Breweries in Pernambuco

When we arrived two years ago, finding more flavorful beer was a bit of a challenge. I was only able to track down two local breweries with ease and the occasional beer bar that served fancier beers than Playboy's Devassa or Heineken. Instead Mark and I spent more of our time at our local AM/PM gas station drinking imported beer from their bonafide Beer Cave. If we felt homesick we could shell out for a Brooklyn or Ballast Point label. If we felt especially fancy we'd drink Paulaner. However in the past year, our attention shifted to newer labels showing up; Brazilian labels, many of which came from the south like Rio, Sao Paolo, and Porto Alegre. But we also saw more local goodies popping up fresh from the state of Pernambuco. This of course warmed our hearts tremendously, even if most of the local brew was confined to an IPA. Nevertheless, progress is progress and I am happy to report there are at least 7 breweries that have opened their doors and many, many more beer bars worth checking out. 

Perhaps quite obviously for Mark's 39th birthday we wanted to drink good beer. I hired a tour van for an unbeatable price to take a group of friends to a brewery and two bars around the city: Ekäut Brewery, Beer Dock and Mafua do Januario. A colleague of Mark's had a friend who was about to open his baby, Ekäut Brewery to the public so we had prime opportunity to take part of their soft opening. The owner Diogo Chiaradia gave us a tour, showing off his lovely sacks of malt, shiny fermenters and tanks. He shared his story and obvious passion for beer making- all that great stuff that makes you feel like you're among your own people. After the tour he opened up his bar: 20 reais/beer, or for 60 reais/all-you-can-drink IPAs and Czech Pilsners. You can imagine how that turned out: Totally. Awesome. 

Mark's birthday continued on responsibly to the other bars where more friends met up and celebrated. Believe it or not, everyone enjoyed themselves and no one got sick- even when one of our party members tried to destroy us all with cachaça shots at the last bar.  

Front entrance with Diogo.

Getting warmed up.

The happy group.

Get this for your next party!

Pernambuco Breweries as of July 2016:

Ekäut: http://ekaut.com.br

Babylon: http://www.cervejababylon.com.br/

Patt Lou: https://www.facebook.com/cervejariapattlou/

Duvalia: https://www.facebook.com/cervejaartesanalduvalia/home?ref=page_internal

Estrada: https://www.facebook.com/cervejaestrada

De Bron: https://www.facebook.com/DeBronBier/

Capunga: https://www.facebook.com/capungacraftbeer/home?ref=page_internal

Mark and Emily's Favorite Beer Bars: 

Mafua do Januario: for live music, killer pulled pork sandwiches, and being extrememly close to our apartment in Boa Viagem. https://www.facebook.com/mafuadojanuario/

Beer Cave at the AM/PM: it's local, the kids love it, and they have great customer service (though that might be just because we always bring the kids.) Plus, it's a gas station. https://www.facebook.com/BEERCAVERECIFE/?fref=ts

Beer Dock: for unpretentious setting in a very hip neighborhood, huge selection of taps. http://www.beerdockrecife.com.br/#_=_

Mestre Cervejiero: great selection of bottled beer and cute, pithy t-shirts. Plus they give you free peanuts. https://www.facebook.com/LojaMestreCervejeiroBoaViagem/?fref=ts

Apolo Beer Cafe: the kind of cafe in Recife Antigo where you can spend several hours relaxing on their couch watching BB King, and their brownie selection. https://www.facebook.com/apolobeercafe/