Frequently Asked Questions
Britain's Oldest Beer Competition
All of these questions relate to the announcement that a sensational cache of bottled beers dating back over 130 years has been discovered in Burton upon Trent.
To see an answer, please just click on a question below:
If some of these bottles are 130 years old, why have they only just been found now?
Keys to the brewery vault have been passed down through consecutive head brewers for years. There were rumours about the cache of older beers but it was assumed that beers this ancient would be out of condition and sour. So was not until Worthington's White Shield head brewer, Steve Wellington's curiosity got the better of him that he decided he should risk his palate, thus prompting a fascinating tasting session.
What will happen to the beers once they have been recorked?
We will display a collection of the restored bottles in the Museum of Brewing at the Coors Visitor Centre. This is open to the public daily (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day).
Why is there a regal theme to the beers?
Because beer was the favoured drink of Britain, from working people to Royalty and royalty visited the brewery on many occasions to perform a celebration mash of the brew.
Have any beers ever been found which are older than this and in good drinkable condition?
We don't believe that such a significant collection of authentic, original beers has ever been found before.
I've got a similar bottle of celebration ale and wonder if you could tell me what it might be worth?
Unfortunately, we are unable to comment on the value of individual bottles, but if you would like to contact the Bottled Beer Collectors association, they may be able to advise you.
The Association of Bottled Beer Collectors. Contact Mr Bob Heath, 4 Woodhall Road, Penn, Wolverhampton, WV4 4DL.
We are currently working on preserving the historic bottles already in our possession and are not looking to add to our collection at present. However, if you would like to contact the Bottled Beer Collectors association, they may be able to advise you.
The Association of Bottled Beer Collectors. Contact Mr Bob Heath, 4 Woodhall Road, Penn, Wolverhampton, WV4 4DL.
How is it best to store my Worthington's White Shield celebration ale?
They should be stored on their sides at approximately 10-13C and then allowed to stand vertically for 10 days before decanting to let any yeast sediment to settle. Ideally the beer should then be decanted and drunk within a few hours.
If I have a bottle of the commemorative ale in my possession, is it OK to open it and consume?
Providing it has been stored according to the recommendations given above, your brew should display some extraordinary taste notes. However, if you are unsure of how it has been stored during its life it is best to exercise care when opening as occasionally incorrect storage can cause the bottle to fob (all the yeast bubbles up to the top) when opened.
