After finding preserved beer from 1864 on a shipwreck, deep-sea divers have enlisted the help of scientists to try to recreate the ancient ale.

The plan, dubbed ‘Project Jurassic Beer,’ began when divers found 20 bottles of Guinness from a shipwreck off the English coast last summer.

They contacted microbiologists at Leuven University in Belgium to try recreate the beer’s taste. One of the divers said they would “unlock a form of liquid time travel” if successful.

On The Pat Kenny Show, beer expert Dean McGuinness said that the bottles of beer have been found in “perfect conditions” for their preservation.

The lack of light, low temperature of around 4°C, and the high-pressure environment they were found in have been key factors in how well the Guinness has been preserved.

Difficulties with recreating the Guinness flavour

However, Mr. McGuinness said that tasting the beer to discover Guinness’s flavours from more than 150 years ago may be challenging.

The recovered bottles were live beers, with yeast remaining in the bottles, similar to current UK practices, meaning that the original flavour is “a moving target” as the yeast changes over time.

Despite this, due to the conditions being suitable to preserve the beer, Mr. McGuinness doubted that the yeast would have changed the taste significantly.

‘They’re working with the best in the world’

Mr. McGuinness explained that efforts to recreate the beer have been off to a great start, as Belgian yeast experts are the “best in the world”

Additionally, he explained that researchers are working with the Guinness archive to find the other ingredients and processes used to brew the beer in the 1860s.

Mr. McGuinness said that Guinness has undertaken several projects recreating old beer styles, but noted that it remains to be seen whether the company will make samples available commercially.