Cathay Pacific will soon offer its own Betsy-branded craft beer to first- and business-class passengers on flights between Hong Kong (HKG) and the U.K.
Available through April 30, the craft beer has been specially brewed for in-flight consumption. Its recipe is designed to soften bitterness and enhance sweetness, accounting for how cabin altitude and cabin pressure dull taste perception.
“We all know that food tastes very different while in the air, primarily because of the cabin pressure and the dullness of your taste buds affects the way you taste your food,” said Aaron Claxton, head of catering, Cathay Pacific. “When it comes to drink and beverages, we do a lot of work on how we pair our wines with the food we offer. That has been beyond the realms of possibility when it comes to beers — there is no way you can take a product that is brewed on the ground for consumption and actually match it in the air.”
Named after Betsy, the airline’s first Douglas DC-3 that flew in the 1940s and 50s, the beer combines ingredients from Hong Kong and the U.K. Hong Kong Beer Co. brews the lager and incorporates local dragon eye fruit and honey alongside Fuggle hops sourced from the U.K.
The Betsy beer will be served on all Cathay Pacific flights between Hong Kong and London Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW) and Manchester (MAN). It will also be available in the airline’s lounges in Hong Kong and at Heathrow. This launch coincides with the carrier’s refreshed long-haul in-flight menu, reflecting a broader focus on tailoring food and drink to the unique conditions of air travel.