The World's Oldest Spirits: Just Found and Still Drinkable!

Divers have discovered what is thought to be the world's oldest beer and Champagne in a 200-year-old shipwreck south of the Aland Islands in the Baltic Sea.

The best part is the alcohol inside the bottles can still get you buzzed!

According to scientists, cold water is the perfect condition to store these vintage treats. The temperature stayed at a constant 32 degree Fahrenheit and no light was let in to spoil the brew.

"At the moment, we believe that these are by far the world's oldest bottles of beer," said Rainer Juslin, secretary of the island's ministry of education, science and culture.

The ship possibly voyaging from Denmark to Russia may date back to the early 1800s. It is thought to have been transporting cargo including these precious beverages for the country's aristocracy.

How much would it take to get your hands on glass of this rare substance? Experts say that the Champagne could go for tens of thousands of dollars, but the beer has not yet been appraised.

We can only hope that the newly found spirits will have value in more ways than one. Last May at The Cinema Against AIDS benefit, a gold-plated bottle of Champagne sold for $80,000 to raise money for amfAR. Bottoms up mates!

Read more about this story here.

Photo by tanakawho via Flickr.