2 years, 6 months ago
Will beer ever be brewed on the Moon?
What technical problems need to be overcome? What progress has been made so far?
Separate topics with commas, or by pressing return. Use the delete or backspace key to edit or remove existing topics.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$1 Answer
It would have to be brewed inside a self-contained habitat that contained an atmosphere similar to Earth's in order for brewing to commence. The trace gases would have to be included in such a self-contained atmosphere.
The other major problem would be the head. The 1/6 moon gravity would not be strong enough to prevent most of the carbon dioxide bubbles from escaping. In order to have a similar carbonation, carbon dioxide particles would have to be bound to nano-solids that are perfectly digestible.
Because of this head problem, beer would have to be poured very slowly if glasses were used.
The other major problem would be the head. The 1/6 moon gravity would not be strong enough to prevent most of the carbon dioxide bubbles from escaping. In order to have a similar carbonation, carbon dioxide particles would have to be bound to nano-solids that are perfectly digestible.
Because of this head problem, beer would have to be poured very slowly if glasses were used.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
Fermentation vats may be hermetically sealed, but they still have to use the original atmospheric gases (sterile air) to begin and sustain the fermentation process, right? I think the only gas that is technically necessary for fermentation is oxygen, but I was assuming there were secondary effects from the other gases that would result in a depreciation of flavor if they were omitted.
The digestible nanosolids would bind to the CO2 molecules to weigh them down to emulate how CO2 rises slower in earth beer.
Sources? No one's brewed beer on the moon ever before or ever seriously pondered it on the web as far as my searches yielded.
I could put together an analysis of the buoyant forces of gas bubbles immersed in a liquid at 1/6 g compared to 1 g. I know that the upward buoyant force would be higher at 1/6 g, because you have less downward force to counter the rising that occurs because of the gas/liquid density difference.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewing#Fermenting
Why would the atmosphere need to be so similar? Fermentation vats are sealed here on Earth.
What do you mean about digestible nanosolids?
Do you have any sources for these ideas? They don't sound convincing.