Craft beer in Espírito Santo: where to drink near Perocão

Guarapari isn't just calm beaches. A few kilometers inland, in the hills surrounding Boa Esperança, Arraial do Jabuti and Buenos Aires, sits the Rota da Ferradura — a rural tourism circuit that has also become a craft beer route in Espírito Santo. For guests staying at the Perocão cabins, it makes an easy half-day trip by car.

The Rota da Ferradura, from Perocão

The Argos cabins at Perocão sit in the northern part of Guarapari, on the ES-060 highway between Santa Mônica and Jabaraí — about 8 km, or 10 to 15 minutes by car, from downtown. From there, the Guarapari city government maps another 20 minutes to Buenos Aires, one of the starting points of the Rota da Ferradura: an 18-km circuit linking that community to Boa Esperança and Arraial do Jabuti through preserved Atlantic Forest, springs, and waterfalls. Combined, the drive runs about 30 to 35 minutes to the first brewery.

A beer scene that grew into a state championship

Espírito Santo now runs the Copa Capixaba de Cerveja Artesanal, a competition organized by Aicerva — the state's Association of Craft Beer Industries. That is a sign the local production has grown past a garage hobby: labels now compete, carry regional identity, and breweries welcome visitors as part of a tourist route, not just as a production site. Part of that output comes from these very hills above Guarapari, along the Rota da Ferradura, where small breweries share space with rural restaurants and agrotourism properties.

The movement doesn't stop in Guarapari. Greater Vitória now has a route with at least six craft breweries spread across the capital and neighboring towns, and the state's coastline adds several more stops — a sign that craft beer in Espírito Santo has moved from niche to a real reason to travel for visitors who already know the state's beaches and are looking for the next stop.

Craft beer in Espírito Santo already has its own state championship — and part of the production comes from the hills half an hour from Perocão.

Two solid stops along the route

1. Cervejaria Speranza & Restaurante — in the Boa Esperança community, in-house production featuring the Arábica Lager, a light draft brewed with 100% Espírito Santo coffee. Open Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm.
2. Cervejaria Buena Vista — in Buenos Aires, one of the route's starting points, with a menu of Brazilian bar snacks to pair with the draft beer. Open Friday (noon-8pm), Saturday (11am-7pm) and Sunday (11am-6pm).
3. The rest of the Rota da Ferradura — between stops, the 18-km circuit passes rivers, springs, and rural properties; enough to fill the whole afternoon before heading back to Perocão, kids included.

Getting there from Perocão

Access is by car only — there is no direct public transport to Guarapari's rural area. From the Argos cabins at Perocão, the most direct path follows the ES-060 to downtown and then the signs toward Buenos Aires. It's worth leaving in the morning: both breweries close early, especially on weekends, and the rest of the route is better enjoyed in daylight.

It's worth carrying cash and checking cell signal before heading out — part of the Rota da Ferradura has unstable coverage, and not every rural venue takes cards all the time. Some unpaved stretches also call for extra care from drivers unfamiliar with the area; a car with a bit more ground clearance helps after rain.