Scientists Are Developing The First Beer You Can Drink In Space
When the first tourists get to space, they could well be able to crack open a cold one while gazing out at the wondrous expanse of the universe, thanks to an Australian startup dedicated to making the world's first space beer.
According to Grub Street, 4 Pines Beer and Saber Astronautics decided to team up to create a beer that could be enjoyed in space, from a bottle and everything. They've named their creation Vostok Space Beer, after the first manned space vessel.
It turns out there are a lot of challenges to making a beer that can be enjoyed in space. For starters, a person can't pour a liquid in zero-gravity. Assuming space tourists wouldn't want to drink their beer from a squeeze pouch, Saber's scientists have been working on a "space beer bottle" that would let people drink from the bottle just like they do on Earth. Their prototype includes inserts that "wick" the beer into the bottle's neck, allowing it to flow in a zero-gravity environment. It's shaped like a traditional Earth beer bottle for the sake of familiarity, and it has a removable glass attached to the bottom, so space tourists can take it home as a souvenir.
4 Pines Beer also had challenges to deal with in creating a beer that would taste good in space. According to Vostok, a zero-gravity environment dulls the senses, and a person's body absorbs alcohol differently in space. Their signature product is a dry stout with a chocolaty flavor that is good enough that it's reportedly won several competitions here on Earth already.
Vostok has reportedly been working on creating the world's first space beer for eight years, and now they're looking to raise $1 million on IndieGoGo to fund production of the world's first space beer. For a $90 contribution, a supporter can actually get one of the bottles. The bottle will be empty, but it would make an excellent conversation piece. And even if you're not planning on going to space, you might be able to use it to enjoy another beverage, like one of the best beers in every state.