During a remarkable dive off the coast of the UK, a team of divers stumbled upon a fascinating find: a 162-year-old bottle of Guinness hidden among the remains of a shipwreck. This discovery has sparked curiosity about whether the aged stout might still be drinkable after more than a century below the waves.
Stefan Panis, a seasoned underwater photographer hailing from Belgium, couldn’t believe his luck when he uncovered the glass bottle amid the wreckage of the Mindoro, hidden in the depths of the English Channel last year.
“As soon as I came back up to the surface, I realized the top of the bottle was exceptionally clear,” recounted Panis, 47, to Inc. “To see the words ‘Guinness Extra Stout London’ on it was astonishing.”
“The moment was nothing short of incredible,” he added, reflecting on his unexpected find.
Nestled within the ship’s cargo, the bottle’s age surprised both Panis and his diving companion, Eddie Huzzie, 68. Eager to learn more, they sent samples from the relic to microbiologists at KU Leuven, a renowned research university in Belgium, to explore the secrets contained within its ancient glass.
“There is always a chance that we can recover the complete DNA, and then we can do a small re-brew of the exact beer that was found in the 1860s,” he told the BBC.
Panis, who admitted he’s not a huge fan of the stout, said the contents of the bottle might still be drinkable – but he’s waiting for the analysis first.
“There is a possibility that it’s still drinkable,” he said.
“The question is if the sea water has come into the bottles through the corks.
“If not, most likely the beer will still be drinkable.”
He revealed that he would take a sip of the stout if he’s given the green light to taste it.
He suspects there may be more than one bottle hiding within the wreckage of the barque, which sank three miles off the coast of Dover, England, on Nov. 27 1864 after colliding with the Khersonese, a sailing ship.
“Seeing the size of the case, I think it is definitely a case of 24 bottles,” he told the BBC.
“But there might be more cases.”
Panis also contacted Diageo – the company which makes Guinness – and a spokesperson for the organization said, “Discoveries like this provide a fascinating window into our past and help build a deeper understanding of our heritage.
“Currently, our Guinness Archive team is liaising with the divers to gather more information and evaluate the find.”