Beer made in space is tastier and more aromatic than beer made on Earth. Scientists have proven this in an experiment in which the hoppy drink matured in zero gravity. They distinguished bad beer from good beer by the absence of a banana flavor – many beer lovers spit if they come across a drink with such an unusual property. Space beer lacks specific notes in taste, so in the future it will clearly cost more. But this does not mean that in a few decades there will be an elite brewery on the Moon or Mars. Scientists believe that the results of the experiment can help them develop a technology for making many other products in space. They learned a lot of interesting things, so we will tell you the details below.
Why is space beer tastier than usual? Now you will find out everything!
New technology for making beer
According to Popular Science, as part of a scientific experiment, scientists decided to find out how the taste of beer might change if it was made in the presence of gravity and in zero gravity. Many scientific experiments are conducted on the International Space Station, but sending equipment is expensive. So the authors of the scientific paper decided to conduct the experiment on Earth.
The researchers collected barley and turned it into wort. This is the name of the sugary liquid from the grain, which is used in the production of beer, whiskey, and other alcoholic beverages.
Beer wort. Photo source: pivo.by
The wort was divided into six samples, each of which was given Saccharomyces pastorianus yeast for fermentation. Three of the test tubes were fermented under normal conditions, in the presence of gravity. The remaining three samples were placed in a clinostat, an instrument that creates zero-gravity conditions by rotating the contents around a horizontal axis. The scientists then regularly checked how the fermentation process was going under different conditions.
After just three days, the authors of the study realized that zero-gravity conditions did not negatively affect fermentation, which was already an important discovery. Then it became clear that fermentation proceeds faster in conditions without gravity. Ultimately, the scientists realized that yeast in zero-gravity conditions allows for a higher-quality product to be obtained than in gravity conditions.
The clinostat simulates zero gravity during the experiment. Photo source: popsci.com
The scientists noted that the base fermenting inside the clinostat produced beer with a lower content of isoamyl acetate and 2-phenethyl acetate esters. If there are a lot of them, the drink acquires a banana flavor, which is considered a sign of bad beer. During fermentation in zero gravity, the concentration of esters decreased many times compared to standard samples and it became tastier and more aromatic.
Read also:What kind of beer destroys the body and causes obesity, and which is the most harmless?
A new type of beer is already on the way?
In space conditions, it is possible to create the highest quality beer, we have already understood this. But in the near future, a brewery will not be created on the Moon and Mars, because they are simply not needed there. But terrestrial breweries can take note of the fact that fermentation can be carried out in devices that simulate the absence of gravity.
Are we waiting for the most delicious craft beer to appear? Image: new-retail.ru
It is possible that beer made using the new technology will cost more. And it will be sold with the label “space” – this must be a good marketing ploy. But this is just our assumption, the authors of the scientific paper did not say anything like that.
Historical background: When and why did people start drinking beer?
Growing Plants on Mars
In fact, fermentation is important in the preparation of many food products. For example, producers of bread, yogurt, pickles, and so on rely on this process. The fact that the process is much faster in zero gravity is very good news – astronauts will have the opportunity to cook food themselves. This is especially important if you consider that in the future, humanity (or at least part of it) hopes to move to Mars.
Some types of plants can be grown on Mars, this has been proven many times. Image: universemagazine.com
Other studies have shown that Martian soil can be used to grow lettuce, radishes and turnips. These plants are good because they do not require special care, are economical with water and are quite nutritious. Alfalfa, which is rich in proteins and various microelements, also grows well on Mars. The biomass from this plant can be used as fertilizer for other plants.
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In 2024, scientists also found out that moss can take root on the Red Planet. Read more about this in our article “Which plants can survive on Mars?”