Alchemy & Science Helps Carnival Cruise Line Launch On-Board Brewery

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Boston Beer Company, the country’s second-largest craft beer producer, recently helped Carnival, the world’s largest cruise ship operator, build a floating microbrewery on-board its new Carnival Vista vessel.

In a press statement, Carnival said it worked with Alchemy & Science, Boston Beer’s wholly-owned subsidiary incubator, to launch version 2.0 of its Key West-inspired bar, the Red Frog Pub, which will now also feature a small brewery.

“We’ve been working for months with these talented partners who have helped us create three exciting and unique craft beers for Carnival Vista and we anticipate our guests are going to absolutely love them,” Eddie Allen, Carnival’s vice president of beverage operations said in a press statement.

The extended partnership builds on a pre-existing relationship with Boston Beer Company that began last fall, when Carnival started carrying brands from three Alchemy & Science-owned breweries — Miami’s Concrete Beach, LA’s Angel City and New York’s Coney Island.

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According to Alchemy & Science brewmaster Jon Carpenter, Carnival — which is headquartered just 10 miles from the Concrete Beach brewery — had approached the company as a collaborator for Red Frog’s beer recipes and asked for their input on how to build a brewery.

In addition to serving as a consultant and helping to develop the pub’s recipes, Carpenter also helped the cruise company recruit and train Red Frog’s head brewer.

Carnival will offer three boat-brewed beers when Carnival Vista sets sail on its maiden voyage on May 1: Thirsty Frog Port Hoppin’ IPA, Thirsty Frog Caribbean Wheat, and Frisky Frog Java Stout.

Although he was uncertain of any future plans for Red Frog’s brewing program, Carpenter said he would continue to work with Carnival as an unofficial consultant for the next few months and he hopes to continue collaborating on the beer.

“I think it’ll work more like being on-call,” he said “I’m lending a hand to someone we’ve worked with a little bit in any way we can be helpful.”

The new brewpub expands upon Carnival’s growing focus toward serving locally-brewed craft beer. The company has made an effort in recent years to offer brands, including Cigar City, Alaskan and Maui Brewing, among others, from numerous port-of-launch cities on its regional cruises within the U.S.