leitão, 94
Marvila, Lisboa
Lightning round
The list above is far from exhaustive, but should be enough to get you started in the world of Portuguese craft beer. Should you find yourself running out of new things to try, here are some more local breweries making great beer:
- Amphora (Braga)
- Vadia (Aveiro)
- Rapada (Oliveira do Hospital)
- Post Scriptum (Trofa)
- Colossus (Porto)
- Bolina (Azambuja)
If you give any of these a try, be sure to write back with your thoughts, and let us know if you have any recommendations of your own!
Eduardo Nunes is Head of Design and Partner at Kollegorna, a team of designers, developers and strategists building first-rate digital products and services.
