Trend Hunter recently had the opportunity to speak with Ardbeg Global Brand Ambassador Hamish Torrie about the innovative Ardbeg Space Experiment. Several years ago the Ardbeg brand was approached to participate in a food and beverage study with a space research company that conducts commercial research projects for NASA.
For the experiment, Ardbeg sent two vials of the Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky into space that orbited the earth for approximately three years aboard the International Space Station. In September 2014, the vials re-entered the Earth's atmosphere and was immediately shipped off to Houston, where the researchers are still comparing it to its earth component in order to assess the affect of zero gravity on the whisky maturation process.
A final white paper based on the research is expected to be published later in 2015.
Zero Gravity Whisky Experiments
The Ardbeg Space Experiment Will Access the Affect of Zero Gravity
Trend Themes
1. Space-aged Alcohol - Developing and experimenting with the ageing process of alcoholic beverages in space environments.
2. Zero Gravity Innovation - Innovating and optimizing processes and products that are designed to operate in zero gravity environments.
3. Space Research Applications - Exploring applications of commercial space research to new areas of the food and beverage industry.
Industry Implications
1. Beverage - Developing innovative and unique processes to age and manufacture a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in zero gravity environments.
2. Space Research - Designing and conducting commercial research projects in space to provide a framework for testing products and exploring market opportunities in a zero gravity environment.
3. Food - Innovating the food industry by researching the effects of zero gravity on food production and packaging, ensuring the safety and quality of food in any environment.