Cruise ship brews beer from desalinated seawater
A microbrewery onboard a cruise ship that uses treated seawater to brew has been described as a “world first” for the sector.
After MSC World Europa revealed that it is producing beer onboard using desalinated seawater to brew its “Oceanic” beer, queries over the move from across all sides of the sector looked at the set-up. The brewing, which happens while out at sea, is currently overseen in a fully operational microbrewery based on “deck eight” and has been positioned as a way of combining production, sustainability and onboard experience in one initiative.
Osmosis
Highlighting how the beer is made, in a recent interview on the topic of the brewery, the cruise’s bar manager Giulio Giannini said: “Basically, we desalinate seawater through osmosis. The resulting water is pure H2O, nothing more. From there, the entire brewing process begins.”
According to Giannini, all production takes place entirely on the vessel, this encompasses milling and brewing right through to fermentation and maturation. A feat that puts the task into the realms of challenging, but not impossible.
Speaking to the drinks business, beer fan Mark Cole admitted that, for him, the move to house a microbrewery onboard “might make me actually consider a cruise,” showing that the positives for the sector are that it will help broaden the audience for cruises in general, attracting beer drinkers.
Describing the beers available, Giannini revealed that the three varieties on sale onboard include: Oceanic Pils, Oceanic Wheat and Oceanic Bitter and revealed that each have been brewed on the boat. The beers range in alcohol between 4% ABV and 4.5% ABV with the bitter weighing in at 4.4% ABV.
Beer produced on board every day
Offering more insight into how the brewery is perceived, Giannini said that “at first, visitors think it’s just for show” but then went on to highlight that the set-up is a legitimate working brewery and added: “We produce beer on board every day.” But, he admitted: “Drinking a beer produced on board is a unique experience.”
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Giving a nod to the use of treated seawater, known for its salt content, YouTube’s Craft Beer Channel mused that a sour beer style like a gose would be appropriate to brew and told db: “Gose would be a no-brainer”.
Being privy to consuming Oceanic has been included in the cruise ship’s entry-level package, but MSC World Europa has also made the beer available for passengers to try individually and through premium packages when booking their cruises.
The initiative has been positioned to reflect a wider incentive to create ways for the modern cruise sector to show it is not just forward-thinking, but also conscientious, self-sufficient and innovative.
Distiller builder Jamie Baxter revealed to db that he was aware of “a few [cruise ships] are distilling gin and/or rum” but mused over the logistics of producing beer onboard and added that “water usage is a potential issue for brewing”.
MSC World Europa has said that the ship’s microbrewery runs on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and produces water for onboard use, while also operating waste recycling systems and other sustainability technologies that are targeted at helping to reduce the cruise ship’s environmental impact.
Last year, beer made from recycled shower water hit the market, while a brewery selling beer made from treated sewage has also made headlines and sold out due to demand.
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I love the idea of ‘onboard brewing’. I can see it becoming a sustainable venture that will keep the beers fresh & cut down on the costs of imported brews. It could also lead to a sales market as a supplier to ports of call. An interesting venture, once the tax situation is answered.