Cathay Pacific partners with Hong Kong Beer Co to launch beer made for 35,000 feet
Cathay Pacific has teamed up with Hong Kong Beer Co to create Betsy Beer, a 4.2% pale ale specially brewed to be enjoyed on flights at high altitude.
Passengers often experience dulled taste buds when flying, so this beer’s recipe combines science and traditional brewing techniques to deliver full flavour even at 35,000 feet. Named after Cathay Pacific’s first aircraft, the Douglas DC-3 “Betsy,” the beer first launched in 2017 and has now returned with an updated formula.
Betsy Beer is made using ingredients from both Hong Kong and the UK. It features Dragon Eye fruit, known for its aromatic qualities, along with honey sourced from Hong Kong’s New Territories, adding floral notes. The use of Fuggle hops provides an earthy, full-bodied flavour, crafted to maintain aroma and carbonation in the air and on the ground.
“We know that when you fly, your sense of taste changes. Airlines address this for food in certain ways. But nobody has ever tried to improve the taste of beer at altitude. That seemed like a great opportunity for us to help our beer-loving passengers travel well,” says Julian Lyden, General Marketing Manager at Cathay Pacific.
