OUR HISTORY

THE YUENGLING LAGER STORY:

Where German Tradition Meets the American Dream

THE BREWER’S APPRENTICE COMES TO AMERICA

After mastering the craft of brewing lager beers in his native Germany, David Gottlieb Jüngling emigrated at 20 years old with a dream of building his own brewery. Upon arriving in America, his family name was anglicized to a new phonetic spelling that endures today: Yuengling.

THE FOUNDING OF AMERICA’S OLDEST BREWERY

Twenty-one-year-old David G. Yuengling founded the Eagle Brewery in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, a thriving coal-mining town that was in need of a local brewery and whose soft water proved perfect for brewing lager.

GERMAN RECIPES MADE IN AMERICA

Two Yuengling beers date back to the earliest days: Dark-Brewed Porter and Chesterfield Ale.

Both of these Heritage Brands are lager-brewed in the traditional German way, true to Yuengling’s roots.

CURRENT BREWERY BUILT ON MAHANTONGO ST.

After a fire destroyed the original Eagle Brewery on Centre St., David Yuengling began work on America’s Oldest Brewery. In the era before refrigeration, workers hand-dug caves into the hillside to keep the beer cool as it lagered. More than a century later, Yuengling still brews beer at this historic site.

A NEW NAME FOR A NEW GENERATION

As David’s family grew, his son Frederick joined the business as a partner. With his addition, the Eagle Brewery was renamed D.G. Yuengling & Son, a name that still stands today.

THE FOUNDER PASSES ON

Pottsville mourned the passing of D.G. Yuengling and control of the brewery transitioned to his oldest son, Frederick Yuengling, just as railroad expansion brought competition from large midwestern breweries.

EXPANSION FROM KEGS TO MODERN BOTTLING

Second generation Frederick Yuengling wisely invested in modern bottling equipment in order to compete with large “shipping breweries”, securing the company’s future growth.

A BRILLIANT YOUNG MAN TAKES THE REINS

After Frederick Yuengling’s passing, 23-year-old Frank Yuengling stepped forward to run the brewery alongside his mother, Minna. As the third generation to take leadership, Frank would go on to prove himself to be a visionary entrepreneur.

PROHIBITION: BREWING &SELLING BEER ARE BANNED

When Prohibition made the production, sales and consumption of alcohol illegal in the U.S., Frank Yuengling safeguarded the family business by brewing low-alcohol “near-beer” and opening a dairy next door to make and sell ice cream.

100TH ANNIVERSARY FALLS DURING PROHIBITION

During Prohibition, as raids on bootleggers and illicit breweries swept the nation, Yuengling marked its centennial year by producing legal low-alcohol “cereal beverages” from malted grain, such as Yuengling Special, Juvo, and Por-Tor.

PROHIBITION ENDS: BREWING RESUMES

Frank Yuengling celebrated the end of 13 years of Prohibition by creating Yuengling “Winner Beer” and delivered a truckload of it to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on December 5th, the day the 21st Amendment was ratified.

A NEW BREWMASTER TAKES CHARGE

After working his way up at Yuengling for 17 years, Ray Norbert became its brewmaster. Ray would hold this critical role, as the keeper of recipes dating back to the brewery’s founding, for an astonishing 40 more years.

A NEW GENERATION & THE END OF AN ERA

After an incredible 64 years at the helm, Frank Yuengling’s passing transferred control of the brewery to his sons, 4th generation brothers Richard Yuengling Sr. and F. Dohrman Yuengling, just as many independent breweries were struggling to survive.

4th GENERATION, RICHARD SR. TAKES THE HELM AND DEFIES THE ODDS

After the passing of his older brother at age 58, Richard L. Yuengling Sr. carried on alone. With unwavering determination, he kept the brewery alive through some of its most challenging years, driven by a belief that if the family business failed, his hometown would suffer with it.

RECOGNIZED AS AMERICA’S OLDEST BREWERY

The country’s 200th birthday sparks interest in all things historical, leading to Pennsylvania’s certification of D.G. Yuengling & Son as America’s Oldest Brewery. The distinction is proudly added to every label and still appears in all advertising today.

THE FIFTH GENERATION TAKES OVER

When Richard “Dick” Yuengling Jr. took the reins from his father, Yuengling was distributing beer in only three states. Very few independent regional breweries were still operating after decades of corporate consolidation, so he knew the only options for Yuengling were to grow or fold.

TRADITIONAL LAGER IS RE-LAUNCHED

Dick Yuengling partnered with long-time Brewmaster Ray Norbert to reformulate and relaunch a full-flavored amber beer once sold as Yuengling’s “Lager” in the 19th century. The result, Traditional Amber Lager, was an instant hit and would go on to become the brewery’s flagship.

HARD DECISIONS AS DEMAND INCREASES

Still brewing in its historic 1831 facility, America’s Oldest Brewery struggled to meet demand for its wildly popular Traditional Lager and made the difficult decision to withdraw from markets beyond its local area.

PLANNING A PATH FOR YUENGLING’S GROWTH

With demand for Traditional Lager surging, Dick Yuengling announces plans to increase production capacity by building a second brewery at Mill Creek, located just 3 miles from the original Pottsville brewery.

TAMPA BREWERY ADDITION

While in Florida for the Philadelphia Phillies’ Spring Training, Dick seized the opportunity to purchase a former Stroh’s brewery in Tampa and had the team brewing before the season’s end.

MILL CREEK COMES ON STREAM

Construction of Yuengling’s second Pennsylvania brewery wrapped, enabling the 5th-generation family business to meet soaring demand and position itself for 21st-century growth.

CELEBRATING 175TH ANNIVERSARY

As the brewery celebrated 175yrs, Dick Yuengling’s four daughters have all joined the family business and Yuengling beer was now being distributed across 10 states.

NEW BREWS JOIN THE YUENGLING LINEUP

Yuengling expands its lineup with seasonal beers, including Oktoberfest and a Bavarian-style Bock, one of the brewery’s original offerings from the 1800s.

YUENGLING RANKS #1 ON THE CRAFT BEER CHARTS

As Dick Yuengling marked his 30th year of ownership, the brewery’s commitment to craftsmanship and consistency propelled it to become the nation’s top-selling craft beer, according to the Brewer’s Association, a title it proudly holds today.

A JOINT VENTURE TO ENSURE EXPANSION

To expand beyond the 22 states where its beers were sold, D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. partnered with Molson Coors to form ‘The Yuengling Company”.

YUENGLING EXPANDS INTO TEXAS

In the first major milestone of The Yuengling Company joint venture, the brewery’s flagship beers finally reach their 23rd state.

YUENGLING DRAFT HAUS & KITCHEN OPENS IN TAMPA

Yuengling celebrates the completion of its innovative new Tampa campus with the opening of a signature hospitality venue, just the beginning of more exciting experiences to come.

CONTINUING THE TRADITION

The 5th & 6th Generations lead the company to carry on a proud family legacy, while guiding the business into the future with a strong commitment to quality and a disciplined approach to expansion.