Whiskey tastes nice but 'different'.after being in space

[Ichingcarpenter]

Space-matured whiskey could soon be all the rage - at least that is according to a bizarre experiment conducted over the last few years by scientists looking to determine how the drink matures when kept in a weightless environment for an extended period of time.

A vial of unmatured malt produced at the Ardbeg Distillery on Islay in Scotland was sent up to the ISS back in October 2011 while a second vial of the same whiskey was kept at the distillery on Earth.

After spending over 1,000 days in orbit the space whiskey was then returned home where expert tasters declared that it was "noticeably different" after its time off-world.


"When I nosed and tasted the space samples, it became clear that much more of Ardbeg’s smoky, phenolic character shone through – to reveal a different set of smoky flavours which I have not encountered here on earth before," said Ardbeg's distilling director Dr Bill Lumsden.

"Ardbeg already has a complex character, but the results of our experiment show that there is potentially even more complexity that we can uncover, to reveal a different side to the whisky."

http://home.bt.com/news/science-news/mmmm-space-whisky-has-now-been-sampled-and-its-pretty-good-11364002245848

[annabanana]

1. Oh yay.. ANOTHER way for the .o1% to waste it's money. . .n/t

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. I'll drink to that... considering the impact of space time dilation

Don't forget that the whiskey sent into space in reality was not as old as the whiskey on earth by micro seconds. Then again we have the exposure of cosmic rays on the space whiskey. I see a venture capitalist sending whiskey or wine into space aging it, returning it to earth and getting clients for it in the future.

[Jim Lane]

7. I'm not sure whether the spaceborne whiskey was older or younger.

You're applying Special Relativity, which explains the time dilation of a moving object. That's true as far as it goes, but we must also consider General Relativity and the time dilation that occurs from being in a stronger gravitational field.

I do know that the clocks on GPS satellites, even though they're moving swiftly, run ahead of Earthbound clocks. Those satellites' orbits are much higher than that of the ISS, though. It passes my mathematical skill to determine the altitude at which the two effects are equal. It's quite possible that the GPS satellites are above that altitude and the ISS is below it, in which case the whiskey sent into space was indeed not as old.

[Ichingcarpenter]

9. The ultimate micro brew... micro seconds

micro amounts ..... all at a general or special relative macro price.

I'm starting a company....... LOL

[jimlup]

3. 2 small vials hardly makes a meaningful experiment...

I'm wondering if an expert would detect differences between two small vials in an identical experiement but with neither vial venturing into orbit.

Still a fun speculation. THanks for posting it.

[notadmblnd]

5. Well yeah

Vials? I thought whiskey had to be aged in oak barrels where it gained both its color and taste. So I am at a loss as to how it gained a smokey taste via a small vial.

[jimlup]

11. Good question ....

I thought the oaken barrels were essential as well.

[jmowreader]

13. The smokey taste doesn't come from the barrels

Malt is grain (barley, in this case) that has been sprouted then dried. Scots dry their malt in the smoke of peat fires.

[notadmblnd]

14. Still- peat bogs in space?

Irish and Scot whiskeys- maybe. However, whiskey made in America does indeed get its taste and color from charred oak barrels.

[jmowreader]

16. I think they sent it to space AFTER malting the barley

Experiments like this make one wonder, now why in the hell would anyone think of this?

[notadmblnd]

17. Well, we gotta have whiskey if we are going to colonize and empire build in space

I'm not willing to relocate if I can't have my sipping whiskey.

[Thor_MN]

18. They could have placed a piece of charred oak in the vial.

Contact with charred oak doesn't necessarily require a barrel. Granted, a barrel is a twofer, a way to store it and provide color and flavorings. But one could just use pieces of oak in a different container.

If you have seen ads for Devil's Cut, they don't actually squeeze the barrels to wring out Devil's cut, they just add pieces of oak to give more oak flavor.

[leveymg]

4. Space has a "metallic smell and taste", according to Scott Kelly

[gvstn]

6. Worth the read. Really interesting article with facts to back it up.

[valerief]

8. Oy vey, the bullshit just keeps getting classier and classier. nt

[Ichingcarpenter]

10. Do you think there would be a difference in the Buzz?

I know there is a big difference in the buzz you get from single malt, blended, age,Shetland, highland, or lowland whiskey.

Cheap whiskey never does that just like a cheap wine.

But Space Whiskey......... that's out of this world.

[Ichingcarpenter]

12. Want to drink whisky in space? You'll need this glass

Now that we've taken whisky into space, the next logical step is surely to engineer a glass that allows astronauts to have a tipple in microgravity.

Spirits company Ballantine's has risen to the challenge and created a glass that it claims will work in space after testing it in the microgravity environment of the Zarm Drop Tower in Bremen, Germany.

Ballantine's has kept the traditional shape of a whisky glass, but given it a suitably futuristic makeover. The curved vase of the glass has been crafted from rose gold. Although on Earth this makes it feel extremely weighty when it's resting in the palm of your hand, microgravity negates this. Gold is the ideal material to use, says Ballantine's, as it's highly unreactive and therefore unlikely to affect the whisky's taste.

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-09/07/whisky-glass-for-space-ballantines

[notadmblnd]

15. I think it would be kinda fun to let your shot float around and try to catch it with your mouth

one could make a drinking game out of it.

But that is a cool glass.

[Orsino]

19. No double-blind trial = bullshit. n/t

[BlueJazz]

20. I know THAT's right. I'd hate to have those people test out the new drugs.