162-year-old Guinness bottle found at shipwreck could lead to historical brew recreation

A remarkable discovery has been made by Belgian diver Stefan Panis, who stumbled upon an unopened bottle of Guinness dating back to 1864 while exploring a shipwreck near Dover. The bottle, found in a box submerged in mud, has generated excitement among researchers who hope to recreate the historic beverage.

Panis discovered the unusual glass bottle during a dive last year off the English south coast. After bringing it to the surface, a rinse revealed the iconic Guinness name. What makes the find particularly intriguing is that the bottle remains sealed, preserving its contents for over a century and a half.

According to Panis, he retrieved only one bottle, leaving potentially 23 others in the same box at the wreck site. He suggested that further exploration could uncover more such historical artifacts. The recovered bottle has since been sent to a university in Belgium, where microbiologists are meticulously analyzing its contents.

The primary goal of the research is to understand the original taste and composition of the 1864 Guinness. Scientists are attempting to extract all the necessary components to brew an exact replica of the beer. If recreating the brew proves impossible, there remains the possibility that the beer inside the bottle is still drinkable, provided the corks have maintained their seal against seawater intrusion.