Whether a key ingredient for a special batch of sake that has been to outer space and back will change the taste of the rice wine will soon be found out as the brew is being prepared in western Japan.
Sake brewers in Kochi prefecture began preparing this year’s batch with yeast that completed a 10-day stay at the International Space Station, Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported on Tuesday.
Labelled ”Space Sake”, the brew will be ready for global and domestic sales next April.
Ten test tubes of yeast were launched on the Russian Soyuz rocket on October 1 for just 12-million yen ($1-million), Japan’s business daily said.
The sake brewers’ association of Kochi prefecture, which financed the yeast’s space travel, is hoping the new brew will help revitalise the popularity and sales of home-grown Japanese liquor.
Ever since the trend of Shochu distilled spirits hit the market, annual sales of sake rice wine continued to drop and this year posted 10-billion yen, compared with 16-billion yen in the peak year of 1975.
The Space Sake may not bring out the distinct flavour that the association officials are hoping for, but ”sip it with dreams and romantic ideas in your mind, and you will get the taste of outer space”, Jiji Press quoted an association official as saying. — Sapa-DPA