Off the coast of Dover, divers recovered a bottle of 1864 Guinness Extra Stout from the seabed. It was part of the cargo of a sunken ship and had remained underwater for over a century and a half.
The most interesting aspect here isn't even whether it's safe to drink.
Researchers are far more intrigued by the yeast and composition of the vintage stout. If viable microorganisms are preserved inside the bottle, scientists could gain a deeper understanding of what Guinness was like during the Victorian era, and potentially even attempt to recreate its historical taste.
According to media reports, other bottles of Guinness might also be present at the shipwreck site. The vessel sank in 1864 after a collision off the English coast.
The notion that the beer is 'still drinkable' after 162 years sounds impressive, but it should be approached with caution. While the bottle indeed retained its liquid contents, this by no means suggests anyone advises opening it for a tasting. Its contents are primarily of interest to researchers at this stage.
However, the story itself is almost perfect.
The beer was brewed during the reign of Queen Victoria. It then embarked on a sea voyage, the ship sank, wars passed, generations and technologies changed — yet the bottle of Guinness remained on the seabed throughout it all.
And now, after 162 years, it has once again surfaced.
This might well be one of the longest journeys in beer history — from brewery to a potential next brew.
