Your Essential Guide to Portuguese Drinks

Every country has its traditional drinks. Some are iconic beverages made with local ingredients. Others originated in faraway places, but regional or national brands picked them up and popularized them all over. For example, you easily associate Limoncello with Italy and Champagne with France. On the other hand, you might not know Fanta and Sprite originated in Germany.

Similarly, most people know Port wine production as typical of Portugal. But what else do the Portuguese drink? Which beverages were born or became popular in the country? More importantly, what can you expect to drink when visiting Portugal?

Welcome to your essential guide to Portuguese drinks. Explore world-renowned drinks and lesser-known beverages. Learn about how local ingredients dictated the drinking culture in and outside Portugal. Dive into the most traditional Portuguese beverages, from delicious port wines to non-alcoholic drinks!

An Introduction to Portuguese Drinks

Portugal is home to a wide range of delicious drinks. Some are popular liqueurs nationwide, like Licor Beirão. Others have been recognized internationally countless times as the famous Port wine. Additionally, the country also boasts various high-quality soft drinks.

Thus, regardless of the type of drink you prefer, it is safe to say Portugal will likely have something to please your taste buds. Besides, these drinks have a rich background and represent specific regions of the country.

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Traditional Portuguese Beverages

Discover all about the different types of Portuguese drinks! Start by exploring the famous Portuguese wine production and distilled grape spirits, and uncover the strongest Portuguese drinks. Then, move to local beverages based on traditional local ingredients, perfect for refreshing a hot day.

Wines of Portugal

In 2019, Portugal was the fourth largest wine producer country in the European Union. Worryingly, it is also the country with the highest wine consumption per capita in the world.

Still, different regions and soils produce and have become famous for diverse types of wine in styles and flavors to suit every taste. From white and red wine to rosé, you will surely find your pick here regardless of your flavor preferences.

Douro and Trás-os-Montes

The Douro region is worldwide famous for its wine production. Located in northern Portugal, it focuses on traditional grape varieties. Wine-making is a fine art that merges classic techniques with modern ideas to create unique drinks with a distinct flavor. The renowned Port wine, for instance, is a product made only in the Douro region.

From Alentejo and Ribatejo

The Alentejo and Ribatejo in central Portugal are two regions that produce some of the best quality grapes in the country. The production in these regions is highly regulated, and the resulting Portuguese wines are some of the natives’ favorites.

Other Regions

You can find vineyards almost anywhere in Portugal. In the past few years, even regions that were not usually associated with wine production, like the Algarve, have begun harboring local production.

Vinho Verde

Vinho Verde is a type of Green wine that is young and not yet fully matured. It reminds you of a sparkling wine with a fruity taste and a slight effervescence. Vinho Verde is typical of a region called Monção e Melgaço.

Fortified Wine

Fortified wines are one of Portugal’s specialties. These are options higher in alcohol content. Still, they also have a depth of flavor and texture, unlike any other drinks.

Port Wine

Port Wine is one of the most popular Portuguese drinks worldwide, and the market should continue growing. Its making has been regulated in the Douro Valley since 1756. This unique wine region is a UNESCO World Heritage that has harbored wine production for over 2000 years.

There are many different types of Port wine to suit a variety of moments and go with diverse meals. For example, the White Port is perfect as an aperitif. Contrarily, the Tawny Port is an amazing dessert wine that brings out the best of deep flavors like dark chocolate and cinnamon.

Madeira Wine

Madeira wine is a fortified wine from the Atlantic islands of Madeira. It is renowned for its unique aging process and unique flavor. Its production goes back to the discovery of the Madeira islands in 1419. Today, it is one of the most appreciated wines, exported to countries like China, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Moscatel

Moscatel is a sweet and rich fortified wine made from Muscat grapes. It has a delicate perfume and a sweet taste, appreciated all around the world. There are different types of Muscat grapes, which naturally produce diverse wines.

In Portugal, Moscatel de Setúbal is one of the most famous references. But the Muscat is a popular grape variety among national wine producers.

Spirits and Liqueurs

Spirits and liqueurs are part of the Portuguese culture. Often with a sweet flavor and high in alcohol, these drinks are usually served cold.

Ginjinha

Ginjinha is a sweet liqueur made from sour cherries, or morello cherries, and lots of sugar. After the picking, the fruit is left macerating for at least a year, creating an alcoholic drink. You might easily recognize Ginjinha, as it is in almost all major tourist places and is usually served in edible chocolate cups.

Licor Beirão

Licor Beirão originated in Lousã, in the Portuguese region of Beira, during the 19th century. What started as a medicine became one of the diffused drinks nationwide. It is a sweet and aromatic herbal liqueur and distilled from seeds and herbs.

Aguardente

Aguardente translates to Fiery water. It is a distilled spirit made from wines, liquors, and vegetable products. Depending on where you go in Portugal, you will likely find different types of Aguardente that vary according to the local crops and traditions.

For example, in the Algarve, locals love to drink Aguardente de Medronho, made with Arbutus, which grows in the region. Similarly, in Madeira, where sugar cane production is most common, the natives make Aguardente de Cana. They also use it to make the traditional Poncha da Madeira by adding honey, sugar, and lemon juice.

Amarguinha

Amarguinha, or Licor de Amêndoa Amarga, is a sweet and bitter almond liqueur. It is typical from southern Portugal, where natives serve it as a digestif or use it in cocktails.

Macieira

Named after its creator, José Maria Macieira, it is a popular brandy in Portugal. Macieira originated in 1885 and, until today, has been made based on the same secret recipe. Its production moved to Spain under the direction of the international spirits company Pernod Ricard, owner of the Macieira brand since 2000.

Beer in Portugal

The two most popular Portuguese beer brands are Super Bock and Sagres. Each has several types of lagers and brews. Additionally, many independent breweries across the country create and produce unique craft beers. You can find a list of craft breweries nationwide here.

The Portuguese natives enjoy cold bottled or draught beer all year long. Besides, beer is often the drink of choice during summer festivals and events. For example, Super Bock has its own summer festival called Super Bock Super Rock. Instead, Sagres is an official sponsor of Festival F in Faro.

Non-Alcoholic Portuguese Beverages

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The Portuguese are great consumers of many non-alcoholic drinks. No matter where you go, you will find places to buy fresh fruit juices, from traditional orange juice to more inventive mixtures. There is even a national fruit juice brand called Compal, established in 1952.

Look at what other non-alcoholic drinks you can have in Portugal.

Coffee

Most Portuguese natives do not spend a day without having coffee. Despite not being a coffee producer, Portugal started importing coffee beans from its colonies around 1727. Thus, it quickly became a traditional drink, adopted by everyone who could access it.

Discover what coffee drinks you will find at your closest Portuguese café! Read: How to Order Portuguese Coffee And watch: All the Types of Coffee Served in Portugal.

Tea

Tea drinks are the second most preferred beverage in the world and are a very popular choice in Portugal. The country was one of the foremost European states to consume tea and the first to produce it for commercial purposes. The national tea production exists in Fornelo, mainland Portugal, and in the Azores archipelago.

Black tea is the most popular type in Portugal. Although, many natives enjoy other flavors, like chamomile and mint. You can also find tea-specialized shops like the Companhia Portuguesa do Chá that continue diffusing the consumption of herbal-based drinks.

Portuguese Soft Drinks

For many, the most refreshing drink during a hot day is a soda served cold in a glass filled with ice cubes. They are tasty alternatives to alcoholic beverages. Discover three Portuguese-made soft drinks.

Sumol

Sumol is a Portuguese Soft drinks brand founded in Lisbon in 1954. Over the years, it became popular in and outside Portugal. Today, Sumol is a refreshing soda that comes in several flavors, including orange, pineapple, and passionfruit.

Kima

Kima is a local delicacy produced on the Portuguese island of São Miguel in the Azores. Made with passionfruit, it is fizzy, sweet, and slightly citrusy.

Brisa

Brisa is a fruit-based soft drink brand born in 1969 in Madeira. Its passionfruit-flavored soda was the first drink in the world based on pure passionfruit juice.

Summing up On Traditional Portuguese Drinks

Portugal is a paradise for wine lovers. It offers a diverse and rich drinking culture, from world-renowned wines to unique local liqueurs and soft drinks. Whether you love a sweet drink or prefer a healthy cup of tea, you can find your new favorite drink in Portugal.

Knowing the types of drinks produced and commercialized in Portugal takes you one step further into the local culture. After all, there is nothing like having a traditional Portuguese drink with the natives. It allows you to immerse yourself in local customs and practice your Portuguese!

What is your favorite traditional Portuguese drink? Share your favorites with us in the comments below – we would love to hear about your discoveries and recommendations! Plus, as you plan your next trip to Portugal, remember to include local and traditional drinks in your agenda. We promise you will not regret it!