Top spots for a beer in Porto

Porto has long been associated with wine — especially port, the fortified wine that is stored, matured and sampled in abundance at the local bars, cellars and warehouses. But travellers who prefer beer to wine are increasingly well catered for in Portugal’s second-biggest city, where an increasing number of microbreweries, taprooms and brewpubs dot the vibrant streets in and around the historic centre. These spots combine for an intriguing bar crawl and you’ll discover parts of Porto you’d probably otherwise miss.

BAOBAB

Claim a seat at one of the handful of tables or a stool at the bar of this welcoming establishment, on a quiet street behind City Hall. Expect friendly English-speaking staff, fridges stocked with brightly labelled beers and a chalkboard showing what’s currently on tap. You may even get complimentary peanuts with your drink. Portuguese brewers are well-represented at Baobab, including Lisbon-based Dois Corvos (Two Crows), who conjured the award-winning Murder in Porto, an imperial stout aged in port wine barrels. It looks a bit like Guinness, but is more than twice as strong (at 11 per cent proof). A half-pint of this is usually enough.

CATRAIO

Walk (totter) about five minutes west of Baobab and you’ll be on the main shopping strip of Cedofeita, a trendy inner-city enclave. On this pedestrianised thoroughfare, Catraio Craft Beer Shop & Bar lives up its name, selling global and Portuguese ales to take away and to serve here. You can sit inside and browse the beer paraphernalia, hit the garden out back or one of the tables spilling onto Rua de Cedofeita, where you can people-watch as you drink. Choose from a revolving selection of beers, with options such as Wildery Portuguese Grape Ale With Prunus Persica and Catraio’s own Brotherhood hazy pale ale.

ARMAZEM AND LETRARIA

This pair are practically next-door neighbours, around the corner from each other just east of the Bolhao market district, so it’s almost obligatory to visit both. Strong on Portuguese and Spanish craft beers, Armazem has a darts board and a covered patio out back, but the spacious beer garden at Letraria, accessible by a staircase, is one of Porto’s real secluded gems, with family-friendly vibes and tables surrounded by citrus trees and vegetable plots. Take your pick from their own brews, which span a variety of styles: from bohemian pilsners to Belgian dark ales. If you’re peckish, pair them with bar snacks like croquettes, chicken wings and samosas.

COLOSSUS

They brew just metres from where patrons sit and sip at Colossus, a taproom-microbrewery that’s worth the climb up steep Rua de Dom Joao IV (10 minutes’ on foot from Letraria). This is another spot with affable bar staff, happy to make suggestions, including the beers from their own Dos Diabos brand like the Philosopher Brown Ale and Saturday Night Lager. Don’t be surprised to hear tunes from the likes of Motorhead, Metallica and Led Zeppelin reverberating from the bar’s speakers. Look around and you’ll see a faux skull, an electric guitar and posters for rock and metal concerts.

CERVEJARIA DO CARMO

If you’d prefer to drink more centrally, there’s also a decent selection of domestic and international ales at this little bar, which has a prime position on Praca de Carlos Alberto close to the University of Porto and the landmark Clerigos Tower. If it’s a nice day, look for a chair outside and admire the fabulously decorative blue-and-white tiles that clad the side of the Carmo church, a mid-18th century landmark across the street.

+ Steve McKenna was a guest of Collette. They have not influenced or seen this story.

fact file + You’ll have free time to explore Porto on Collette’s 15-day Flavours of Portugal & Spain tour, which includes three nights here. The tour is available on dates throughout the year, priced from $6299 per person. It’s one of Collette’s small-group Explorations offerings, starting in Lisbon and ending in San Sebastian, visiting cities along the way plus the Douro Valley and Rioja wine regions. See gocollette.com/en-AU + For more tourist information on Porto and Portugal, see visitportugal.com