Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:01am on 10 Aug 2026,Monday Science
Up to 20 bottles of Guinness dating to 1864 have been discovered in the wreck of the Mindora, around five kilometres off Dover. Belgian underwater photographer Stefan Panis found the bottles in the ship’s cargo, preserved in constant high pressure and complete darkness after the vessel sank following a collision on November 27, 1864, while travelling from London to Vancouver. Samples have been sent to microbiologists at KU Leuven University in Belgium for DNA analysis. Researchers hope they can recover enough DNA to recreate the original 1860s Guinness recipe. Panis, who has dived for over 40 years, initially recovered one bottle and believes more cases could remain. Guinness’s archive team is assessing the discovery. (PC: X/@thefreeledger)
