OUR HISTORY - Yuengling (2024)

Founding of America’s Oldest Brewery

David G. Yuengling establishes the Eagle Brewery on Centre Street in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

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Our Original Brews

D.G. Yuengling started brewing Lord Chesterfield Ale and Dark Brewed Porter which continue to be brewed to this day.

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Eagle Brewery Destroyed

Fire completely destroys the brewery on Centre Street and a new brewery is built on Mahantongo Street, Pottsville, PA. This is still the site of America’s Oldest Brewery.

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A New Name

As David’s family grew and his son Frederick joined the business as a partner, the brewery changed it’s name to D.G. Yuengling & Son.

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Founder Passes

David G. Yuengling dies at the age of seventy, leaving his son Frederick in charge of the brewery.

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Beyond Kegs

Frederick Yuengling extends the brewery’s offerings by adding a bottling line to the plant.

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Gone Too Soon

Frederick Yuengling dies at the age of 51. His only son, Frank, takes over the management of the brewery while supporting his mother.

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Surviving Prohibition

The eighteenth amendment is ratified, enacting a call for the national prohibition of alcohol. To survive, Yuengling switches to production of near beer products and in 1920 constructs a dairy directly opposite of the brewery.

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100 Years of Brewing

On the 100th anniversary of the brewery, the only product being produced is Near Beer, including Yuengling Special, Juvo, and Por-Tor.

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End of Prohibition

Yuengling celebrates the end of Prohibition by producing “Winner Beer” and shipping a truck load to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The beer was delivered on December 5th, the day the 21st amendment was ratified.

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Lunch is Served

The Rathskeller was built as a lunch room for employees. In later years, it served as a tasting room for brewery tours.

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125 Years of Brewing

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New Brewmaster Takes Helm

N. Ray Norbert joins Yuengling as Brewmaster. A role he held for 40 years. Helping to develop some of our most cherished beers, like Yuengling Traditional Lager.

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Long Standing Leader Passes

Frank D. Yuengling dies at the age of 86. He managed the brewery as president and chairman of the board for a remarkable period of 64 years. Upon his death, his sons, Richard L. and F. Dohrman, assume management of the brewery.

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Recognition of America’s Oldest Brewery

As America celebrated it’s bi-centennial, D.G. Yuengling and Son was place on the national and state registers as America’s Oldest Brewery. This is a title that we are proud of and can be seen on every bottle of Yuengling beer.

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Celebrating our 150th Anniversary

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Yuengling’s 5th Generation Takes Over

Richard L. “Dick” Yuengling, Jr. buys the company from his father and becomes president. This allows him to find opportunities to grow the business through his passion of efficient production and distribution.

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Yuengling’s Flagship Brand

Dick Yuengling makes the decision to reintroduce Yuengling Traditional Amber Lager with the support of his brewmaster Ray Norbert

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Hard Decisions As Demand Increases

America’s Oldest Brewery could not keep up with the consumer demand of it’s beers. A difficult decision was made to withdraw from markets outside of it’s local area.

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Growing America’s Oldest Brewery

Seeing an opportunity due to the increase in demand, Dick Yuengling announces plans to build a second brewery at Mill Creek, three miles from the site of the original brewery in Pottsville, PA.

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Purchasing A Brewery

During a trip to Philadelphia Phillies Spring Training, Dick Yuengling was presented with an opportunity to purchase a former Stroh’s brewery. He saw how this would increase capacity for America’s Oldest Brewery and by summer production began at this new facility.

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Construction Completed

The construction of Mill Creek Brewery was completed in 2001. This brought Yuengling to three fully operational brewing facilities which greatly increased the overall brewing capacity for America’s Oldest brewery. This allowed the company to start expanding it’s distribution.

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New Brews

Yuengling introduces it’s line of seasonal offerings. The first being Bock, one of Yuengling’s original beers. Over the years additional beers included Oktoberfest, Summer Wheat and IPL. Yuengling continues to evolve our brewing capabilities based on consumer interests.

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Expanding Brewing Capacity

As Yuengling surpassed 2 million barrels in 2009, demand continued to increase and the Mill Creek facility was expanded to meet consumer demands.

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Yuengling’s Next Generation

Dick Yuengling has four daughters who have worked at the brewery over the years. Some joined right out of college while others gained experiences and then rejoined. In 2014, all four were working together once again and setting the stage for becoming the 6th generation to run this iconic family business.

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Dick Celebrates 30 Years

Dick Yuengling became the 5th generation owner in 1985 and celebrates owning & operating America’s Oldest Brewery for 30 years.

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Top Craft Brewer

Yuengling’s growth over the years positioned it at the top of the Brewer’s Association’s annual list of the largest sellers of craft beer.

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Iconic Eagle Rebrand

In a nod to our heritage, we rebranded Yuengling Traditional Lager, Light Lager and Black & Tan packaging.

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Golden Pilsner Is Released

Born from six generations of brewing expertise,Golden Pilsneris Yuengling’s first year-round beer to debut in 17 years.

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Celebrating 190 Years of Brewing

America’s Oldest Brewery has remained fiercely independent, family-owned and continuously operated by the Yuengling family for six generations. This year we celebrated 190 years with an iconic summer celebration, commemorative cans, and additional events throughout the year.

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Joint Venture with Molson Coors

The Yuengling Company was established as a joint venture between Yuengling and Molson Coors. This JV will oversee any new market expansion beyond the 191 year old brewer’s existing 22 state footprint plus any future New England expansion. The partnership is governed by a board of directors, consisting evenly of Yuengling and Molson Coors family members and executives.

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Breaking Ground In Tampa

Yuengling broke ground on the revitalization of its Yuengling Tampa Campus with a keen focus on attracting visitors to enjoy its rich history, impressive facilities and solid beer selection. The revitalization will feature an array of first-class amenities including a restaurant, outdoor recreation and entertainment areas, beer garden, and a pilot brewing system.

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Yuengling Expands To Texas

Yuengling’s flagship beers became available across the state of Texas in August of 2021. This was the first state in The Yuengling Company joint venture of D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. and the Molson Coors Beverage Company to increase Yuengling’s reach outside beyond its current 22-state East Coast footprint.

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Bongo Fizz is Released

Yuengling introduces a fruit flavored beer. The newest addition to its portfolio, Bongo Fizz is a premium beer made with a hint of natural mango flavor for a crisp, juicy, and refreshing taste.

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Yuengling Expands to Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma

Yuengling continues its westward expansion and adds distribution to Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Yuengling is now available in 26 states, furthering the availability of the nation’s leading craft beer.

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FAQs

What is the story behind Yuengling beer? ›

In 1823, a German by the name of David G. Jüngling immigrated to the United States from Aldingen, a town in the Kingdom of Württemberg, Germany. After anglicizing his name to Yuengling, he established the Eagle Brewery in 1829 on Centre Street in Pottsville, Schuylkill County.

Is Yuengling owned by Anheuser Busch? ›

Of course, it's not lost on Yuengling that Missouri is home to the headquarters of Anheuser-Busch, which was founded in St. Louis only 23 years after a young David Gottlieb Yuengling started his brewery in Pottsville. Anheuser-Busch is now owned by AB InBev, which is based in Belgium; Yuengling remains family-owned.

Is Yuengling really the oldest brewery in America? ›

Recognition of America's Oldest Brewery. As America celebrated it's bi-centennial, D.G. Yuengling and Son was place on the national and state registers as America's Oldest Brewery.

What does Yuengling mean in German? ›

Yuengling is an Anglicized version of Jüngling, its founder's surname and the German term for a "young person” or “youngster”. The family-owned brewery has traditionally changed ownership through the purchase of the company by the children of the previous owner.

Why was Yuengling banned in Ohio? ›

While I've heard “explanations” (aka “making stuff up”) ranging from liquor laws to personal vendettas against the state, the actual reason is pretty simple: Yuengling is a regional brewery that does not have the manufacturing capabilities to service customers across the country, or in high-volume consumption states ...

What's the big deal about Yuengling beer? ›

D.G. Yuengling & Son is a brand of superlatives. It's America's oldest brewery, largest independent brewery, and probably the most boycotted beer from the state of Pennsylvania. But Yuengling is nothing if not durable: 2019 marks its 190th anniversary.

Did Coors buy Yuengling? ›

Yuengling will remain independent and family-owned. A six-member board of directors evenly split between Yuengling and Molson Coors family members and executives will govern the operation with Yuengling retaining the chairmanship, the company said.

What is the lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch and Yuengling? ›

In the lawsuit, Yuengling accuses Anheuser-Busch and Mitchell Distributing of unlawful restraint of trade, wrongful interference with a contract, civil conspiracy, attempting a monopoly and other violations of state law.

What is the oldest beer in America? ›

Yuengling is the oldest beer in America and has been around since 1829. It was one of the only early American breweries to survive prohibition because it produced “near bears,” which only had a 0.5% alcohol content.

What is number 1 selling beer in the world? ›

Snow: The best-selling beer in the world by volume, Snow is a pale lager that hails from China. It's known for its light and refreshing taste and is particularly popular in its home country.

Why is Yuengling not sold in Michigan? ›

According to upthirst.com, Yuengling was unable to sell its products in Michigan because of its distribution capacity. With the new partnership with Molsen Coors the distribution of Yuengling will be able to expand nationwide.

Who are the Yuengling sisters? ›

In many instances, family businesses are passed along to siblings, sometimes for generations. In the case of Yuengling, America's oldest brewery, four sisters, Jen, Wendy, Debbie, and Sheryl Yuengling, have taken on the responsibility of carrying on a nearly 200-year-old tradition.

What is China's most popular beer? ›

Snow Beer 雪花啤酒

Snow is not only the most popular beer in China, but it's also the most popular beer in the entire world! Based in Beijing, Snow was created as early as 1993! The brand propelled itself to the top by investing and partnering with other beer supergiants, including Heineken, Busch, and Budweiser.

Why is Yuengling called flight? ›

The FLIGHT brand name is a unique take on light beer, with a nod to D.G. Yuengling & Son's iconic eagle logo. The brands' modern packaging design and sleek wing logo is a contemporary take on the brewery's traditional eagle logo and is a tribute to D.G. Yuengling's original Eagle Brewery built in 1829.

What is the shelf life of Yuengling beer? ›

All of D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. products are best consumed within 120 days of packaging. The production code can be determined by 1 of 2 ways on all bottles and cans: (1) An 11-digit number is located on the bottom of the can and on the neck of the bottle on a single line.

Is Yuengling owned by Coors? ›

Is Yuengling still independently owned? The Molson-Coors joint partnership positions us to reach consumers in the Western United States, and beyond. Importantly, D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. remains a family-owned business, operating separately from the joint venture with Molson Coors.

What are some fun facts about Yuengling? ›

In 1829, Yuengling first began brewing Lord Chesterfield Ale and Dark Brewed Porter. Both of these original beers are still brewed year-round, nearly 200 years later. While a fire destroyed the original building in 1831, a new brewery was built that year on Mahantongo Street in Pottsville.

What does Yuengling mean in Chinese? ›

“Jüngling” (German J pronounced like English Y) is a German word for “(male) youth”. That “ying” and “ling” are common parts of Chinese names is purely a coincidence.

What makes Yuengling different? ›

Famous for its rich amber color and medium-bodied flavor, with roasted caramel malt for a subtle sweetness and a combination of cluster and cascade hops, this true original delivers a well-balanced taste with very distinct character.

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