Brewed For Sipping At 35,000 Ft, Cathay Pacific Created Betsy Beer To Taste Better In The Air

Imagine this: you’re cruising at 35,000 feet, the lights are dimmed, your tray table is down, and instead of a regular beer, you’re handed something that was actually brewed for this exact moment. That’s the magic of Betsy Beer, a craft beer designed not for a bar, not for your fridge, but for the sky.

Betsy Beer, Cathay Pacific’s One-Of-A-Kind Craft Brew

Betsy Beer is the world’s first hand-crafted bottled beer created specifically to be enjoyed at cruising altitude. It was introduced by Cathay Pacific in 2017 as a serious attempt to fix something most flyers silently accept: beer just doesn’t taste great on planes. At high altitude, cabin pressure and dry air dull your senses. Sweetness fades, aromas soften, and carbonation behaves differently. Most beers lose their charm mid-flight.

Cathay Pacific decided to change that. Instead of adjusting expectations, they adjusted the beer. The name “Betsy” is a tribute to Cathay Pacific’s first-ever aircraft, a Douglas DC-3 that flew passengers across Asia in the 1940s and 1950s. Just like that aircraft represented ambition and craftsmanship in its time, Betsy Beer represents thoughtful innovation today.

To create a beer that works in the sky, Cathay Pacific partnered with Hong Kong’s leading craft brewers. The brief was clear: make a beer that still tastes expressive when your taste buds are half asleep. The original Betsy Beer was brewed with higher carbonation, aromatic ingredients, and balanced bitterness.

What really made it special were the ingredients. Dragon Eye fruit added a gentle aroma and soft texture. Locally sourced Hong Kong honey brought floral sweetness. And Fuggle hops, a classic British variety, gave it an earthy, full-bodied backbone. The result was a beer that felt rounded, comforting, and surprisingly flavourful, even at 35,000 feet.

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The World’s First Altitude-Friendly Craft Beer

When Betsy Beer finally launched on flights between Hong Kong and the UK, it quickly became a favourite among First and Business Class passengers. For many, it was the first time an inflight beer actually felt thoughtfully made.

In 2019, Betsy Beer returned, this time bigger and better. Partnering with Gweilo Beer, Cathay Pacific reimagined Betsy as a citrus-forward Pale Ale, and made it available to all cabins on long-haul flights. Even the bottle design has meaning. The label is inspired by the original blueprints and measurements of the Douglas DC-3 “Betsy” aircraft. 

Betsy Beer is served on Cathay Pacific long-haul flights across all cabins and is also available at Cathay Pacific lounges in Hong Kong. 

Cover Image Courtesy: Cathay Pacific/Website