Brewing the First Beer in Space

This page was published right after the MicroBrew-1 payload launched on the Crew-11 mission on August 1st, 2025. The mission returned successfully to Earth in mid-August and the payload has been sent to multiple universities for analysis, including UTRGV, Texas A&M, and Technical University of Munich. We will update this page with the results of the experiment and research findings when we have them. Stay tuned!

The First Beer in Space

Starbase Brewing, the innovative craft brewery dedicated to becoming the first beer on Mars, today announced the upcoming launch of its groundbreaking MicroBrew-1 experiment aboard NASA's Crew-11 mission. Scheduled for liftoff on August 1st, 2025, via the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) program at the International Space Station National Laboratory (ISSNL), this payload marks a historic milestone: brewing the first beer in space.

The scientific payload prepared and ready to go to space. The top chamber (underneath the Starbase logo) is filled with wort and the chamber underneath that contains dry yeast. Credit: Jaguar Space/Ivan Castro Guatemala

The MicroBrew-1 experiment will explore the frontiers of fermentation in microgravity, providing critical insights into how zero gravity and cosmic radiation influence the brewing process. This initiative aligns with Starbase Brewing's long-term vision of establishing sustainable agriculture on Mars, where brewing techniques could inform broader food production methods for future human settlements.

"Our goal is to do more than just make beer." said Nate Argroves, CEO of Starbase Brewing. "We want to explore how to make interplanetary life possible. MicroBrew-1 is a bold step toward understanding how to grow and process resources in space, starting with one of humanity’s favorite beverages: beer."

The MicroBrew-1 Experiment

The experiment involves eight Fluid Processing Apparatuses (FPAs) — specialized test tube-like containers — housed within a larger cylindrical Group Activation Pack (GAP). Each FPA is pre-loaded with half wort (the sugary liquid extracted from malted grains) and half yeast. Upon arrival at the International Space Station (ISS), an astronaut will insert a crank into the GAP and turn it to mix the contents, initiating fermentation in zero gravity.

A single test tube filled with wort and yeast. Credit: Jaguar Space/Ivan Castro Guatemala

Key research objectives include examining the impact of microgravity and radiation on yeast activity and fermentation outcomes. Researchers will also observe the behavior of top-fermenting yeast, which typically rises to the surface during brewing on Earth, in a weightless environment.

“Fermentation is a fundamental bioprocess for sustaining human life beyond Earth — from food and nutrition to biomanufacturing and waste recycling,” said Dr. Luis Zea, CEO of Jaguar Space and lead researcher for MicroBrew-1. “With MicroBrew-1, we’re conducting targeted research to understand how microgravity affects fermentation at a cellular level. The insights we gain could shape the design of life-supporting systems for future space missions, while also advancing bioprocessing technologies here on Earth.

The MicroBrew-1 team. From left to right, Dr. Luis Zea (Jaguar Space), Nate Argroves (Starbase Brewing), Harrison R. Coker (Texas A&M)

A Toast to the Future

Following fermentation, the MicroBrew-1 payload returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule for retrieval and detailed analysis. Collaborating universities are now playing a pivotal role by conducting electron microscopy to study cellular changes, along with performing comprehensive chemical and sensory analysis on the beer samples.

These findings will contribute to Starbase Brewing's overarching goal of developing robust agricultural systems for Mars, where environmental challenges like low gravity and high radiation demand innovative solutions. By adapting brewing — a process reliant on microbiology and biochemistry — the company aims to pioneer techniques for cultivating crops and producing consumables in extraterrestrial conditions.

Starbase Brewing invites beer enthusiasts, space explorers, and the scientific community to follow this mission's progress through updates on our website and social media channels. While Mars is the ultimate goal, Starbase’s beers are currently only distributed in Texas and Cape Canaveral, Florida. Over the next few years, the brewery plans to expand distribution nationwide. If you are a distributor interested in carrying Starbase products, please email sales@starbasebrewery.com.

The MicroBrew-1 Mission Patch