Researchers Test Space Beer 113
With space tourism becoming a real possibility in the near future, brewers are trying to figure out how to provide a good beer in space. To this end, a non-profit space research corporation Astronauts4Hire will begin testing an Australian brew created to be enjoyed in microgravity. From the article: "In the past, NASA has also sponsored studies on space beer, and whether or not the popular beverage can be brewed in space. Under current policies, however, alcohol remains forbidden on the International Space Station."
WTF (Score:3, Insightful)
To this end, a non-profit space research corporation Astronauts4Hire will begin testing an Australian brew created to be enjoyed in microgravity. From the article: "In the past, NASA has also sponsored studies on space beer, and whether or not the popular beverage can be brewed in space.
Why does that make me feel that we're getting closer to this?:
"Clevon is lucky to be alive. He attempted to jump a jet ski from a lake into a swimming pool and impaled his crotch on an iron gate. But thanks to advances in stem cell research and the fine work of Doctors Krinsky and Altschuler, he should regain full reproductive function again."
Re:0G beer (Score:2, Insightful)
that's a blob of water with air blown into it.
beer is carbonated/under pressure - bottom line - you need a gizmo to drink it:
NASA did a couple experiments with carbonated beverages:
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast21sep_1/ [nasa.gov]
By dispensing the drink into a collapsible bag inside the bottle, the pressure around the fluid can be constantly controlled, thus preventing the carbonation from coming out of solution too quickly. The image on the right shows the dispenser being used aboard the space shuttle. Note the tape stuck to the top-right corner of the dispenser that reads "50" -- astronaut humor. Image courtesy BioServe.
Similar technology should prove effective for carbonated space beers. Unfortunately it doesn't lend itself to the traditional frosty glass mug! Instead, beverages are dispensed into a special bottle (pictured above) that screws onto the dispenser. The bottle itself, which contains a collapsible bag, is internally pressurized. The pressure around the bag is slowly released as the beverage enters, maintaining the drink under constant pressure and producing a palatable soda or beer.
here's a piece about a space keg:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn276-beer-balls.html [newscientist.com]
Re:Fermenting in space? (Score:4, Insightful)
Keep in mind you're just removing the dissolved oxygen, not atmospheric oxygen, so it's not like you're taking it out of the air tanks. If you could find a way to extract that prior the the fermentation process, it could even be a net gain.
If there was no dissolved oxygen at the outset, you would have to pitch a LOT more yeast. In my experience the volume of yeast increases by a factor of 10 or more during the reproduction phase (although this is based on measuring the primary yeast cake, which admittedly isn't entirely composed of yeast).
I do like the idea of using it to grow plants. Perhaps barley? ;-)
Microbrew (Score:1, Insightful)
Wouldn't any microbrew be compatible with microgravity?