PretendPint

Which beers sold as foreign are brewed in Britain, and what to buy instead

MenuClose

Where is Sagres brewed?

By Mark Porter Last checked 9 September 2026 How we check

Genuine import

Sagres is genuinely imported from Portugal, at the same strength as at home.

Listed by Tesco when last checked. The product pages are among the sources below.

5.0%
UK
2.8 units a pint
5.0%
Portugal
2.8 units a pint
The UK version matches the strength sold in Portugal.

Every beer on the shelf by strength · How the units are worked out

Brewed for the UK in
Imported from Portugal
Imported
Sold as a beer from
Portugal
Portuguese name and pack copy, 'Portuguese Lager' descriptor
Brewed in (country)
Portugal
Brand owner
Heineken N.V. (Sociedade Central de Cervejas e Bebidas)
HQ: Amsterdam, Netherlands
UK strength
5.0%
2.8 units a pint
Strength at home (Portugal)
5.0%
2.8 units a pint. UK listings show 5.0% ABV, the same as the Portuguese product.
What the UK label says
“Portuguese lager (retailer listing did not show an explicit country of origin field)”
Source: www.tesco.com
More about the brand: rights, style, when it was created, where it is brewed at home
UK rights held by
Heineken UK Limited (owned)
Style
Lager
Brand created
1940, Portugal
Brewed at home in
Vialonga, Portugal (Sociedade Central de Cervejas)

What we have not confirmed

A retailer page confirms the strength, but it gives no country of origin, and at least some listings appear to come through a third-party importer. We have no evidence either way of UK brewing. The owner (Heineken's Portuguese business) and the Portuguese brewery are widely reported but not yet backed by a source we cite. When we last looked (9 September 2026), Morrisons, Asda, Ocado, Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Bestway did not list it, and nor did the LWC wholesale catalogue.

If you have a can or bottle to hand, the producer's name and address in the small print would settle it.

In short

Sagres is imported. The UK product is brewed at Vialonga in Portugal. It is also the same strength as at home, 5.0%. The brand belongs to Heineken N.V. (Sociedade Central de Cervejas e Bebidas). The label says: "Portuguese lager (retailer listing did not show an explicit country of origin field)."

Who has brewed it here

YearsBrewerSiteSource
2008 to nown/a (imported); Heineken took control of Sociedade Central de Cervejas via the Scottish & Newcastle break-upPortugaltesco.com

Questions people ask

Where is Sagres brewed?

The UK product is imported. It is brewed at Vialonga in Portugal.

Is Sagres brewed in the UK?

No. The UK product is brewed in Portugal.

Is Sagres really Portuguese?

Yes, on origin: the UK product is brewed in Portugal.

Who owns Sagres?

Sagres is owned by Heineken N.V. (Sociedade Central de Cervejas e Bebidas), headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the UK the brand is handled by Heineken UK Limited.

What strength is Sagres in the UK?

Sagres is 5.0% ABV in the UK. In Portugal it is 5.0%. A UK pint is 2.8 units.

Is Sagres weaker in the UK than in Portugal?

No. It is 5.0% in both the UK and Portugal.

See also

Super Bock
Imported from Portugal · 4.7% · sold as Portuguese

Side by side with Super Bock.

Every beer sold as Portugal · Every brand owned by Heineken N.V.

Last checked 9 September 2026. How we check.

Sources

  1. Tesco (tesco.com), 5 September 2026: 5.0% vol, described as Portuguese lager; sold by marketplace seller Drayman Direct (Beviqua Ltd)
  2. petebrown.net
  3. sagresbeer.co.uk

Spotted an error?Tell us what the pack says and we will check it. mark@pretendpint.com