Tokyo, Japan is testing out a new type of "space beer" where the barley is made from grains and seeds that traveled and were grown in outer space. It is the first generation of barley grown in a space laboratory. The laboratory students, professors and scientists from Okayama University in Japan have teamed with Sapporo Brewery, Ltd. to test the very first batch of "space beer." The first trial will be bottling 100 beers which will be ready in November of 2008. The space barley is being harvested this week from the seeds that grew in the International Space Station for five months back in 2006. A partial ounce of barley was also housed in the station during the trip and was planted at the Sapporo Brewery research farm when returned.
Japanese beer lovers are waiting in anticipation for the new "space beer." This biological study was conducted in order to determine how adaptable plants are when placed in a new environment. Environmental changes, especially something as stressful as going into space, will test the plants in a new situation. Once the 100 pounds of space barley are harvested this weekend the space beer will be in progress. Sapporo does not plan to put the special beer on the market for now, until more testing is done. No differences have been found by scientists between Earth and space barley so far. As for now, I’ll stick with good ol’ regular Sapporo because it’s delicious. I’m not too sure about drunk astronauts though.
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