Ancient beer may serve as future model

www.wthitv.com ^ | 2-8-11 | MATTI HUUHTANEN

[Red Badger]

HELSINKI - Finnish scientists are analyzing a golden, cloudy beverage found in a 19th century shipwreck at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, hoping new beers can be modeled on an ancient brew.

The VTT Technical Research Center of Finland said Tuesday that through chemical analysis it aims to determine the ingredients and possibly the recipe used in brewing what it called "one of the world's oldest preserved beers."

VTT scientist Arvi Vilpola said he had "the honorable task" of being the one on the research team to sample the brew.

"It was a little sour and you could taste the saltiness of it slightly," Vilpola said.

Divers stumbled across the five beer bottles while salvaging champagne from the wreck near Finland's Aland Islands last July. The schooner is believed to be from the early 19th century.

Researchers are keen to find out what kind of yeast was used because "the role of yeast in beer brewing was not yet fully understood in the early 1800s," said VTT spokeswoman Annika Wilhelmson.

Also, scientists are unsure whether yeast can survive two centuries in the cold seabed at a depth of 160 feet (50 meters).

"We have seen yeast cells in it under the microscope ... but we don't know whether they are live yeast cells. It's like digging up a graveyard and hoping that you'll find somebody there," said John Londesborough, a scientist from the research team. "We've found some bodies in pretty good condition."

The wreck and its finds belong to the semiautonomous islands, situated between Finland and Sweden, which hopes to be able to develop a new beer if scientists are successful.

"It would good to get the ingredients so that breweries could re-brew a new product from it," said Rainer Jusslin, a member of the provincial Aland government.

Divers recovered 168 bottles of champagne from the wreck — of the brands Veuve Clicquot and the now defunct Juglar.

At a tasting in November, Veuve Clicquot confirmed that experts "were able to identify with absolute certainty" that at least three of the recovered bottles were Veuve Clicquot.

Aland officials said the champagne will be sold at an auction where it could fetch more than $70,000 apiece.

The VVT team said it expects to publish its findings in May.

[Paladin2]

The overnight at a frat party provides accelerated aging.

[Red Badger]

Most likely the Captain’s stash.............

[Red Badger]

To the Frat Bros.............

[Calvin Locke]

I daresay that it requires a wider body of knowledge than the author of
the article that considers a "beer from the nineteenth century" "ancient".

I'd consider a medieval English brew, before the introduction of hops, "ancient".

Or a continental beer, with hops, from the same time period "ancient".

Perhaps "old" means cans before the intro of the pop top?

[wastoute]

Just because it is 200 years old means it was “good” then. Anyone ever drink Grain Belt?

[rock_lobsta]

Talk about a long lagering period...

[Mich Patriot]

I'd hit that (the beer)!

[GOPsterinMA]

Depending on the condition of the seal/cork, possibly.

But in reality, I’d sell it to the highest bidder.

[antiRepublicrat]

It would be a good time to be rich. Veuve Clicquot is my favorite, delicious and moderately priced. I prefer it to much more expensive brands even regardless of the price.

[Charles Martel]

If you found a 19th century bottle of anything, would you take a sip?

Not just *anything*, but I'd certainly uncork a bottle of distilled spirits from that period if the seal was intact. There isn't much that can turn bad in there, possibly some sediment might be visible in liqueurs made from botanicals.

I think I'd pass on the antique beer, though.

[knews_hound]

Ok, who is going to be first to brew this? I forgot to post this from the link you sent me earlier quantim.....



On or off the Homebrewers Ping List, let me know.

Cheers,

knewshound

Homebrewing 1A (Homebrewing for beginners)

[DTogo]

All this talk about yeast... but what about the hops??

[Colonel_Flagg]

"It was a little sour and you could taste the saltiness of it slightly," Vilpola said.

"And it still tasted better than Budweiser."

[Red Badger]

I’ve seen people put salt in beer but I have no idea why......

[Red Badger]

Hops may not have been an ingredient. Not every 3uropean beer tastes like Heinekin or some of the other double hopped beers......

[DTogo]

Heinekin’s for pikers: Dogfish Head!

[knews_hound]

Agreed. Ancient recipes like this usually use spices and herbs in lieu of hops.

Sounds nasty to me.

Cheers,

knewshound

[DTogo]

Ancient recipes like this usually use spices and herbs in lieu of hops.

That could be interesting in and of itself. Good beer is good beer.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Oh, groan. I would expect Him to be quaffing a Galilean beer, not this drek.

[FreedomPoster]

Ping.