Never Never has been awarded an innovation grant to become the first gin distilled in space as part of an exercise conducted by the Australian Space Discovery Centre in South Australia.
This will be the first experiment of its kind conducted by the South Australian Space Industry and is aimed at exploring the effects of zero gravity on flavour specifically attributed to the distillation of spirits.
The experiments will first be conducted in zero gravity using vacuum distillation, with the specialist technology using the extreme vacuum of space to extract flavour from botanicals without the use of any form of combustion.
The technology was originally created to purify astronaut urine through a small series of micro-distillations, however such was its efficiency it has presented further applications on board the newly refitted international space station.
Co-Founder and Brand Director of Never Never Sean Baxter is excited by the prospect of what the findings might uncover when it comes to producing new spirits thousands of miles from home.
“This is just the first stage of an approximately six-year plan to continue to learn more about the impact of space on flavour,” says Baxter. “Stage Two progresses further into distillation in deep space during space travel and finally, Stage Three is distillation on the surface of Mars itself, anticipated to happen towards the end of the program,” says Baxter.
The later stages of the experiments will also uncover further applications when it comes to creating neutral alcohol on a newly colonised Mars, alcohol that could be used for important medicinal, sanitisation and fuel resources.
With the most recent exciting discovery of ancient water trapped beneath the surface of Mars, the ambition will be to one day use this water to distill and dilute locally made “Mars Vodka” distilled from potatoes grown in the planet’s red soil.
Wild Yeasts, propagated within the anticipated biodomes will solve the final piece of the puzzle.
For Never Never, the main purpose of supporting such studies will be to find a location off-planet to one day produce and sell spirits affordably given the astronomical costs of tax within the Australian Spirits sector.
“Mars offers both a cost effective and unique solution to the problems presented within the Australian market,” says Baxter, “ this certainly includes obscenely high taxation and overall market saturation.”
“By aiming to produce on another planet, we are able to side-step Australia’s spirit excise which has climbed to $101.85,” says Baxter. “By the time we are fully operational once the Mars colony has been established, we believe that it will provide the most realistic opportunity for small business to continue to thrive, albeit in a completely different atmosphere.”
“It was never our ambition to take production off planet in order to create a fairer way of producing spirit, however we’re excited by the savings such a plan is going to generate,” says Baxter.
“Just like when we began producing in 16sqm in the back of a shed in West Adelaide, we’re accustomed to working efficiently in tight spaces,” says Baxter, “a biodome shouldn’t present a significant problem for our team.”
Co-Founder and Head Distiller Tim Boast is excited by the idea of taking his production program into orbit and can’t wait to see what the initial experimentations will uncover when it comes to groundbreaking advances in flavour.
“I’ve been lucky enough to notch up a few notable achievements on this planet,” says Tim, referencing his back to back World’s Best Distiller awards in 2019, “it will be fun to see what the universe has in store,” he laughs.
