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

In 2025, Belgian underwater photographer Stefan Panis made an unexpected discovery while exploring a shipwreck off the coast of Dover. Buried within the wreckage, Panis found a 162-year-old bottle of Guinness, branded with the iconic Guinness label. Initially, he was unsure of the significance of his find, but upon rinsing the artefact, the familiar Guinness branding became apparent.

Panis, an experienced diver with over 40 years of experience, contacted Guinness to share his discovery. So far, he has recovered a single bottle, but he is confident that many more remain hidden beneath the sand surrounding the wreck. He plans to recover additional bottles once conditions allow.

Following the discovery, Panis' colleague Pawel Truszynski reached out to a microbiologist specializing in beer at KU Leuven University in Belgium. Samples from the bottle have been sent for analysis, with researchers eager to uncover the taste of the stout as it was brewed in 1864. The possibility exists that the beer could be completely drinkable, depending on whether the sea water has permeated the bottles through the corks.

If the beer is deemed safe, Panis himself would be willing to taste the historic stout, admitting he has no particular fondness for Guinness but would do so out of curiosity. Several others, including Fraser Hill, Katie Wilkinson, Katie White, Matt McCoppin, Natalia Nowacka, Noë Vernet, and Margaret Barr, expressed their willingness to try the 162-year-old beer, citing curiosity or a desire to experience history.

Diageo, the company behind Guinness, expressed interest in the find, acknowledging it provides insight into the brand's past and deepens their understanding of their heritage.