Bottle of Guinness found in 162-year-old shipwreck could reveal original recipe

Scientists are hopeful that a rare 1864 bottle of Guinness could help them recreate the original recipe.

Approximately 20 bottles of the 162-year-old stout were discovered in a shipwreck, five kilometres off the coast of Dover.

Stefan Panis, a Belgian underwater photographer with more than 40 years of experience, unexpectedly made international headlines upon finding the hidden treasure and sparking an ambitious scientific project.

During the expedition dive, Panis spotted the historic Guinness in darkness in Mindora’s cargo. Thanks to constant high pressure, it’s regarded as the ideal condition for preservation.

The Mindora set sail from London to Vancouver on November 27, 1864, and collided with another vessel off the Dover coast a week later.

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Panis contacted Guinness to inform them of his discovery but believes there could be more than the one pint he initially surfaced with down there.

NOW THAT'S A LONG POUR! Divers find Guinness that's been settling for 162 years By Splitpics UK - Forget a trip to the pub ? two divers may have uncovered the oldest pint of Guinness anyone could hope to sink after discovering a 162-year-old bottle of the famous stout lying on a shipwreck beneath the English Channel. Belgian underwater photographer Stefan Panis made the remarkable find while exploring a wreck off the coast of Dover in 2025 with fellow diver Eddie Huzzey. At first, the pair had no idea what the bottle was. But after bringing it to the surface and giving it a quick rinse, the famous Irish branding appeared. "We lifted the artefact, and then on the surface a quick rinse revealed 'Guinness'," said Panis, who has been diving for more than 40 years. The bottle has been dated to 1864, making it an astonishing 162 years old. And this could be just the start. Panis believes the bottle came from a full crate still buried beneath the sand surrounding the wreck. "Seeing the size of the case, I think it is definitely a case of 24 bottles," he said. "But there might be more cases." Rather than cracking it open immediately, Panis contacted Guinness to report the discovery. Meanwhile, his colleague Pawel Truszynski enlisted the help of a microbiologist specialising in beer at KU Leuven University in Belgium. Scientists are now analysing samples from the bottle in the hope of unlocking the secrets of Victorian-era Guinness. "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," Panis explained. If successful, researchers could recreate the flavour of Guinness exactly as it was brewed more than a century and a half ago. But the biggest surprise of all? The ancient stout might not just be copied ? it could still be drinkable. "There is a possibility that it's still drinkable. The question is if the sea water has come into the bottles through the corks," Panis said. "If not, most likely the beer would still be drinkable." Despite admitting he's "not that big" of a Guinness fan, Panis already knows what he'll do if experts give the historic brew the thumbs up. "Of course." ENDS
NOW THAT'S A LONG POUR! Divers find Guinness that's been settling for 162 years By Splitpics UK - Forget a trip to the pub ? two divers may have uncovered the oldest pint of Guinness anyone could hope to sink after discovering a 162-year-old bottle of the famous stout lying on a shipwreck beneath the English Channel. Belgian underwater photographer Stefan Panis made the remarkable find while exploring a wreck off the coast of Dover in 2025 with fellow diver Eddie Huzzey. At first, the pair had no idea what the bottle was. But after bringing it to the surface and giving it a quick rinse, the famous Irish branding appeared. "We lifted the artefact, and then on the surface a quick rinse revealed 'Guinness'," said Panis, who has been diving for more than 40 years. The bottle has been dated to 1864, making it an astonishing 162 years old. And this could be just the start. Panis believes the bottle came from a full crate still buried beneath the sand surrounding the wreck. "Seeing the size of the case, I think it is definitely a case of 24 bottles," he said. "But there might be more cases." Rather than cracking it open immediately, Panis contacted Guinness to report the discovery. Meanwhile, his colleague Pawel Truszynski enlisted the help of a microbiologist specialising in beer at KU Leuven University in Belgium. Scientists are now analysing samples from the bottle in the hope of unlocking the secrets of Victorian-era Guinness. "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," Panis explained. If successful, researchers could recreate the flavour of Guinness exactly as it was brewed more than a century and a half ago. But the biggest surprise of all? The ancient stout might not just be copied ? it could still be drinkable. "There is a possibility that it's still drinkable. The question is if the sea water has come into the bottles through the corks," Panis said. "If not, most likely the beer would still be drinkable." Despite admitting he's "not that big" of a Guinness fan, Panis already knows what he'll do if experts give the historic brew the thumbs up. "Of course." ENDS

‘We lifted the artefact, and then on the surface, a quick rinse revealed “Guinness.” Seeing the size of the case, I think it is definitely a case of 24 bottles. But there might be more cases,’ he told BBC News.

Following the tip-off, samples from the bottle were sent to KU Leuven University in Belgium for analysis by microbiologists.

Panis explained that ‘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 even reckons there’s a possibility that what he unearthed is ‘still drinkable’, provided that seawater hasn’t entered the bottles through the corks.

‘If not, most likely, the beer would still be drinkable.’

While not a huge Guinness fan himself, he’d happily take a sip of the vintage booze if deemed safe.

NOW THAT'S A LONG POUR! Divers find Guinness that's been settling for 162 years By Splitpics UK - Forget a trip to the pub ??? two divers may have uncovered the oldest pint of Guinness anyone could hope to sink after discovering a 162-year-old bottle of the famous stout lying on a shipwreck beneath the English Channel. Belgian underwater photographer Stefan Panis made the remarkable find while exploring a wreck off the coast of Dover in 2025 with fellow diver Eddie Huzzey. At first, the pair had no idea what the bottle was. But after bringing it to the surface and giving it a quick rinse, the famous Irish branding appeared. "We lifted the artefact, and then on the surface a quick rinse revealed 'Guinness'," said Panis, who has been diving for more than 40 years. The bottle has been dated to 1864, making it an astonishing 162 years old. And this could be just the start. Panis believes the bottle came from a full crate still buried beneath the sand surrounding the wreck. "Seeing the size of the case, I think it is definitely a case of 24 bottles," he said. "But there might be more cases." Rather than cracking it open immediately, Panis contacted Guinness to report the discovery. Meanwhile, his colleague Pawel Truszynski enlisted the help of a microbiologist specialising in beer at KU Leuven University in Belgium. Scientists are now analysing samples from the bottle in the hope of unlocking the secrets of Victorian-era Guinness. "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," Panis explained. If successful, researchers could recreate the flavour of Guinness exactly as it was brewed more than a century and a half ago. But the biggest surprise of all? The ancient stout might not just be copied ??? it could still be drinkable. "There is a possibility that it's still drinkable. The question is if the sea water has come into the bottles through the corks," Panis s

Taking to Instagram amid what he described as a ‘whirlwind’ of viral fame, the diver declared that he is already ‘looking forward to the next expedition’.

Panis has been in ‘constant communication’ with Diageo Ireland, owners and manufacturers of Guinness, founded in Dublin in 1759, while they gather more information.

‘Discoveries like this provide a fascinating window into our past and help build a deeper understanding of our heritage,’ a spokesperson added to The Irish Times.

What is the Guinness recipe?

As written on the Guinness website, the world’s most popular stout (a category of beer with rich dark colour and a distinctive creamy head) is created using four key ingredients:

  • Roasted barley
  • Malted barley

The brand adds: ‘Every Guinness you’ve ever enjoyed can be traced back to this recipe.

‘A direct descendant of our archival recipes, Guinness Extra Stout is based on a beer first brewed in 1821, when Arthur Guinness II set down precise instructions for brewing his Superior Porter.’

LONDON, ENGLAND OCTOBER 10: A pint of Guinness on a table at the Grapes public house on October 10, 2025 in Limehouse area of London, England. A new 60/40 pint, blending Guinness 0.0 with the original stout, is becoming a popular trend this Christmas. (Photo by Bryn Colton/Getty Images)

Brewing historian Edward Bourke also offered further backstory to the old beer, sharing with Panis that ‘harsh channel storms’ cut short a previous operation to blow the decks out of the Mindoro with explosives to access the cargo.

Therefore, the Guinness shipment has been ‘untouched’ for over 160 years.

Bourke added that the discovered beer was sent in barrels to London trade agent Cameron Saunders in the autumn of 1864, when it was bottled in English glass.

What’s more, because the bottles were found to be upside-down, their contents will likely be ‘perfect’, because the trapped air bubbles created a pressurised barrier to protect them.

So, watch this space, because Victorian-era Guinness could one day hit the shelves…

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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