Imperial

In Lisbon and southern Portugal, ordering an imperial gets you a small draft beer, typically around 200ml served in a stemmed glass. The same beer in Porto is called a fino. This north-south linguistic split is one of Portugal's most famous cultural markers.

The imperial is central to Portuguese socialising — enjoyed at esplanadas, tascas, and cervejarias throughout the day. It represents the Portuguese preference for small, fresh, frequently replenished servings over large pints.