Galway woman revives Algarve donkey traditions through craft beer venture
A Galway woman living in southern Portugal is helping revive the traditions of one of the Algarve’s most historic villages – through craft beer.
Clair McNamara, originally from Ganty, Craughwell, moved to the Algarve five years ago and soon became deeply connected to village life in a mountain town of Alte, near Loulé), a picturesque, whitewashed village famous for its springs, waterfalls and traditional way of life.
After rescuing a young donkey named Clara, Clair became fascinated by the disappearing donkey culture of the region.
Historically, Alte – a village of roughly 400 inhabitants – would once have had more than 150 donkeys working in agriculture and daily village life.
But today, only a handful remain – including Clara and a male donkey named Baltazar.
Inspired by the history of the village, and after visiting vineyards and microbreweries across the Algarve, Clair has now launched a new craft beer brand called Burros da Cerveja (“Beer Donkeys”).
The range currently includes two beers: Clara, a lighter blonde ale named after her rescued donkey, and Baltazar, a darker ale inspired by one of the remaining male donkeys in the village who is well known in the Loulé Municipality.
The beers are now being sold across the Algarve ahead of the busy summer tourism season, with the project combining local brewing, storytelling and cultural preservation.
Speaking about the venture, Clair said she wanted the beers to celebrate both the quality of Algarve craft brewing and the traditions of village life.
I’m delighted to be able to help some of the best microbrewers in the Algarve sell more of their fantastic beer
“It’s really nice to be involved in a project that honours the traditions of the village while also delivering a quality product,” she said.
“I’m delighted to be able to help some of the best microbrewers in the Algarve sell more of their fantastic beer, while at the same time reviving the memories so many people have of the donkeys that were once such an important part of life here.”
Part of the revenue from the beer sales will go towards helping care for the remaining donkeys in the village, including contributing to veterinary costs.
Clair hopes the brand will continue to grow over the coming years, with plans to expand distribution across Portugal and develop the beer into a wider celebration of Algarve culture, agriculture and craftsmanship.
The Americans have also adapted a variation on the custom; where a Beer Burro is a donkey equipped with a saddlebag full of bottled beer and specialty drink items.
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And the donkeys are popular at all sorts of functions from barbeques to weddings where guests can avail of a beverage – beer, champagne, even shots – as the donkey and accompanying bartender meander past!
But Clair’s operation is more rooted in age-old tradition – and it’s giving back to the community that she calls home.
Set against the backdrop of the Algarve hills, Burros da Cerveja is already attracting attention from tourists, hotels and bars looking for authentic local products with a story behind them – and for Clair McNamara, it is also a way of ensuring that the traditions of Alte’s donkeys are not forgotten.