Scientists tested 170-year-old beer, and it was rank

Sunday, March 8, 2015, 11:00 AM - Scientists in Germany and Finland have uncovered a beer so foul, even the hardiest craft brew enthusiasts wouldn't partake.

To be fair, it's a little past its expiry date. The beer in question was hauled up from a 170-year-old shipwreck in the Baltic Sea, so it's had time to go a bit off, and it seems that seawater had seeped in to all but wipe out the original flavour.

"High levels of organic acids, produced by bacteria growing in the bottles for years, gave the samples vinegary, “goaty” and soured milk flavors that overpowered the original fruity, malt or hop profiles," the American Chemical Society, which published the research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, said in a release.

Five bottles of beer and more than 100 bottles of champagne were recovered in 2010 from a ship that went down off the coast of the Aland islands. Scientists have been studying them over the past several years to unlock the secrets of how they were made.

And although it's apparently not drinkable any more, chemical analysis has given new insights into the beer's original composition -- with enough confidence to actually create a modern version.

The researchers turned to Stallhagen Brewery in the Aland Islands to resurrect the brew the beverage, and it seems they pulled it off, marketing it under the brand "1843." The brew is gold in colour, 4.5 per cent alcohol by volume, and and lacks hoppy bitterness.

"1843 has champagne like soft bubbles and the beer’s taste profile is closer to wine than to beer," the brewers say. "It has a distinct freshness and fruitiness together with a subtle spiciness."

Stallhagen assures us that 1843 is an "elegant aperitif" that would go great with seafood, and is best served in a wine or champagne glass.

We'll take that over "goaty" any day.

SOURCES: American Chemical Society | Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry | Stallhagen Brewery | Visit Aland