Sake made in space could sell for $500,000 a glass

Tokyo (CNN) — A Japanese sake maker is going where no sake maker has gone before: space.

Asahi Shuzo, the company behind popular Japanese sake brand Dassai, plans to blast sake ingredients to the International Space Station (ISS) to ferment a very special brew.

If it works, just one 100ml bottle will be offered for sale on Earth at 100 million yen, or about $653,000. A standard serve is 80ml, making it one very expensive drink.

“There is no guarantee of 100% success for the fermentation tests,” said Souya Uetsuki, the brewer in charge of the project at Asahi Shuzo.

He said the difference in gravity could affect how heat transfers in fluid, causing a different fermentation process in space than on Earth.

The company has paid Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency for access to the Kibo experiment module, part of the ISS developed by Japan, where tests can be conducted in a “special microgravity environment.”

The national space agency said they would not comment on the privately paid project.

Sake on the moon?

Sake is made of Japanese rice, water, yeast and koji (a type of mold). It traditionally takes about two months to make through a series of precise steps that involve steaming, stirring and fermenting.

The drink is sipped from a glass at many Japanese cultural occasions – from weddings to meals at pub-like izakaya restaurants – and last week landed a spot on UNESCO’s list of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.”

Dassai – meaning “otter festival” in Japanese – is one of the most popular sake brands on the market.

But its maker is also behind premium products popular with collectors willing to spend up to thousands of dollars for a bottle.

Asahi Shuzo’s foray into space is more than just another attempt to make another rare sake, according to the brewer.

Uetsuki said the company hoped the project would offer insights into how fermentation works in space, so perhaps one day they can make sake on the moon.

“In a future where humans can freely travel between the moon and Earth, some will visit the moon as tourists. This project aims to create sake that can be enjoyed on the moon, allowing visitors to have delightful moments there,” he said.

He hopes the technology will also benefit future space tourists who have a penchant for other types of fermented food.

“Many Japanese foods, such as natto and miso, are fermented, and this technology could expand into these areas,” Uetsuki said.

The company’s developing space brewing equipment, with a planned launch date later in 2025.

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