Divers find 162-year-old Guinness in shipwreck off the English coast

3 hours ago

Adam MandevilleBBC News NI

News image — When Stefan Panis found the bottle off the coast of Dover

Stefan Panis A man with dark hair, swept back, holding a black bottle. He is wearing a wet-suit and sitting on the side of a boat. He has a grey beard and is smiling at the camera, pointing at the bottle. — When Stefan Panis found the bottle off the coast of Dover

How far would you travel for a pint of Guinness? If the answer is to the bottom of the sea, you might be in luck.

There's just one catch - the pint in question is 162 years old.

When Belgian underwater photographer Stefan Panis discovered a bottle buried in a shipwreck off the coast of Dover in 2025, he had no idea what he had found. He just knew something about it had caught his eye.

When Panis and his friend, Eddie Huzzey, surfaced, a quick rinse revealed the familiar Guinness branding. The bottle dates back to 1864.

"We lifted the artefact, and then on the surface a quick rinse revealed 'Guinness'," he said.

Stefan Panis A pair of hands holding a black bottle. Written on the top of the cap is 'GUINNESS EXTRA STOUT LONDON'. — The bottle of Guinness dates back to 1864

Panis, who has been diving for more than 40 years, contacted Guinness to share the discovery.

So far, he has recovered just one bottle, but believes many more remain buried beneath the sand surrounding the wreck and he already has plans to recover more when conditions allow.

"Seeing the size of the case, I think it is definitely a case of 24 bottles.

"But there might be more cases."

Stefan Panis A black bottle. Written on the top of the cap is 'GUINNESS EXTRA STOUT LONDON'. — Panis said he believes there are dozens more bottles in the shipwreck

After the discovery, Panis' colleague Pawel Truszynski contacted a microbiologist specialising in beer at KU Leuven University in Belgium.

Samples from the bottle have been sent for analysis, with researchers hoping to learn more about what the stout would have tasted like.

"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 said.

If successful, researchers could recreate the taste of Guinness as it was brewed in 1864 using samples of the recovered stout.

Stefan Panis A photograph taken underwater. A large piece of wood which looks aged. A number of fish swim above it. — Panis has been diving for over 40 years

But there may be an even more intriguing possibility.

"There is a possibility that it's still drinkable. The question is if the sea water has come into the bottles through the corks.

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

And although Panis admitted he is "not that big" of a Guinness fan, he didn't hesitate when asked whether he would try the 162-year-old stout if experts declared it safe.

"Of course."

'I would try it even though I don't like Guinness'

Three people sat, smiling at the camera. The man on the left has blond hair and is wearing a dark shirt and sunglasses. The woman in the middle is wearing a blue denim jacket and has long blonde hair. The woman on the right has dark hair and is wearing a pink and white shirt. They are all holding drinks. — Fraser Hill (left), Katie Wilkinson, and Katie White (right) said they would try 162-year-old Guinness

For some people in Belfast, the novelty of drinking a pint that's spent more than 160 years at the bottom of the sea was reason enough to give it a go.

Fraser Hill, Katie Wilkinson and Katie White all said curiosity would outweigh any hesitation if they were offered a taste of the recovered Guinness.

"I would try it even though I don't even like Guinness," Katie White said.

Two people smiling at the camera. On the left is a woman with dark curly hair and glasses. She is wearing a black leather jacket and is holding a plastic cup of Guinness. On the right is a man with long blond hair and an auburn beard. He is wearing a white t-shirt and is holding a plastic cup of Guinness. — Matt McCoppin and Natalia Nowacka agreed they would try the 162-year-old stout

Others also needed very little convincing.

Matt McCoppin said he would try the stout "in a heartbeat", while Natalia Nowacka admitted she would be nervous, but still couldn't resist the opportunity.

"I wouldn't know what to expect, I'd be quite scared," Natalia said.

Noë Vernet also said the chance to taste such a historic drink was too good to miss.

"For the sheer experience, I would try it," he said.

A woman and a man smile at the camera. The woman has blonde hair and is wearing a pale-green top. The man is wearing a grey top. — Margaret Barr said she wouldn't try the Guinness

Not everyone was tempted, however.

Margaret Barr said she would much rather enjoy a pint of Guinness fresh from the tap than one recovered from the seabed.

"Absolutely not," she said. "I'm a big Guinness drinker, I'm just not a risk taker."

A man smiles at the camera. He has an auburn beard and is wearing a green shirt. He is standing on a busy street. — Andrew Clarke said he would try the Guinness "halfway down me"

Andrew Clarke, meanwhile, said safety advice would not keep him waiting.

He joked the Guinness would be "halfway down me" before experts had the chance to declare whether it was safe to drink.

"I don't think it would age like a fine wine, but for the sake of mankind someone needs to drink it," he said.

"Maybe put a few more down there and see what happens 200 years from now."

A spokesperson for Diageo 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."