retiredmartin

March 2024. Porto. Portugal.

These ubiquitous craft beer bars just aren’t photogenic (OK, that Mikkeller one in Norrebro) and you won’t convince me otherwise.

But, after 3 hours and 20,000 steps up and down Porto’s hills there was no question that’s where we were headed next.

But it was only just gone 3pm, Mrs RM wasn’t up to the queue for the cathedral, or the sherry, and sometimes only a 10% Imperial Stout will do.

But where to go ? If only I’d remembered the estimable Tim Thomas’s Porto blog,

Instead, I typed “Craft Beer” into Google, and two came up with a few minutes of our Zero Box hotel.

But of course, being “craft”, they didn’t open till the uncivilised hour of 4pm; plenty of time to drag Mrs RM on another 3,000 steps round the steep lanes of Porto,

and then up a road that would give Sheffield’s Blake Street a contest.

We stood for a moment out of breath hoping to see a vehicle attempt the ascent.

And then joined a queue of two (2) outside Armazem, two Americans in fact, who I will guess come from Des Moines and Seattle. They were on the well-reviewed Porto Craft Beer tour, under the enthusiastic care of a young local who was asking and answering the sort of questions you no doubt hoped this blog would address.

How many of the beers are local ?

Is Portuguese craft “big” or a bit like unpasteurised cheese in the Fens ?

Which ones have the best scores on Untappd ?

Should I start with the weakest or go big ?

Foolishly, I only bought Mrs RM a half of the 8.2% Imperial Stout, following the lead of the Americans. NEVER follow the lead of the Americans.

The soundtrack started on early Arctic Monkeys, because every European beer bar is obliged to prop up Alex Turner’s finances after the failure of his last LP, and moved to Paramore and Orbit Culture.

Easy to like, slightly harder to love. Good beer (Sovina and Dos Diablos), but again you could have been in Sheffield or Stockholm. Were there any pubs in Porto like The Sun or The Vaults ?

Mrs RM insisted on a second half of Imperial Stout and a HUGE euro portion of nuts. The diet was going badly.

It seems we stayed nearly an hour, until “93 on Rate Beer” Letraria round the corner opened at 5.

Except it had already opened. Flippin’ micros.

Another shop conversion, another lovely barperson (the Portuguese were great), another multi-coloured beer board, which is not to be confused with Noel Edmonds TV breakthrough.

It was too complicated; I had the local flight of six (6) Letra beers, in a nice basement with proper tables,

though I’d have preferred the famous city garden, which at least does give it a USP.

Blonde, Pilsner, Red, IPA, Dark, Stout. Tasting notes on Untappd if you’re keen. They were all good, and not too carbonated, but it’s hardly reinventing beer, is it ? How I longed for a pint of Doom Bar by the end of the week.

Mrs RM retired to bed about 6, I nipped out mid-evening, resisted Catraio, but admired the splendour of the city at night.

And took Mrs RM a nightcap back from its busiest, and most impressive, if not most famous, restaurant;

See if you can guess what that is.