Carnival Cruise Line Introduces ParchedPig Craft Beer

Carnival Horizon Cruise Ship to Serve New Line of Craft Beer

Last week we attended an event onboard the Carnival Vista for the introduction of the new ParchedPig Craft Beer brand which is set to debut on the Carnival Horizon’s Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse|Brewhouse, a new dining concept that combines the best of both worlds – an onboard brewery and a full-service restaurant featuring “real deal” BBQ favorites and sides developed by Food Network star Guy Fieri.

Carnival’s expert brewmaster, Colin Presby, and Carnival Vice President of Beverage Operations Edward Allen ceremoniously tapped the keg to officially introduce this new line of craft beer.

My husband and I tasted the complete new line of brews, along with a sampling of items from the Smokehouse|Brewhouse menu. The names of the beers – whose names are playful takes on the line’s popular ThirstyFrog brews that debuted onCarnival Vista – are inspired by the varied barbecue offerings at Smokehouse|Brewhouse.  The four new beers on Carnival Horizon will include:

·       ParchedPig Smoked Porter – brewed with in-house smoked malt, this robust, full-bodied beer offers big and bold flavors and notes of molasses and hickory smoke, providing the perfect complement to Smokehouse|Brewhouse’s BBQ favorites

·       ParchedPig Farmhouse Ale – this lightly hopped beer is distinguished by its blond color, fruity and complex character with mild spice notes that balance the brew’s dry finish

·       ParchedPig Toasted Amber Ale – highlighted by its rich amber color and notes of toasted caramel and biscuit, this beer is well balanced, smooth and highly drinkable

·       ParchedPig West Coast IPA – the embodiment of a traditional West Coast India Pale Ale, this hoppy, intense beer is loaded with bitterness with a bright flavor profile and distinctive aroma of citrus and pine

My personal favorite was the ParchedPig Farmhouse Ale, while my husband was partial to the ParchedPig Smoked Porter. Each beer has a unique taste that paired well with the various food samples. When the Carnival Horizon begins her inaugural season in a few months, I hope to get a chance to try out the full menu and beer pairings.

The neat thing about the ParchedPig Smoked Porter is that it is brewed with in-house smoked malt, the first of its kind on a cruise ship. After the crowds left, I had a chance to briefly chat with Colin Presby, who let me peek inside the Vista’s onboard brewery found inside the ThirstyFrog Pub, the site of his first run of smoking the malt on a cruise ship.

“Smokehouse|Brewhouse is a unique culinary concept and we’ve created four fantastic brewed-on-board craft beers that not only showcase different tastes and brewing styles but also serve as the ideal accompaniment to the venue’s delicious array of barbecue offerings,” said Presby.

The brewery takes center stage at Smokehouse|Brewhouse, which, in addition to delicious craft beers and custom cocktails, will offer a rustic, down-home décor as well as a variety of Fieri-designed favorites, all smoked “low and slow” using the chef’s signature rubs and spices.  The tantalizing offerings include smoked-on-board brisket, Memphis-style back ribs, dry-rubbed chicken, pulled pork, and cedar-smoked salmon, along with the chef’s own take on traditional sides and his signature sauces.  Dinner menu items are offered on an a la carte basis with a free-of-charge self-service BBQ lunch buffet available on embarkation day and sea days.

If this tasting event is any indication of the final product that will be available on the new Carnival Horizon, go ahead and book my cruise! Special thanks to Carnival Cruise Line for inviting us to this experience onboard the Carnival Vista.

To see more about our experience, check out this video produced by Cruise Addicts.