Whisky in space! Japanese distillery sends booze to space station

Does whisky taste better in a galaxy far, far away? Or perhaps it gets mellower when it's stored in space? Japanese distillery Suntory wants to find out through a science experiment using the International Space Station. This month, Suntory will be loading up the Kounotori 5 transfer vehicle -- due to launch from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Tanegashima Space Center on August 16 -- with five kinds of whisky (along with 40% ethanol) to mature for a few years on the International Space Station. Tokyo University's Institute for Solid State Physics, Tohoku University's Institute of Fluid Science, the Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute and the Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences are all excited to see if a microgravity environment at a space station can affect alcoholic beverages, specifically the mellowing process... More

(Source: CNET - Aug 5)