Finns to Re-Brew Beer from 1800s Shipwreck

HELSINKI - Finnish scientists said they hope to re-brew an old ale after studying ancient beer found in a 19th century shipwreck at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

The VTT Technical Research Center of Finland said it aims to determine the recipe used in the brewing of what is "one of the world's oldest preserved beers."

Divers in July found five bottles of dark, foamy beer while salvaging champagne from the wreck near Finland's Aland Islands. The shipwreck is believed to be from the early 19th century.

VTT spokeswoman Annika Wilhelmson said Tuesday that researchers want 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."