President of Beverage Operations Edward Allen, left, and Brewmaster Colin Presby, right, hoist pitchers filled with craft beers. Photo: Andy Newman/Carnival Cruise

Four New Craft Beers to Debut on Carnival Horizon

Cruise News – Jan. 11, 2018

Carnival Cruise Line has announced the names of the four craft beers that will be brewed aboard the new Carnival Horizon, which is set to debut in April.

The new brews were developed by Carnival’s expert brewmaster Colin Presby and will be offered at Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse|Brewhouse, a new dining concept that combines an onboard brewery and a full-service restaurant featuring BBQ favorites and sides developed by Food Network star Guy Fieri, a member of the American Royal National Barbecue Hall of Fame.

The announcement was made by Presby and Edward Allen, Carnival’s vice president of beverage operations, at a traditional keg-tapping ceremony held in Miami aboard Carnival Vista, the first North American–based cruise ship to feature an onboard brewery. (A similar ceremony was held in May 2017 to announce a seasonal guava wheat beer to be served aboard Carnival Vista.)

The names of Carnival Horizon’s four new beers — whose names are playful takes on the line’s popular ThirstyFrog brews that debuted on Carnival Vista — are inspired by the varied barbecue offerings at Smokehouse|Brewhouse and 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

“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 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.

Carnival Horizon will offer a variety of onboard innovations, including a Dr. Seuss–themed water park, the bike-ride-in-the-sky attraction called SkyRide, an IMAX Theatre, and the line’s first teppanyaki dining venue. The ship is scheduled to make its maiden voyage April 2, 2018, with a 13-day Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona — the first of four round-trip departures from that port. She will then reposition to the United States with a 14-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Barcelona to New York May 9–23, 2018. Following a summer schedule of 4-day Bermuda and 8-day Caribbean departures from the Big Apple, Carnival Horizon will shift to Miami and kick off a year-round schedule of 6- and 8-day Caribbean cruises beginning September 22, 2018, as well as a special 2-day cruise to Nassau from Miami September 20-22, 2018.


Photo: Andy Newman/Carnival Cruise Line

Whether you're a first-time cruiser or a veteran sailor of the seas, Porthole Cruise Magazine is your ultimate cruise guide - answering your questions, enticing your senses, and unlocking the explorer in you.