Local brewers get rare taste of famous beer

A 150-year-old bottle of one of the world's rarest beers has been opened for the first time since the 19th Century as part of a project to recreate the Victorian ale originally brewed to sustain Arctic explorers.

- STAFF REPORTER

The bottle of Allsopp's Arctic Ale, produced in 1875 for Sir George Nares' attempt to reach the North Pole, was uncorked on Thursday at the Innis & Gunn Brewery in Perth by the Scottish company's founder, Dougal Gunn Sharp, and Jamie Allsopp, director of the revived Allsopp's Brewery and a direct descendant of the beer's original creators.

Thought to be one of only a handful of surviving bottles, the ale was described as 'astonishingly well preserved' as the pair tasted it moments after opening.

Sharp, who acquired the 750ml bottle at auction for over £3000 more than a decade ago after it was found in a Shropshire garage, said: "We've made history today and you can literally taste it. I've waited 10 years to try this, and the flavour of the beer was incredible - it didn’t disappoint and testament to the skill and thoroughness of the Allsopp's brewers more than 150 years ago.

"It started with a savoury, Bovril like flavour, then sweetness like treacle with the weight of a good sherry, and an undeniable hoppiness despite the incredibly high sugar content. It's like nothing I've ever tasted before.