New beer brewed specifically for high altitude enjoyment

Because taste and smell alters at high altitude, the Hong Kong Brewing Company is brewing the Betsy beer for distribution on long-haul Cathay Pacific flights.

Experts say that an individual’s ability to taste and smell declines by up to 30 percent at high altitude, something airlines have long catered for through a variety of herbs, spices and cooking techniques for in-flight food. Now, the Hong Kong Brewing Company, in partnership with Cathay Pacific airline, has developed the Betsy beer. Brewed for great taste at high altitudes (specifically 35,000 feet), the Betsy is named after the airline’s first plane.

Using ingredients sourced in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, including British hops and Hong Kong dragon fruit and honey, the taste is being overseen by an expert tasting panel that includes one of Asia’s top chefs. The beer is brewed in Hong Kong and is currently being unveiled for first and business class Cathay Pacific passengers and will also be served in Hong Kong and United Kingdom airport lounges.

Technology is being used to make beer consumption safer, and more fun, in a number of ways. A wearable that changes color after a certain amount of alcohol is ingested helps people make smarter driving decisions after a night out, and a duo of limited edition beers have been brewed for particular enjoyment by whiskey drinkers, a combination known as a boilermaker. How else could a popular eating or drinking experience be improved through innovation and personalization?