Putting the Craft in Azorean Beer
A shared dream of opening a craft brewery led Tara McLean and Edmundo Estrela to take an Atlantic leap of faith, when they moved from Canada to São Miguel and founded Azores Brewing Company in 2024. Inspired by and made on-site in the archipelago, their craft beer has already become the best-selling in the Azores.
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We all know that the early 2020s was not the easiest time to start a business, and it was not without challenges for partners Tara McLean and Edmundo Estrela either. But in search of a better work–life balance and driven by a dream of starting their own craft brewery, the couple took a chance. At a time when the Azores were beginning to attract more visitors — and, with that, more business — they poured literal craft and hard work into their project. And that paid off: in 2023, they finished building their brand-new brewery in the middle of the Atlantic from the ground up. Only one year after opening their doors, the craft beer became the best selling in the Azores. In addition to the brewery in Ribeira Grande, it is now sold in 80 locations throughout the Azores, spanning restaurants, bars, supermarkets, and hotels, with new outlets added regularly.
“We have grown really, really fast. We have expanded to other islands as well, and we have a small presence in Porto and Lisbon, but our focus for now remains on growing here on the islands. Our goal is to be the craft beer brand of reference for the Azores. And I think our first year and a half has proven that that’s possible,” says Estrela.
Originally from São Miguel, he moved to Canada with his family when he was 12 years old. Later, he met McLean, and chemistry arose in more ways than one. McLean has a background as a chemist, which came in handy when she started experimenting with beer brewing. She is now one of the very few female head brewers in the world, and that’s something they are naturally very proud of at Azores Brewing Company.
“We put our emphasis on elevating women and their power and capacity here at the brewery. As a result, our team is very diverse in that way,” says Estrela.
Founded in 2024 by Tara McLean and Edmundo Estrela, the brewery became the best-selling craft beer brand in the Azores within just one year. It is now available in over 80 locations across the islands, including restaurants, bars, and hotels.
Locals and locality
“When I moved to the Azores I quickly realized there were no good craft beer options. Edmundo’s engineering background and my chemistry knowledge led us on a path to make our own. While it started for personal consumption, it quickly grew. We got good feedback from tastings and private events and by 2020 the conditions presented an opportunity to bring Azores Brewing Company to a wider audience” McLean shares.
The company now employs a team of five year round and up to ten in high season. The brewery has a bar and a beer garden, and both tastings and tours are on offer. Here, in this charming location, the alluring colours of the labels, merchandise, and an outdoor mural flirt with the sunset. There are often events with music, and a local food truck has become a regular feature. The brewery also hosts special events, ranging from food to sports, such as, the North Coast Trail Run and sponsored regional events, such as, the Azorean International Film Festival. “We try to engage with our community in the best ways we can, while also elevating projects and activities that we think are noteworthy,” McLean says.
The brand is not only vibrant in its colour scheme but also in its approach to brewing beer. That may be another reason for the warm welcome it has received from the local community.
“Obviously, in the summer there’s a lot more tourism, but in the winter locals still come by, and that’s been really positive. Our mission is to bring people closer to craft beer and make it approachable, and people appreciate that. When they come by, we always make them feel welcome and help them choose a beer, do a tasting, or figure out what they like. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback for that,” Estrela explains.
The brewery leverages the founders' specialized backgrounds: McLean as a chemist and Estrela as an engineer. McLean is one of the few female head brewers in the world, and the company places a strong emphasis on empowering women within their diverse team.
Seasonal flavours
Like the mist that grazes over the islands, the beers are refreshing on warm summer days — but not only that: they are seasonal. The brewery has four beers as mainstays and four seasonal beers, mainly made using in-season Portuguese produce. One of their summer seasonals in 2025 was a pineapple–strawberry sour.
“We like to create variety. There’s no other sour on the market here, for example. It’s also about bringing in a new style, letting people try something new, and incorporating a local product. For our fall season, we made a cider. We don’t grow apples in the Azores, but mainland has a large apple production, so we produced it with 100% Portuguese apples. It was so popular that we kept it as one of our mainstays. It’s also a plus that no one else is making apple cider here. We’re always looking to do something fresh, using local products when possible,” McLean shares.
Azores Brewing Company focuses on producing high-quality beers with a unique character, yet balanced and approachable. “Often craft beer can have different flavours, which makes it more intimidating. So if you have somebody who’s not really a fan of that style, they’re going to be like, ‘Oh, I don’t like this because it’s too intense,’” McLean explains and continues:
“We only choose the highest-quality raw materials, and for us that’s really, really important, because it directly translates to the quality of the beer. The freshness of the hops may not be super important for commercial lager production, but for one of our IPAs, for example, it’s important to use the freshest hops possible. That’s more expensive, but we don’t compromise on it.”
It’s also worth considering that by choosing a craft beer — especially one made in the Azores — customers are directly contributing to the local economy, through jobs, taxes, suppliers, and service providers, thereby positively impacting the community.
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“We only choose the highest-quality raw materials, and for us that’s really, really important, because it directly translates to the quality of the beer. The freshness of the hops may not be super important for commercial lager production, but for one of our IPAs, for example, it’s important to use the freshest hops possible.”
A clear visual identity
There are also careful considerations behind the visual identity that the young couple chose for their company. The artwork on the labels, the logo, and the large mural in the beer garden is not only appealing but also deeply personal.
“We wanted to be very clearly based in our geography — it is central to our identity that we are an Azorean brand. Our logo, beer names, and imagery are themed around the island and the ocean,” Estrela shares. Titles like Cliff Dive Blonde evoke thoughts of a refreshing swim and fun with friends, while Lighthouse’s Azorean Wheat nods to a local lighthouse and the island's nautical history and identity, and North Coast Amber Ale pays homage to the locals here.
The lighthouse also appears on the mural on the brewery’s exterior wall, along with other local and personal symbols — from a boat, a beloved dog, and a microscope to a Canadian beaver. The mural was hand-printed by the up-and-coming Azorean artist Andreia Sousa.
“She’s been very central to our mural and our presentation here at the brewery. We worked with a designer to develop our visual identity, and Andreia brought it to life and added elements while creating the mural. People interact with and resonate with that imagery,” he says, concluding: “We wanted our identity to be very bright and colourful and to stand out.”
Well, the future does indeed look bright for this colourful and unique brewing company.