James Squire The Wreck Survivors’ Ale

James Squire brings world’s oldest surviving beer back to life

June 27, 2019
By Alana House

James Squire has announced the release of The Wreck Survivors’ Ale – the second edition in its historical brew series.

Resurrected by James Squire brewers in partnership with the Australian Wine Research Institute and Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery of Launceston, the ale is crafted from yeast found in a 220-year-old bottle of beer within Australia’s oldest merchant shipwreck the ‘Sydney Cove’, which was wrecked on Preservation Island north of Tasmania in 1797.

James Squire The Wreck Survivors' Ale

To commemorate the launch of The Wreck Survivors’ Ale, James Squire is calling on Australian adventure seekers to honour the shipwreck’s original survivors in its Great Australian Survivors’ Trek to make a 2019 mark on a groundbreaking 18th century event, which saw 17 survivors set out on foot from Bass Strait to Sydney, with only three surviving to share the location of the shipwreck.

The Great Australian Survivors’ Trek will see four courageous Australians make history and retrace a route which follows key sections of the 700-kilometre trek made by the shipwreck survivors over two centuries ago.

The once in a lifetime journey will see punters trek across Australia’s stunning South Eastern coastline, making their way through dunes, cliffs and rivers on foot, vehicle and raft.

Beginning at Ninety Mile Beach in Victoria, over seven days the trip will pass through famous Australian towns such as Cape Howe, Moruya, Ulladulla and Jervis Bay leaving a commemorative James Squire plaque before concluding the journey in Port Jackson, Sydney.

Embarking on the trek of a lifetime, the survivors will follow winding paths and scale rugged and rocky terrain as they make their way through the wilderness of Australia’s East Coast.

To apply for a coveted spot commemorating Australia’s greatest survivors, fans can head to https://www.jamessquire.com.au/survivorstrek/ and outline their previous walking experience and why they want to make Australian history with James Squire.

The Wreck Survivors Ale is an Imperial Porter aged in rum barrels, packaged in a premium 750ml glass bottle, dipped in wax and placed inside a gift box containing historical information of the shipwreck survivors’ story.

The launch of The Wreck Survivors’ Ale will see 5000 exclusive bottles available nationally in Dan Murphy’s on August 26, just in time for Father’s Day.

Share the content