A Guide to Craft Beer in Portugal

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Written by: | Last updated on February 8, 2024 | Est. Reading Time: 4 minutes

Portugal has a small, but rapidly growing, craft beer scene. Craft beer (cerveja artesanal) is nowhere near as popular here as it is in other countries like Germany, the UK, and the USA. Portuguese bars traditionally tend to serve one of two Portuguese beers, Super Bock or Sagres, and if you want craft beer, you’ll really have to look hard to find it.

But, even though the artisan beer scene is small, there is one and it’s growing rapidly. There are now a decent handful of Portuguese craft beer producers dotted around the country, and in big cities like Lisbon and Porto you’ll find one or two bars and shops that specialise in craft beer as well as companies that offer tours to show you the Portuguese craft beer scene.

Love craft beer?

Why not take a craft beer tour in Lisbon or Porto?(There’s also this premium craft beer tour in Porto).

Portuguese Craft Beers to Try

Sovina

Produced in trendy Porto, this is Portugal’s first craft beer. Sovina produces 5 regular beers – Amber, Helles, IPA, Stout, and Wheat – as well as a few seasonal specials like their Christmas beer, a Helles Bock (springtime) and a wine barrel-matured Vintage Amber.

Musa

Musa beers are easily recognisable thanks to their funky branding and fun names: Mick Lager (a hoppy lager), Red Zeppelin Ale (red session IPA), Born in the IPA (Indian Pale Ale), and Twist and Stout (Stout).

Mean Sardine

Probably the brand with the coolest name, Ericeira-based Mean Sardine produces a number of different beers. Their most popular is probably Amura, an American Pale Ale, but it’s also worth trying Voragem (Black IPA), Zagaia (Abbey Dubbel), A Walk in Madeira (IPA), and Salema (Witbier).

Passarola

As with almost all of these Portuguese micro-breweries, Passarola is very new to the scene. They first began fermenting in 2014, and now produce Chindogu (IPA), Marquês de Pale Ale (an American Pale Ale), and Hadron Collision (an American Stout).

Dos Santos

A small craft beer brewery based in the Algarve, Dos Santos makes a handful of craft beers including a pilsner, lager, and an IPA. The brewery follow the Reinheitsgebot method (German Purity Law) for production, which means there are no additives or chemicals.

Others

  • Post Scriptum
  • Calkula 
  • Letra
  • Dois Corvos
  • Barona
  • Amphora
  • Lispoa
  • Dux
  • Lusitana
  • Maldita
  • Aroreira
  • Arrábida Beer Company
  • Burguesa
  • Celinda
  • D’Ourique
  • DEUSA
  • Faustino
  • Gíria
  • Korisca
  • Toira
  • Vadia
  • Medieavalis
  • Oitava Colina
  • Rolls Beer
  • Sant’Ana LX
  • OPO74
  • Praxis
  • Vitória
  • Algarve Rock Brewery

Where to buy/ try craft beer in Portugal

Porto

  • Catraio Beer Shop (shop) – A shop that also has around 10 beers on tap. Great selection of Portuguese and international beers.
  • Porto Craft Beer Tour – A small-group craft beer tour where you visit two of Porto’s craft beer breweries.
  • Armazém da Cerveja (bar and shop) – Offers 5-6 beers on tap, and plenty more in bottle.

Lisbon

  • Duque Brewpub (bar) – Has around 9 different craft beers on tap, many of which are their own, and around 50 different bottled craft beers.
  • Quimera Brew Pub (bar) – Situated in Alcântara, this specialist craft beer pub usually has around 10 different craft beers on tap at any given time.
  • Cerveteca (bar and shop) – Has around 50 different Portuguese and international craft beers. Most are bottled, but a few are on tap.
  • Lisbon Beer Tours (tour) – Offers several tours and workshops, including a workshop where you learn how to make your own craft beer.

Algarve

  • Gourmet made in Portugal (market stall at Loulé market) – Craft beer stall selling Portuguese and international craft beers including beers by Passarola, Dois Corvos, and Oitava Colina.
  • Grains 864 (pub) – Hipster pub in Faro serving all things trendy – doughnuts, hotdogs, burgers, Quesadillas – you name it. Good selection of bottled Portuguese craft beers from the likes of Musa, Passarola, and Barona.
  • Algarve Rock Brewery (brewery) – Faro-based brewery that produces a few different styles of craft beer (including stout, pilsner, pale ale, red ale, and Portuguese IPA) and offers tours and tastings at its brewery.

Craft Beer Festivals

  • Porto Beer Fest (usually mid-June) – Celebrates craft beer from Portugal, with a few international craft beers as well. In 2017, there were around 20 craft beers there including Mean Sardine, Sovina, and Letra.
  • ArtBeerFest Caminha (usually early to mid July) – Celebrates the best of Portuguese and Spanish craft beer.
Written by

James Cave is the founder of Portugalist and the author of the bestselling book, Moving to Portugal Made Simple. He has visited just about every part of Portugal, including Madeira and all nine islands of the Azores, and lived in several parts of Portugal including Lisbon, the Algarve, and Northern Portugal.

You can contact James by emailing james@portugalist.com or via the site's contact form.

Spotted a mistake? Suggest a correction

There are 19 comments on this article. Join the conversation and add your own thoughts, reviews, and stories of life in Portugal. However, please remember to be civil.

Comments

    • Hi YossiD

      There are a few beers that have a Douro connection e.g. Alma D’ouro and Titan of Douro by Maldita. Not sure if any of them have breweries that you can visit though.

      Reply
  1. I would like to buy some bottles of Labat beer that is produced in Vila Vacose. It appears that the only place to buy it is at the towns burger restaurant! The beer is wonderful and I would love to see it available in some shops.

    Reply
  2. Ola Amigo cervejeiro,
    Por favor, poderia adicionar a Hoptrip Craft Beer Shop em sua lista,
    Ficamos em Matosinhos na rua das Marisqueiras.
    lhe aguardo para uma visita,
    abraços e sucesso.
    obrigado e boa semana

    Reply
  3. I am all for all this fancy craft beers that are not only opening all over Portugal but also poping all around the world. It’s a world wide movement that it’s more that a fad. But Superbock or Sagres immediately fill me with an intense nostalgia and bring me home. I can’t help but to feel attached to the king and queen of beers of Portugal.

    Reply
  4. Thanks for the info. We are heading to Portugal in July. Do you have a map showing where the breweries are located? Just wondering if we can stop at a few as we travel around.

    Reply
  5. Thanks for this info.
    I’m spending a week in Carvoiro soon followed by a couple of nights in Evora then Loule.
    Can you recommend any bars for me to visit in these three towns?
    I look forward to your reply – and keep up the good work.

    Reply
  6. Hi,
    We import beer to Italy. Historically we imported Algarve Rock but are in the middle of a very difficult supply problem with them. Which leads to my question, which of the small breweries you know might be registered to export beer
    We find the market enjoys new style Pils beers and IPA’s with abv of 5+%
    If you think you can help I look forward to hearing from you.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Ian,

      Not something I know much about, unfortunately.

      I do know that beerbay.net (a Spanish company) stocks Musa and 8ª Colina beers, so maybe they have this licence.

      Reply
  7. Hello,
    I am interested in opening a craft brewery in Portugal. Where can I find information regarding regulations, and business license.

    Thank you.
    Juergen Seeburger

    Reply
    • Hi Juergen,
      Did you open your craft brewery in Portugal? I’m looking for partners or someone to produce my recipe. If it’s interesting to you, please reach me on my WhatsApp +5567991350093
      Regards,
      Milene

      Reply
  8. One more Craft Beer bar is now open in Lisbon called Sputnik Craft Beer located at Intendente Metro Station. Although the Grand opening is September these guys already have some good beer to try out.

    Reply
  9. Olá! Great job!
    But if you’re going to the Algarve, don’t forget to try MANIA (Lagos), MARAFADA (Algoz), MOURA (Tavira), ABALADIÇA (Loulé), AFTERS (SB Messines)…
    Maybe you can try all of them at the excellent BB-Burguer and Beer in Portimão or at the Beer District in Loulé! 😉 Saúde!

    Reply
    • Hi Stephen,

      There are more and more small craft breweries opening up all the time. It’s getting easier to find craft beer as well especially in places like Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve.

      Reply

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