Allsopp’s Arctic Ale: Why one of the world’s rarest beers is finally being opened, 150 years on
Originally brewed for a pioneering polar expedition, a 150-year-old bottle of Allsopp’s Arctic Ale will be opened by a Scottish brewer to create a modern version of the historic drink.
Dougal Gunn Sharp, founder of Edinburgh-based Innis & Gunn, will pour the rare ale into a new beer.
This bottle is one of a handful remaining from Sir George Nares’s 1875 Arctic expedition, originally prepared for British explorers at Burton-upon-Trent.
Mr Sharp bought it at auction more than a decade ago for more than £3,000 – five times the estimate – after it was discovered in a garage in Shropshire.
Another bottle of the same beer from the expedition in 1852 made headlines when it was later sold on eBay for over $500,000, but it is thought the transaction was never completed.
In partnership with the revived Allsopp’s Brewery, Mr Sharp now plans to use the brew to seed a new limited-edition beer. It will be called Innis & Gunn 1875 Arctic Ale and will follow the original Allsopp recipe.
“It’s hard to overstate how rare this bottle is,” Mr Sharp said.
“Some may think it’s madness to open it, but I think the real madness is to leave it on the shelf. The beer is meant to be shared, especially on this 150th anniversary.”
“This beer has been brewed for a journey of endurance and adventure, and I think it’s only right that it has another journey into the glass. There’s something very special about being able to savor a piece of brewing and maritime history. That’s why we do this.”
The beer was brewed at Samuel Allsopp & Sons in Burton-upon-Trent and was designed to provide food for sailors who could withstand temperatures as low as minus 40C.
Described as “strong and nutritious” with an alcohol content of about 9 percent, it was rich in frost-resistant, non-fermentable sugars. It has six times the calorie content of traditional beer.
Victorian records describe the beer as dark brown and so thick that it had to be lifted in buckets made of copper used in brewing.
The beer accompanied many Arctic expeditions, including Vice Admiral Sir George’s attempt to reach the North Pole in 1875. Although each resulted in difficulties, the story of Arctic Beer has become legendary among brewers.
Jamie Allsopp, founder of the new-look Allsopp’s Brewery and a direct descendant of Samuel Allsopp, said the collaboration with Innis & Gunn felt like “a physical bridge to the past”.
He said: “There’s something uniquely romantic about Allsopp’s Arctic Ale – it’s a story of heroism, endurance and human daring. “It was a beer brewed for explorers setting out to survive in the far reaches of the Arctic, designed to sustain them in temperatures as low as minus 40C.
“It is one of the strongest and most extraordinary beers ever made – more like a Madeira than a modern ale – and its legend has only grown over time. “There are still very few bottles in existence and I have only ever seen two on sale.
“When Dougal told me he planned to use one of his own weapons to help recreate it, I honestly thought he was crazy, but I loved it.
“The idea of physically pouring history into a new beer is a kind of alchemy. This has never been done before and is a perfect way to reconnect with a moment in beer-making history that has fascinated people for nearly 170 years.”
The new beer will be released in limited quantities at Innis & Gunn’s Taprooms in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Allsopp’s venues in London and other selected stockists later this year.
A small number of hand-bottled editions will also be available via ballot.
