(Courtesy Ceremony Botanical Brewing)

A microbrewery onboard a UK cruise ship is currently using desalinated seawater to brew its beers while at sea, a “world first” for the cruise ship sector We’ve that, “Unspoken Social Rules“ and more.

Botanical Brewing

Founded by Jens Stoelken, Ceremony Botanical Brewing is Austin’s first botanical brewing company and the creator of Botanical Brewing – a new category of functional craft beer that uses natural botanicals as central ingredients rather than flavor additions.

Stoelken, who grew up in Germany where beer is deeply tied to heritage and identity, developed the concept in 2024 after encountering a matcha beer at Kyoto Brewing Company while traveling in Japan. He returned to the U.S. and spent the following year building Ceremony’s process around matcha and hibiscus – not as trendy additions but as cultural ingredients with centuries of tradition behind them, each carrying its own rituals and reasons for gathering.

“Beer is one of the oldest fermented beverages in the world, but the expectations of today’s drinkers have evolved,” said  Stoelken. “Younger consumers are looking for new flavors, new ingredients and drinks that feel more intentional.

Where many saw a novelty, Stoelken recognized that botanicals could serve as the foundation of a new brewing category rather than a supporting flavor. After returning   to Austin and ran the idea by Hi Sign owner Mark Phillippe and Master Brewer Kevin Decoud, and together, they developed Ceremony’s process, approaching botanical brewing as a new way to rethink and redefine what beer can be.

Ceremony Botanical Brewing’s beers will launch at Hi Sign Brewing on April 4 at 4:30 p.m. as part of the brand’s residency there, with plans to expand to additional locations.

Unspoken Social Rules

“When someone is talking, listen fully instead of waiting for your turn to speak; attention is the rarest respect.”

(Courtesy MSC Cruises)

UK Cruise Ship Brews Beer From Desalinated Seawater

Launched in December 2022, the MSC World Europa is the flagship of MSC Cruises’ revolutionary World Class fleet. As the first vessel in the fleet powered by Liquefied Natural Gas it is one of the most environmentally advanced cruise ships at sea, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25%.

But that’s not all, a microbrewery onboard the cruise ship  is currently using desalinated seawater to brew its beers while at sea,  a “world first” for the cruise sector. The brewing, which happens during a voyage, takes place in a fully operational microbrewery based on “deck eight” that combines production, sustainability and onboard experience in one initiative.

According to the Drinks Business, 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.”

Giannini went on to explain  that the three varieties on sale onboard include: Oceanic Pils, Oceanic Wheat and Oceanic Bitter , all of them brewed onboard.’

“At first, visitors think it’s just for show. But we produce beer on board every day.” Giannini admitted. “Drinking a beer produced on board is a unique experience.”

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