Up, Up and (Press) Away

A new record was just made for the highest brewing of a cup of coffee in a hot air balloon. It was at a little over 20,000 feet elevation, almost as high as planes fly. Carried out by a Lithuanian team, the stunt was filmed and is available on You Tube. Hot water was brought onboard in a thermos and poured into an Aeropress filled with coffee grounds. The Aeropress worked great, even though the preparer was slowed down by his heavy gloves. Despite the temperature of-20 degrees centigrade, the water was hot enough to brew a “quality cup of coffee” that was pronounced “as tasty as on earth”. For the taste test, the team member had to remove his gas mask to take a sip, and then quickly put it back on. If you want to try to break the record, be prepared for some tough preparation training. The participants had to train for weeks, with professional help. They took preparatory/experimental flights, ate special diets and underwent oxygen therapy for several hours. The flight participants had to wear special protective clothing and gas masks. If you think this would be a piece of cake, watch the YouTube video posted at the site linked to the image above. The video shows the breathtaking scenery in the background, and the whooshing of the gas flame that heats the air in the balloon can be heard every few seconds. Some people will do anything for a cup of coffee….….and to break records. Brew on high!