Boston Beer Co. launches floating brewery

Carnival Cruise Lines has teamed up with a Miami-based brewer to launch the “first” craft beer brewery on board a North American cruise ship.

Three exclusive beers will be brewed on board; the ThirstyFrog Port Hoppin’ IPA; ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat; and the FriskyFrog Java Stout.

Passengers travelling on the Carnival Vista, the cruise line’s newest and largest ship, will be able to enjoy brews made on board at its Key West-themed RedFrog Pub, soon to be RedFrog Pub & Brewery, by the Concrete Beach Brewery.

An independently run subsidiary of the Boston Beer Company, which owns Samuel Adams, Concrete Beach is an “Alchemy & Science brand”, which means its aim is to produce beers that are representative of their respective locales. Its land-brewed beers include Tropic of Passion – a passion fruit wheat beer.

Its on-board brewery will be fully operational when the Carnival Vista sets sail on May 1 and will produce three exclusive beers; the ThirstyFrog Port Hoppin’ IPA; ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat; and the FriskyFrog Java Stout.

“It was an honor to be a part of this one-of-a-kind project, and we feel like we created a great variety that is sure to please guests,” said Jon Carpenter, Concrete Beach Brewery brewmaster.

“It’s common for vacationers to want to test out the local beer and Carnival Vista has taken the concept of local, and applied it to the decks of their ship.”