Resurrection Of the World's Oldest Beer
Would you like to have a taste of a 200-year old bottle of liquor? Well, despite my not being an alcoholic, I sure think it would be fascinating to know what a 200-year old liquor actually tastes like.
Well, recently a publication has revealed that a team of Australians brewers are on a quest to re-invent a 200-year old bottle of alcohol, in a bid to create the world’s oldest beer.
How did the journey begin?
Well, some 20 years ago, a group of divers discovered the wreck of the 1796 Sydney Cove which was sailing to Australia, but sank in 1797. As at then, the ship was on a journey to Sydney, Australia from Calcutta, India.
Sadly, the ship didn’t make its destination; as it sank in 1797 along the way, including the 31,500 litres of tightly parked and sealed booze of the 18th-century binge era.
The Bottled Beer
When the diving team accessed the ship and its contents, they were shocked to discover that the alcohol was in great condition despite being underwater for over 200 years.
As far as records go till date, the discovery is still the world’s oldest surviving alcohol on record, and when the alcohol was analysed after arriving on the surface, the contents revealed that it was port wine, grapes and beer.
The yeast that was discovered on the ship also made for an interesting study; as it was found to be a hybrid.
The Modern re-brewing of the beer
With the discovery of the 200-year old bottled beer and the yeast found in the ship, the oldest Australian brewer, James Squire along with the Australian Wine Research Institute and Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery are set to begin the process of re-brewery the two-century old liquor.
Making the beer
To re-produce the beer, the brewers had to first study the bottle and its contents. After re-examining it, they were able to isolate the residual yeast and extracted it. And with the yeast, Australian brewers from the country’s oldest brewery are hoping to recreate the 200-year old bottled liquor.
Further examination of the yeast showed that the yeast was not only 220 years old, but was also a rare hybrid strain which is completely uncommon to the yeast strain used in today’s beer.
Following their isolation, analysis and examination, the brewers finally decided they were ready for brewing and the very tasking brewing process commenced.
One of the brewers, Stu Korch admitted that it was a very tough undertaking to produce a palatable drink with the over 220 years old yeast. A lot of trial and error was involved, especially in “taming” the yeast, due to the yeast’s unique characteristics.
However, after a lot of hard work, the brewing team achieved success and the commercially viable drink would be available for sale and consumption by June 2018, under name “The Wreck Preservation Ale”, and it would be a “dark, stormy porter-style, malty, spicy ale, with a once-in-a-lifetime taste.”
Reference & Further Reading: r1, r2, r3, r4
Thank you for your time and for reading.
If you found this interesting, then kindly UPVOTE, RESTEEM and FOLLOW @rickie, for more.
Well, I also dont like the taste of beer much but if its 200 year old I would definitely wanna give a try.
Just by utilizing the same yeast a beer of same taste as 200 year old has been achieved..sounds great.
Cheers
Wow, even though I don't drink too.. But would love to taste it too... 200 year old beer.. I bet that tastes sweet already... 😊😊😊
Thanks sir @rickie for another tresured information you've shared with us... 😘😘😘
Self control when we drinking
I'm not much of an alcoholic myself but I think it's a fascinating opportunity to be able to taste a 200 year old beer. Just tasting it would be enough for me lol.
I am so curious of what it tastes like would it be bitter or sweeter? Because it is a historic beer i just want to have taste of a 200-year-old beer. 😁
wow i love to try that 200 year old beer @rickie! How much was a bottle ?
Please follow me, best regards @mrandreas