SPACE BEER?

[MIKA27]

SPACE BEER:

Source: Heraldsun.com.au

WE might not have our own space program yet, but we sure as hell have our priorities right.

Two Australian companies have developed the very first space beer, developed to counter the biological effects of zero-gravity on both body and brew.

In space, people are less able to detect flavours, alcohol absorption rates change and the composition of the beer itself can be affected.

But with the impending explosion of the space tourism industry — expected to take off as early as next year — Saber Astronautics Australia teamed up with the Four Pines Brewing Company to develop the very first beer that can be consumed safely in space.

Jaron Mitchell, the founder of Four Pines, said the creation of space beer was an event for the history books.

"Wherever humans have journeyed or conquest to throughout history in the last few thousand years, we first worry about water, food, shelter and clothing," he said.

"In many cases beer is the next consideration soon after the above four.

"This is a modern day voyage, similar to the voyage and creation of the 'pale ale as prepared for India' in the 1800s, or what is now referred to as the India Pale Ale."

Named after the first manned space flight in 1961, "Vostok" space beer is what happens when science and beer join forces.

Four Pines Brewing Company is a microbrewery, bar and restaurant based in Manly, Sydney.

Over three years of operation it has earned some very loyal customers, including Dr Jason Held, director of Saber Astronautics Australia.

"About a year ago, I knew him just as Jason," said Mr Mitchell.

"That was until he approached me and asked: 'How would you like to put your beer into space?'

"After asking him to walk on a straight line while patting his head and rubbing his stomach... I began to ask a lot of questions and then we got to work, and I keep asking a heap of questions.

"All of this has led us to where we are today."

Fine Art:

It's a tricky art, making a beer than can be enjoyed on earth as it is in the heavens.

Human biology changes in zero gravity conditions. The tongue swells, the senses dull — altering the way food and drink tastes.

"This is a well known problem in the astronaut core, in the space industry," Dr Held said.

"The longer people spend in space the more reduced flavours they detect."

Saber’s first goal was to develop a recipe that people could enjoy comfortably.

"We also wanted to make the beer good to drink on earth as well. So the idea is you can drink this beer anywhere in the universe," Dr Held said.

Saber picked a high-flavoured beer as a baseline recipe to ensure that space travellers could enjoy the full flavour of the smoky Irish style stout, no matter how long the flight duration.

"The gases and the liquids don’t like to separate in zero gravity," Dr Held said.

"So we’ve reduced the carbonation a bit and given a really strong flavour to the beer.

"It’s actually one of the reasons I approached the Four Pines brewery in the first place, because their recipes, from the get go, are very tasty."

Part of the reason scientists went with the stout was not just for the flavour but for its sturdiness in different environments.

"You’ve got a lot more wiggle room with certain conditions in the stout that I don’t think you have with other types of beers," Dr Held said.

"That said, it’s early days, research-wise.

"We’ve only had our first flight actually having a human being taste it on zero gravity flight today. So we're going to look at how that went on some of the data results and see what we want to change, if we want to change it as far as recipe is concerned."

Taste test

So the beer was put to the test — in the name of journalism, of course — and is pleased to report that Dr Held is a man of his word. Vostok is indeed a full-flavoured, well-rounded stout.

The first swig is like a bit of a slap of cold air to the face – space beer really is smoky. But the flavour does grow on you, and has a wonderful aftertaste, kind of like a coffee in the morning.

So, are Saber considering developing a range of space beers?

"Well, the short answer is probably not," Dr Held said.

That means lager fans may be waiting a while before their choice of brew is made available at the international space station.

As for the test results, Dr Held said the guinea pig enjoyed the flavour — but for ethical reasons Saber is not releasing his identity yet.

"We’ve kept this person’s name under wraps for a while," Dr Held said.

"We announced the project and we immediately had people interested in performing the experiment, including people within our own organisation, both Saber and Four Pines.

"But we had to pick someone who had a high degree of microgravity experience already.

"When you’re testing the comfort level of drinking something like beer in zero gravity, you have to make sure that the person has experienced it before."

The test subject's job didn't stop at judging the taste. There were also a whole range of medical tests designed to measure the effects of alcohol absorption in space.

Dr Held described the test conditions as a "rollercoaster".

"You have to pour the beer, you have to take temperature, breathalyser, heart rate and then you have to write these numbers down on a piece of paper so it is recorded, shifting from 1.8 Gs to zero and you’re bouncing around," Dr Held said.

"You’re trying your best to keep the beer in the container. He did a really good job of that.

"I’ve got to give this guy credit. Absolute trooper."

More tests will need to be done to ensure humans can consume beer safely as they sail across the Milky Way.

"The blood alcohol content I think has broader implications for space tourism," Dr Held said.

"Because you can have a lot of people going into space, surely some people are going to drink even if you tell them not to.

“We know that in aviation, an Australian footy player whose name I will not mention drank too much at high altitude, just on a regular flight — and when you’re drinking at high altitude your body doesn’t absorb it as quickly.

"So when he got on the ground after drinking a whole bunch of drinks, it hit him all at once and he got sick. That’s the kind of effect we want to measure and avoid.

"We want to make sure the limits are known and understood so a person can drink responsibly. It is possible to drink responsibly in space."

Beer lovers need not wait for the prices of space travel to come down in order to test out the beer. Six packs are available for the Four Pines brewery and selected bottle stores around the country for about $20.

That price seems pretty down-to-Earth, but how much will it cost in space? Mr Mitchell wasn't telling.

"The initial space flights I understand are about $200,000 for 20 minutes of zero-g time," he said.

"If so, the cost of our space beers will practically be free."