We need a good reason to wander into the throngs of people that normally populate the streets of the Baixa neighborhood in central Lisbon. One: the cellar of goodies at the Garrafeira Nacional location on the corner of Rua da Conceição and Rua dos Fanqueiros. Two: the new Portugal outpost of Cerveja Canil.
The tap list at Cerveja Canil features 32 taps–and only one appeared to be out during our visit 
The rotating tap list stretches onto the ceiling at Cerveja Canil
The brewery hails from Brazil, and they are in the midst of finding a location in Lisbon in which to fabricate their beers in Portugal. That said, they featured six taps of Canil brews, with only one (the weiss) tapped out. The remainder of the brewpub’s 32 taps featured Portuguese beers, or other beers from around the world–with a heavy focus on Portugal.
The bartender offered me a Canil tasting flight of mini-pints, just enough to catch a glimpse of their beer range, but at no charge. Thus I tried the red ale (lots of coffee and caramel) and the Russian imperial stout (a bit of almost bubble gum sweetness), plus the blonde ale, which did not show much oompf. However, the tastes of the session IPA and the NEIPA led us to get imperials of each to try more.
A flight of tastings at Cerveja Canil in Lisbon’s Baixa neighborhood 
A pairing menu at Cerveja Canil guides you through food selections if you need a tip
The Session IPA was one of my favorites. With guava aromas, it came off as very fresh. The palate featured evenly integrated bitters with a finish that rose up to greet you. Lively brew! 5,7% abv.
The NEIPA came off with muted florals on the nose, bringing more to the game on the palate, but a bit of a muddle of citrus. I couldn’t get a clear read on this one. 7,5% abv.
The beautiful Cerveja Canil Session IPA 
The brewery’s own NEIPA at Cerveja Canil
Next, we tried two Portuguese selections. The first, the Três Maus Niña Grape Ale, at 9,3% abv, packed a bit of a punch. It was brewed with Syrah grapes, and smelled of the aged, soaked barrel. The flavor of Syrah came through as well–a meaty red with a bit of body. Intriguing.
Finally, my favorite of the afternoon, the Trevo Shamrock’s Quest NEIPA. With classic guava aromas and smooth ripe fruit on the palate, this read like a text book NEIPA–right down to the tinge of haze in the glass. 6% abv.
Três Naus Niña Grape Ale at Cerveja Canil 
A lovely NEIPA from Trevo in Portugal, at Cerveja Canil
We paired the above with an order of batatas fritas with a queijo dip made from Estrela cheese and sprinkled with rosemary. I nearly licked the bowl. Yum. Get one for yourself because you will not want to share!
Home made fries with a tasty queijo dip (and fresh rosemary) at Cerveja Canil
We can understand how Cerveja Canil will soon be crowded with craft beer enthusiasts from around the world who will find it in the heart of Lisbon’s tourist district–and we wish them well. With the friendly service and wide range of tasty beers, it makes for a fine stop on your Lisbon beer tour.
Rua dos Douradores 133, Lisboa-Baixa Portugal +351 21 887 3321