150-Year-Old Arctic Beer to Be Reborn in Scotland

Published: 03 November 2025 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online

In one of the most remarkable brewing projects of the century, a Scottish brewer is preparing to open and revive a 150-year-old bottle of beer that once sailed with explorers bound for the Arctic. Dougal Gunn Sharp, founder and master brewer of Edinburgh-based Innis & Gunn, has announced plans to unseal the ancient bottle of Allsopp’s Arctic Ale — a beer originally crafted to sustain and fortify sailors braving the frozen seas of the North Pole.

The vintage ale, brewed in 1875 by Samuel Allsopp & Sons of Burton-upon-Trent, was originally intended for the ill-fated expedition led by Sir George Nares. That journey, part of Britain’s Victorian-era quest for Arctic discovery, ended prematurely after a severe outbreak of scurvy crippled the crew. The surviving bottles of Arctic Ale, few in number, were scattered across time — tucked away in cellars, ship holds, and even garage shelves, forgotten relics of a daring age of exploration.

Sharp’s bottle is among the rarest of them all, believed to be one of only a handful still intact. It was discovered over a decade ago in a Shropshire garage and auctioned for just over £3,000 — more than five times its estimated value. “It’s hard to overstate how rare this bottle is,” Sharp said. “Some people might think it’s madness to open it, but the real madness would be to leave it sitting on a shelf. Beer is meant to be shared — and this one deserves to be tasted again, especially on its 150th anniversary.”

The brewer’s plan is as ambitious as it is poetic. In collaboration with the newly revived Allsopp’s Brewery — now led by Samuel Allsopp’s descendant, Jamie Allsopp — Sharp will use a portion of the historic ale to seed a modern recreation called Innis & Gunn 1875 Arctic Ale. The team intends to replicate the original 19th-century recipe as closely as possible, crafting a drink that bridges centuries of brewing tradition.

The 1875 ale itself was a formidable creation. With an alcohol content of around 9 percent and six times the caloric density of ordinary beer, it was described in its day as “strong and nutritive.” Designed to withstand freezing temperatures and nourish sailors through months of hardship, it was more a tonic than a tavern drink — dense, dark, and sustaining. In the words of Sharp, “This ale was brewed for a voyage of endurance and adventure. It’s only right that it has one more journey — into the glass. There’s something very special about tasting a piece of brewing and maritime history.”

Jamie Allsopp, whose family name has long been synonymous with Britain’s great brewing legacy, called the collaboration “a physical bridge to the past.” Speaking from London, he said, “There’s something uniquely romantic about Allsopp’s Arctic Ale — it’s a story of heroism, endurance, and human daring. This was a beer brewed for explorers setting out to survive the extremes of the Arctic, designed to nourish them in temperatures as low as -40C. It’s one of the strongest and most extraordinary beers ever made — more like a Madeira than a modern ale — and its legend has only grown with time.”

That legend, indeed, has captured imaginations for decades. Another bottle of Arctic Ale, brewed for an earlier 1852 expedition, once made headlines when it appeared to sell for more than $500,000 (£380,000) on eBay. Though the transaction reportedly fell through, the moment underscored the near-mythic value collectors and historians attach to these relics of Britain’s age of polar exploration.

Now, in a gesture equal parts homage and innovation, Innis & Gunn will bring the Arctic Ale back to life. The recreation will follow the same fermentation techniques and ingredient ratios as the original recipe, producing a dense, warming ale that echoes the texture and strength of the 19th-century brew. “We’re treating it with the reverence it deserves,” Sharp said. “But this isn’t just about history — it’s about connection. It’s about bringing the spirit of adventure, endurance, and craftsmanship into the modern world.”

The project has already sparked excitement among beer historians and collectors. Dr. Charles Bamforth, a brewing scientist and historian, described it as “a fascinating act of liquid archaeology.” He added, “Beer has always been a living thing — it evolves, it ferments, it tells the story of its time. To open a bottle that has survived for 150 years, and then use it to create something new, is a profound way of linking past and present.”

The revived ale, Innis & Gunn 1875 Arctic Ale, will be released later this year in very limited quantities. It will be available across Innis & Gunn’s taprooms in Edinburgh and Glasgow, at Allsopp’s venues in London, and through select independent retailers. A small number of hand-bottled editions will be offered through a ballot, giving enthusiasts the chance to taste what might be one of the most storied beers in history.

As the bottle prepares to be opened — its cork soon to see light for the first time since Queen Victoria’s reign — the excitement within the brewing community is palpable. It is not just the resurrection of a rare beverage, but the revival of a forgotten chapter in British brewing heritage, one tied to courage, curiosity, and human perseverance.

For Sharp and Allsopp, the project transcends nostalgia. “It’s not just about what’s in the bottle,” Allsopp said. “It’s about what it represents — the human desire to explore, to endure, to create. This beer is a symbol of that spirit, and we’re honoured to give it new life.”

The Arctic Ale will once again be poured — this time not for frostbitten sailors battling ice and scurvy, but for modern drinkers eager to taste a fragment of history. One sip, they hope, will connect the present to the past — a toast across centuries to endurance, exploration, and the eternal craft of brewing.