InsideJapan News Network

A Japanese brewery has said it will create a beer from ingredients that was once stored on the International Space Station, according to reports.

Sapporo Holdings intends to make the beverage using barley grains that have spent months on the International Space Station, though the company has no commercial plans for the venture.

"We want to finish the beer by November. It will be the first space beer," said Sapporo executive Junichi Ichikawa.

Sapporo joined forces with Okayama University biologist Manabu Sugimoto to create the space drink but will only have enough grain for 100 bottles.

Mr Sugimoto said "In the future, we may reach a point where humans will spend an extended period of time in space and must grow food to sustain ourselves. In the long run, we hope our space research will be not just about producing food, but about enjoying food and relaxing."

The International Space Station is a joint project among the space agencies of the United States (NASA), Russia (RKA), Japan (JAXA), Canada (CSA) and eleven European countries (ESA).