- Whisky is very cold, in space.
Imagine being aboard the
International Space Station
conducting experiments that could
lead to incredible discoveries.
For example, what does
scotch whisky taste like
after being aged in micro gravity?
That's actually a real
experiment which is weird, right?
I mean it still takes a
lot of money and effort
to send stuff up into space.
Why waste it on an
experiment about scotch?
Is it just to create the
worlds most expensive,
exclusive alcohol?
Well it turns out the experiment
provided some really interesting data.
It all started in 2012 when a container
holding Ardbeg distillate,
the stuff that becomes Ardbeg
single malt scotch whiskey,
was sent to the ISS.
A low earth orbit research
company called NanoRacks LLC,
packaged the distillate in special tubes
that also contained oak shavings
to approximate a whiskey barrel.
A control sample in it's own
space tube with oak shavings
was kept here on earth.
The space distillate
spent 971 days in orbit
aging into space whisky.
It's not like the astronauts
were partying with this stuff.
It actually stayed put in its container.
It returned to earth last September.
Chemically the space whisky
and the control sample
were pretty similar until it came down to
the flavors the whisky
pulled out of the oak.
The control sample showed
much higher levels of those chemicals.
Leading to the conclusion
that micro gravity
inhibits the extraction process.
And yes, space whisky tastes
different than earth whisky.
Okay, but why does this matter?
Well we already knew that
stuff tastes different in space
but we don't know why.
We have some clues.
When you're in space blood
re-distributes in your body
and you'll end up feeling
like you have a stuffy head
which impacts your sense
of smell and of taste.
But this experiment also shows
that the processes involved
in flavor chemicals
forming in the first place
could be inhibited by micro gravity.
And if you're planning a long
space voyage or a lunar colony
that could end up being
a big impact on moral.
We might need to develop
new processes and packaging
to make space meals
palatable for long missions.
So here's to you space
whisky scientists, salud.
I do not have a glass.
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