Micro Gravity Fermentation

[mmead]

Space X Has on board, among others, an experiment to see how fermentation goes in micro gravity conditions. Imagine no layer of yeast on the bottom and no stream of co2 going from bottom to top. Strange indeed. How will released gasses behave? Where will the bubbles go? Will the trub be forever in the wine? I guess so.

 

[sirsloop]

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast21sep_1/

Lower cell count could be contributed to faster fermentation times due to evenly distributed yeast. The thinking is some of the yeast becomes dormant and falls in the cake. They reduce or stop consumption of sugar. Other yeast propagate and the cell count increases. In space, the yeast are always floating around so have less of a tendency to become dormant a consume available sugar faster. Less time for propagation..