162-year-old Guinness discovered in shipwreck could help recreate original recipe

Samples from the bottle have now been sent to microbiologists at a Belgian university.

The find was made by Belgian diver and photographer Stefan Panis during an expedition to the wreck of the Mindora.

The vessel had left London bound for Vancouver in November 1864, but its voyage came to an abrupt end about a week later when it collided with another vessel off the Dover coastline.

Panis, who has more than four decades of diving experience, spotted the bottles among the wreckage and recovered one from the seabed.

Once it was brought ashore and cleaned, the branding on the glass revealed that the bottle contained Guinness.

Now, he suspects the discovery could be much larger than initially thought as the container appeared to be a case that could have held 24 bottles.

There had been previous attempts to reach the wreck's cargo, with brewing historian Edward Bourke explaining that plans to use explosives to open the vessel were abandoned due to severe storms in the English Channel.

Samples from the recovered bottle have now been sent to microbiologists at KU Leuven University in Belgium for analysis.

Researchers are particularly interested in whether biological material has survived inside the bottle. If enough DNA can be recovered, it could potentially provide clues that allow scientists to recreate a small batch of beer based on the original 1864 brew.

The discovery has already attracted considerable attention, with Panis describing the sudden publicity as a 'whirlwind' and saying he is looking forward to returning for another expedition.

He has also been in ongoing contact with Diageo Ireland as experts work to learn more about the find.

A company spokesperson said discoveries such as this offer an unusual opportunity to gain insight into the past and develop a greater understanding of brewing heritage.

According to Bourke, the Guinness had been transported to London in barrels before being bottled for trade agent Cameron Saunders during autumn 1864. The bottles were made from English glass.

Additionally, the bottles were reportedly in an interesting position when found, lying upside down, meaning the liquid remained against the cork.

For now, scientists will have to wait for the laboratory results before knowing just how much information the 162-year-old Guinness can reveal.

Image: pawel_truszynski and stefpanis_photography on Instagram.