The History of Beer in Portugal

It’s believed that by the end of the 1st century BC, beer was already a common drink among the Lusitanians.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, from the 5th century onward, beer production became a household activity — mostly carried out by women.

It wasn’t until the 15th and 16th centuries that commercial records show evidence of beer in Portugal. Customs documents from that time confirm the import of beer from Northern Europe.

In 1689, a complaint addressed to King Pedro II suggests that beer might already have been produced locally — and that it was seen as a threat to wine production.

In 1710, King João V issued a royal decree banning the import of foreign beverages — including beer, wine, and spirits — from entering Portuguese ports.

…But by the late 18th century, beer began arriving once again at Portuguese ports. English beer led the imports, followed by German, French, and Spanish varieties.

Between the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the first beer-selling establishments appeared in the capital, located near the port area.

From the 19th century onward, the first small breweries began to emerge.

In the second half of the 19th century, after a turbulent period in Portuguese history, the beer industry in Portugal experienced a resurgence.

In 1890, Cristal beer was born, and the Companhia União Fabril Portuense (CUFP) was established — the predecessor of UNICER and today’s Super Bock Group.

In 1916, Portugal entered World War I on the side of the Allies and against Germany. As a result, the Germânia brewery changed its name to Portugália.

After the war, in 1918, the economy recovered, and Portugal resumed the import of German barley and English malt.

The hiring of female labor in the beer industry began for the first time at CUFP in 1920.

On March 3, 1927, the application for the registration of the Super Bock brand was submitted, and it was accepted on November 9 of the same year.

The main beer breweries were located in major cities: Lisbon, Coimbra, Porto, Ponta Delgada, and Funchal.

The international crisis intensified between 1931 and 1933. This was followed by a "war" between breweries from the central and northern regions, leading to a significant decline in production volumes.

In 1935, the average annual beer consumption per person was 1 liter.

In 1942, during World War II, the supply of raw materials was severely disrupted.

After the war, beer consumption increased, reaching an average of about 4.6 liters per person by 1960.

In 1966, the two major brewing companies from Lisbon and Porto began collaborating in an export office.

Portugal joined the European Economic Community in 1986, and the previously closed national market opened up to foreign brands.

In 1989, beer consumption surpassed wine consumption.

In April 2003, the Brotherhood of Beer was officially founded. Its mission was to defend beer heritage, promote, and celebrate the benefits of beer in its many forms.

Around 2011, the rise of craft beers began, a movement that brought significant attention to the world of beer.

In 2017, Super Bock celebrated its 90th anniversary. Unicer then became Super Bock Group.