The yeast from a 220-year-old bottle of beer found in a shipwreck off the coast of Tasmania has been used to brew what is being described as the “world’s oldest surviving beer.” This is similar to the claims made for 170-year old beer found in a shipwreck off the Åland Islands of Sweden. It appears that the Tasmanian beer may be older, but does raise an obvious question — isn’t there more to beer than yeast? 

The 500-year-old German beer purity law, Das Reinheitsgebot, initially included only hops, barley, water for making beer. The understanding of yeast and fermentation only came later. In the case of the Åland Island beer, there was at least an attempt to recreate the proper blend of other ingredients. The new/old Tasmanian beers seems to be based strictly on the very old yeast. As a home-brewer myself, I can testify that while yeast is important, hops and barley define the beer. 

Beer-making quibbles aside, there is a fascinating, if somewhat grim story, behind the beer, as reported by the Courier:

The beer bottle containing the yeast was found within Australia’s oldest merchant shipwreck the ‘Sydney Cove’ which was wrecked in 1797 on Preservation Island north of Tasmania. 

Shipwreck survivors walked 700 kilometres from Bass Strait to Sydney, but only three of the 17 made it to share the location of the shipwreck.

To commemorate the launch of ale, James Squire is looking for adventurers to honour the shipwreck’s original survivors by taking part in its Great Australian Survivors’ Trek.

The journey will see four people trek across Australia’s southeastern coastline through dunes, cliffs, and rivers on foot, vehicle and raft. 

Beginning at Ninety Mile Beach in Victoria, over seven days the trip will pass through towns such as Cape Howe, Moruya, Ulladulla and Jervis Bay leaving a commemorative James Squire plaque before concluding in Port Jackson, Sydney.

To win a spot on the trek, which includes airfares and accommodation, head to www.jamessquire.com.au/survivorstrek/ and outline your previous walking experience and why you want to make Australian history with James Squire.

I have no doubt the participants will have a good, if challenging, time. Nevertheless, I might question the wisdom of recreating, if only in spirit, a trek where 80% of the original participants died along the way. I’ll think I’ll go have a cold beer instead.

Thanks to Irwin Bryan for contributing to this post.