Have you ever been on a cruise and thought to yourself, “Man, I’d love it if there were a fully functioning craft brewery onboard.” Well, thanks to Boston Beer’s wholly-owned subsidiary, beer brand incubator Alchemy & Science, you’re now in luck. We just can’t promise the brewery won’t feel more like a gimmick than anything else. Then again, isn’t that was cruises are for?!
The new brewery, which will be fully operational when the Carnival Vista sets sail on May 1, will be located inside the cruise ship’s Key West-themed Red Frog Pub (soon to be appended with & Brewery), and if that name wasn’t silly enough for you, the beers they plan to make are even more irreverent. On draft and made on ship will be the ThirstyFrog Port Hoppin’ IPA, the ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat, and the FriskyFrog Java Stout. We’re not sure what makes one frog frisky and the other two thirsty — perhaps it’s the java?
It’s not uptight, it’s not stuffy, it’s really West Indies meets Key West.
What should we expect from the beers? According to a Carnival spokesperson, “the brews were specifically designed with Carnival Vista guests in mind. ThirstyFrog Port Hoppin’ IPA offers aromatic, floral and hoppy notes with passion fruit and citrus overtones while ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat is an unfiltered lager with aromas of bananas and spices. The third beer, FriskyFrog Java Stout, is a take on a traditional stout, rich and creamy with hints of coffee.”
The decision to build a craft brewery onboard isn’t just a gimmick for press either, as more Carnival Cruise guests are opting for craft beer, already enjoying brews from places like Cigar City and Maui Brewing, a brewery seems logical. And hey, if they can put a golf course, a skating rink and a water park on these floating cities, the least they can do is build a brewery too. Want to learn more? Check out of the press video below:
Images courtesy Carnival Cruise Line