Anti-Friction Chute Pours Zero-Gravity Beer

What better way to enjoy a trip to outer space than with the perfect brew? Space tourism may still be in its infancy, but researchers from Australia's Queensland University of Technology are seeking to serve travelers old enough to imbibe. Then again, what's the legal drinking age in space? And how do you develop the perfect beer - one that doesn't taste like Tang?

Led by Martin Castillo, an engineer who once worked for Japan's JAXA space agency, the team is testing recipes in a special microgravity "drop tower" that simulates space conditions. "Australian students are quite keen to develop microgravity beer projects," Castillo jokes, even though there's "no taste-testing involved". The brewmeisters' 21-m anti-friction chute allows beer droplets to achieve approximately two seconds of low gravity, no small accomplishment on, say, a space station.

The Australian researchers also examined the fizziness of various recipes at high acceleration, how to keep beer cool, and how to achieve a mouth-watering head of foam. Because the tongues of travelers swell in space, sense of taste is affected. To tempt and then satisfy tastebuds, lower carbonation is needed. To date, two Australian breweries have used this research to fine-tune their "Vostok" brew, which has been taste-tested (and given a thumbs-up) at zero gravity.

Will you order a zero-gravity brew on your next trip to the Moon?