Overview
- Belgian diver Stefan Panis recovered an intact, labeled Guinness bottle from the Mindora wreck off Dover and says the find likely came from a full case with more bottles at the site.
- Samples from the recovered bottle have been sent to microbiologists at KU Leuven for analysis to check for viable yeast or retrievable DNA.
- Diageo’s Guinness Archive team is liaising with the divers to evaluate provenance and heritage questions but has not confirmed any plan to commercialize a re-brew.
- Brewing historians note that bottles found upside-down can trap an air bubble that may have blocked seawater and improved preservation, but there is no confirmation the contents are drinkable.
- The divers and collaborators have launched an informal effort called 'Project Jurassic Beer' and plan follow-up dives, with the feasibility of a faithful re-brew hinging on lab results.