A half-century-old discovery: how did a 40-kilogram rare barrel lying inside a glacier remain preserved?

A surprising event that defied the laws of nature and time has occurred on the high peaks of the South Tyrol region, located in the northern part of Italy. A beer barrel (keg) that went missing nearly half a century ago — in the late 1970s — and remained perfectly preserved until today, was found in a crevice of an Alpine glacier.

According to "Bild na russkom", when the barrel, which had been trapped in ice for nearly 50 years, was opened, it was revealed that its quality, amber color, and even its carbonation level had remained almost unchanged.

A barrel fallen from a helicopter and tireless searches

This unusual history began many years ago with an emergency incident:

• Falling from the air into the glacier: In the late 1970s, a barrel of beer fell from the cargo net of a helicopter delivering supplies to a mountain shelter and disappeared into a deep glacier crevice;

• A years-long hunt: Mountain runner Daniel Oberlexner heard this legend from the owner of a local mountain shelter and made it a habit to search for the lost barrel among the glaciers every time he climbed to the heights;

• Nature's gift: As a result of strong thunderstorms, storms, and the natural melting of glaciers that occurred this summer, the metal keg, which had been buried for 48 years, unexpectedly surfaced.

"Rescue operation": the journey of a 40-kilogram load to the valley

Safely bringing down the rare find turned into a truly arduous adventure:

• Crossing glaciers and rocks: Oberlexner loaded the heavy 40-kilogram barrel onto a special cargo cart and dragged it for several kilometers on foot through glaciers and steep rocky cliffs;

• Down via cable car: Then, the find was safely lowered to the valley below using a cable car. According to the seeker, although this process was extremely difficult, he saw the task through to the end.

Expert conclusion: why did the 1978 drink not spoil?

Upon reaching the valley, Daniel Oberlexner handed the barrel to his boss — experienced beverage merchant and expert Lukas Harpf — for inspection:

• "In perfect condition": According to the stamp on the barrel, the year 1978 is engraved on it. After tasting the product, the expert said: "Its condition was ideal. Its unique taste, beautiful amber color, and even the amount of carbon dioxide (gas) were preserved at normal levels";

• The non-freezing phenomenon: Usually, open draft beer can be stored for a few weeks to a few months. Harpf assumes that the barrel did not freeze solid into a rock inside the glacier, but rather maintained its primary characteristics for nearly half a century because it remained in a cool temperature within a constantly thermo-insulated environment.