Craft Beer ... ?

[pixie411]

What if any craft beer does HAL offer on the fleet  .... ?

 

Thanks for any info. 

[epistax]

Unfortunately cruises rarely target people who like beer. 😕

That said, Lagunitas seems to have made inroads with the cruise industry. I think little sumpin' sumpin is usually available.

[pixie411]

3 minutes ago, epistax said:

Unfortunately cruises rarely target people who like beer. 😕

That said, Lagunitas seems to have made inroads with the cruise industry. I think little sumpin' sumpin is usually available.

Those aren't bad, a step above Budweiser ....

[librarylady19]

Here’s the link to the bar menus.   Now, on other cruiselimes I’ve found that (even pre Covid ) they often didn’t stock what was on the menu. 
https://rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-beverage-menus/

[CruiserBruce]

Plus, they can occasionally stock brews native to the area of the cruise, although they won't be craft.

[shipshape sam]

44 minutes ago, librarylady19 said:

Here’s the link to the bar menus.   Now, on other cruiselimes I’ve found that (even pre Covid ) they often didn’t stock what was on the menu. 
https://rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-beverage-menus/

It is true they do not many times have the full complement of listed beers, but then there is the issue of 'craft' beers not selling/velocity and the beer goes as I call it, skunky.

 

I love IPA and bitters and so many times the beer is as I call it skunky.  

 

A second issue is that most people still drink the 6-8 mainstream beers and us craft beer drinkers are a minority.   My current favorite is Fresh Squeezed IPA by Deshutes Brewing.  Originally out of Oregon, I think, but now they have an east Coast facility in VA and I can get in Atlanta, GA.

 

A third issue is there are so many craft breweries now, it is a challenge to get shelf space on land and on cruise lines.

 

My best experience was many years ago where we were on a Royal Caribbean cruise that had just come back from cruising Europe/United Kingdom.  They had a stash of Old Special Hen beers and they were all gone by day 5 of our 7 day cruise. 🙂

[wandrr]

On a HAL cruise a couple of years ago, I participated in a ship beer tasting advertised as "Craft Beer". They had a couple of interesting beers, but the crowning glory was the Molson Canadian that they tried to pass off as a "Craft Beer" from Canada. If you have ever had the chance to sample Canadian beers, you will know that Molson Canadian is a major mainstream beer, not even close to craft. As a loyal Canuck and a beerologist, I blasted the organizers for ridiculously false advertising. They didn't seem to be fazed in the least.

 

Don't get your hopes up for good craft beer anytime on the ships. About the only way is to cultivate the beverage manager and get all your beer drinking buddies to barrage him with requests for something good. Not Molson Canadian.  🤣 In addition, make comments in the post-cruise survey about the abysmal beer selection. I do on every cruise. Beer drinkers, please join me, and maybe someday they will bring on some good beer.

 

An alternative is trying local craft or otherwise beers when ashore. I am certainly aware that local beers have been brought on board at some ports, though I would never advise anyone to smuggle beer!   😉😉😈

Edited October 23, 2022 by wandrr

[gknep]

Most craft breweries can't do the volume cruise lines would require to have it regularly. I've seen Laguinitas on HAL Mexican cruises out of San Diego and Alaskan Brewing Company selections on Alaska cruises. 

[shipshape sam]

11 hours ago, gknep said:

Most craft breweries can't do the volume cruise lines would require to have it regularly. I've seen Laguinitas on HAL Mexican cruises out of San Diego and Alaskan Brewing Company selections on Alaska cruises. 

Have also seen Alaskan Ale on Alaska cruise.  Do not recall any specific craft beer on Caribbean sailings.  As mention by Wander, I have also tried on a couple of sailings to try the local beer and that was fun, although not a beer specific to every port of call when I did it.  

 

 

[shipshape sam]

11 hours ago, wandrr said:

On a HAL cruise a couple of years ago, I participated in a ship beer tasting advertised as "Craft Beer". They had a couple of interesting beers, but the crowning glory was the Molson Canadian that they tried to pass off as a "Craft Beer" from Canada. If you have ever had the chance to sample Canadian beers, you will know that Molson Canadian is a major mainstream beer, not even close to craft. As a loyal Canuck and a beerologist, I blasted the organizers for ridiculously false advertising. They didn't seem to be fazed in the least.

 

Don't get your hopes up for good craft beer anytime on the ships. About the only way is to cultivate the beverage manager and get all your beer drinking buddies to barrage him with requests for something good. Not Molson Canadian.  🤣 In addition, make comments in the post-cruise survey about the abysmal beer selection. I do on every cruise. Beer drinkers, please join me, and maybe someday they will bring on some good beer.

 

An alternative is trying local craft or otherwise beers when ashore. I am certainly aware that local beers have been brought on board at some ports, though I would never advise anyone to smuggle beer!   😉😉😈

I was on a Celebrity cruise line with the Drinks package and they had advertised craft beers in the Wine Cellar room.  Went there and the beers were locked up and it took a little effort to find someone to open the (basically a refrigerator).  Some beers they indicated cost $15.  Over the course of the 10 day cruise I tried them all and most were not any better than less touted brews and I seemed to be one of two people trying them as I got my beer, the can count changed and only a few times changed between my selections.

 

It was a good thought and I do think cruise lines do listen, but bringing on a real craft beer and then not having the velocity, they make a business decision to eliminate the craft beers.

 

Carnival has their own beers and are draft vs can or bottle.  Tried a couple ( a lager and a pale ale - I think many years ago) and the pale ale was good.

 

I can remember liking Moosehead. 🙂 

Edited October 23, 2022 by shipshape sam

[whogo]

14 hours ago, wandrr said:

On a HAL cruise a couple of years ago, I participated in a ship beer tasting advertised as "Craft Beer". They had a couple of interesting beers, but the crowning glory was the Molson Canadian that they tried to pass off as a "Craft Beer" from Canada. If you have ever had the chance to sample Canadian beers, you will know that Molson Canadian is a major mainstream beer, not even close to craft. As a loyal Canuck and a beerologist, I blasted the organizers for ridiculously false advertising. They didn't seem to be fazed in the least.

On our Zaandam Boston/Montreal cruise the beers to be tasted were Dos Equis, Hoegarden, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout and Lagunitas IPA. Dos Equis is a standard American lager, nothing special. Lagunitas is an okay IPA. Not into wheat beers or dark beers, that eliminated the Hoegarden and Guinness. I did not bother with the tasting.

 

I had a Gahan Blueberry Ale Wheat Beer at a sail away party, Holland America was making an effort at least, just nothing of interest to me.

 

[FlaMariner]

All passengers are required to drink HEINEKEN as you sail on a 'dam ship registered in ROTTERDAM, the NETHERLANDS from a cruise line called HOLLAND America Line. 

 

Obviously, it's the "official beer of Holland America Line" and it is good. 

[librarylady19]

Well there are lots of other beers in the Netherlands, and of course many from neighboring Belgium &  Germany. If a smaller line like Viking can offer decent beers (& wine) no reason larger lines can’t also. 
‘The beer selection (or lack thereof) is my husbands pet peeve. Worste case was “craft” social bar on Apex which was anything but craft beers. 

Edited October 24, 2022 by librarylady19

[AFNavigator]

On 10/22/2022 at 11:02 AM, epistax said:

Unfortunately cruises rarely target people who like beer. 😕

That said, Lagunitas seems to have made inroads with the cruise industry. I think little sumpin' sumpin is usually available.

Yes, Lagunitas Lil Sumpin' and their IPA are usually available onboard as well as quite a few others that might be considered "craft" beers.  Some that come to mind are Hoegaarden, Leffe, Duvel, Sierra Nevada IPA, Anchor Steam, Newcastle Brown Ale, Sam Adams Boston Lager, and Guinness.

[shipshape sam]

8 hours ago, AFNavigator said:

Yes, Lagunitas Lil Sumpin' and their IPA are usually available onboard as well as quite a few others that might be considered "craft" beers.  Some that come to mind are Hoegaarden, Leffe, Duvel, Sierra Nevada IPA, Anchor Steam, Newcastle Brown Ale, Sam Adams Boston Lager, and Guinness.

Looking forward to enjoying Anchor Steam on our next cruise. As to "craft" beers, you are right.  It used to be craft based on volume of beer brewed, now I think we look at craft based on favor/style like a bitter, IPA.

[chengkp75]

4 hours ago, shipshape sam said:

As to "craft" beers, you are right.  It used to be craft based on volume of beer brewed, now I think we look at craft based on favor/style like a bitter, IPA.

To us here in Maine, where we have the second most craft breweries per capita, it is still considered to be a "volume" based distinction.  While most craft breweries jumped whole hog into the IPA craze (doubles, triples), I've never been a big fan of highly hopped beer.  I prefer a more malty beer, and we are starting to see the craft breweries realizing that they have pretty much exhausted the IPA genre, and are starting to introduce reds, browns, whitbeers, and English ales.  And, while Sam Adams continues to successfully lobby the craft brewers' association to increase the volume limit annually to whatever they produce, I don't think of any of the beers you listed as "craft" beer.  "Niche" beer maybe, but not craft.  No truly craft beer could have the production a cruise line would need for their ships, and still have enough for local distribution.

[AFNavigator]

4 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

To us here in Maine, where we have the second most craft breweries per capita, it is still considered to be a "volume" based distinction.  While most craft breweries jumped whole hog into the IPA craze (doubles, triples), I've never been a big fan of highly hopped beer.  I prefer a more malty beer, and we are starting to see the craft breweries realizing that they have pretty much exhausted the IPA genre, and are starting to introduce reds, browns, whitbeers, and English ales.  And, while Sam Adams continues to successfully lobby the craft brewers' association to increase the volume limit annually to whatever they produce, I don't think of any of the beers you listed as "craft" beer.  "Niche" beer maybe, but not craft.  No truly craft beer could have the production a cruise line would need for their ships, and still have enough for local distribution.

I totally agree with you.  I used the word craft in quotations to imply those beers listed were more niche beers than the more mainstream AB-Inbev, Miller, Molsen/Coors, etc. products.  On the other hand, most of those beers are now owned by the large parent companies, as they get acquired but keep their original maker's name and recipe.  That's how they are able to be widely distributed but still have the look and taste of a small brewery product.

[CruiseCruiseCruise13]

If you happen to be sailing on one of the Pinnacle class ships, the Grand Dutch Cafe have a good selection of Dutch/European beers that we have not seen on other ships/elsewhere onboard. That is providing they have them in stock, we had no issues on our Europe cruise this summer, but Mexico last November they didn’t have  any available. 

[shipshape sam]

On 10/24/2022 at 1:38 PM, chengkp75 said:

To us here in Maine, where we have the second most craft breweries per capita, it is still considered to be a "volume" based distinction.  While most craft breweries jumped whole hog into the IPA craze (doubles, triples), I've never been a big fan of highly hopped beer.  I prefer a more malty beer, and we are starting to see the craft breweries realizing that they have pretty much exhausted the IPA genre, and are starting to introduce reds, browns, whitbeers, and English ales.  And, while Sam Adams continues to successfully lobby the craft brewers' association to increase the volume limit annually to whatever they produce, I don't think of any of the beers you listed as "craft" beer.  "Niche" beer maybe, but not craft.  No truly craft beer could have the production a cruise line would need for their ships, and still have enough for local distribution.

So what is the 'volume' Mainers use to define a craft brewery/beer?  What happens if a beer/brewery exceed the stated maximum volume? I would hope the beer tastes the same and is brewed using the same recipe.

 

As to craft beers defined, I was not suggesting (at least that was not my intent) the listed beers were craft per se especially by your definition, but they are good beers based on the beer selection list and more so than a Bud, Bud Lite, Miller, Miller Lite, Coors, Coors Lite, etc IMHO.

 

I would think beers brewed in small batches such as most local brewing are limited to, are 'craft' beers.  I especially like the small breweries where the brewing is done in the back with either food trucks outside or a limited menu of complementary food.

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

[chengkp75]

9 hours ago, shipshape sam said:

So what is the 'volume' Mainers use to define a craft brewery/beer?  What happens if a beer/brewery exceed the stated maximum volume?

They use the Craft Brewer's Association definition of a craft brewery, production must be less than 6 million barrels/year.  Nothing "happens" if they exceed this level, they just cannot call themselves a "craft" brewery.

[PACD_JG]

3 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

They use the Craft Brewer's Association definition of a craft brewery, production must be less than 6 million barrels/year.  Nothing "happens" if they exceed this level, they just cannot call themselves a "craft" brewery.

Is Pike Brewery in Seattle considered a craft brewery?  They claim to be, and apparently HAL has a new Pils that will be aboard all there ships.

 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/holland-america-line-launches-150th-anniversary-limited-edition-pilsner-beer-in-commemorative-can-301658251.html