Since the dawn of Southern Railway, forgetful beer-loving commuters have endured entire train journeys parched, because they left their bottle opener behind.

But they'll suffer no longer thanks to the ingenuity one one passenger.

Patrick Dalton discovered the ultimate life hack on a West Sussex service on Monday.

He figured out you could open a bottle of beer using the grates in the ceiling of the carriage.

Prepare to be amazed!

Just discovered an @SouthernRailUK life hack! pic.twitter.com/UYkX4YEA0R

— Patrick Dalton (@shitlondon) November 13, 2017

Patrick has been showered with praise by his fellow passengers, with his tweet being liked more than 3,000 times.

One fan wrote: 'You're not working hard Patrick, you're working smart', while another said 'This changes everything'.

But the only snag...the hack only works on Southern trains.

Patrick told Spirit FM he's humbled by the response: "This happened somewhere near Gatwick. I'm humbled by the response. I found myself in a survival situation and had to rely on my wits to stay hydrated.

"I only hope this can be passed on to other Southern users to help ease their suffering.

"I think Stephen Hawking can rest easy for now."