D.G.Yuengling & Son history

Before the 1800’s, beer was really “ale,” a method using a top-fermenting brewers’ yeast. It was not until the 1830’s that the lager style of beer, in which uses bottom-fermenting yeast, was created by Bavarians Gabriel Sedlmayr of Munich and Anton Dreher of Vienna.

The first brewery burned down in an 1831 fire and the company relocated to W. Mahantongo Street at 5th Street, its current location.

In the 1850’s, other German immigrant brewers such as Anheuser, Busch, Miller, Coors, Stroh, Schlitz, and Pabst introduced cold maturation lagers to the United States.

The Eagle Brewery changed its name to "D. G. Yuengling and Son" in 1873 after Frederick Yuengling joined his father David in running the company.

Frank D. Yuengling began heading the company in 1899 after his father Frederick died.

In 1919, the 18th Amendment was ratified, which outlawed the sale or production of alcohol.

To survive, Yuengling switches to production of near beer products and in 1920 constructs a dairy directly opposite of the brewery.

The tough fourteen-year Prohibition Era ended in 1933, and the brewery celebrated by making the “Winner Beer” and sending a truck full of bottles to President Roosevelt to express its appreciation.

Although operated by the Yuengling family, it is operated by David Yuengling, a cousin of Dick Yuengling and a direct descendant of David Gottlob Jüngling. It is legally a separate company from the brewery, as was the case since 1935.

In 1960, Yuengling hired N. Ray Norbert as head brewmas-ter.

Richard L. Yuengling Sr. and F. Dohrman Yuengling succeeded Frank Yuengling after their father's death in 1963.

Yuengling experienced an increase in sales after a renewed interest in history due to the United States Bicentennial in 1976.

Yuengling bought the rights to use the Mount Carbon (Bavarian Premium Beer) name and label when Mount Carbon Brewery went out of business in 1977.

In 1987, the brewery reintroduced an amber lager they had not made in decades to take advantage of a spike in popularity of heavier-style beers.

Steinriede, Kent D., “Its Sales Expanding, Brewery’s Growing, Too,” Philadelphia Inquirer, June 8, 1990.

To help promote its historic theme, in 1991 Yuengling began offering tours of its historic brewery along with its Yuengling Museum and Gift Shop.

Charlier, Marj, “Yuengling Brews up a Transformation,” Wall Street Journal, August 26, 1993.

Baumgartner, Nancy E., “For Small Brewer, A Time for Cheers,” Philadelphia Inquirer, February 27, 1995.

Igoe, Ruth E. “The Brewing Secrets of Yuengling,” Pottsville Republican and Evening Herald, March 9-10, 1996.

De Hora, John, “American’s Oldest Brewery More Popular Than Ever,” Ale Street News, Aug/Sept, 1997.

In 1998, the company purchased a former Stroh brewery in Tampa, Florida.

Our primary goal has always been to maintain our regional prominence while having the ability to expand into new urban markets.’’ In 1999, the company acquired Stroh Brewery in Tampa, Florida, expanding its market even further.

In 2000 giants Anheuser-Busch, Miller Brewing, and Coors controlled 80 percent of the market.

The construction of Mill Creek Brewery was completed in 2001.

In response, the trade union began boycotting Yuengling products. As a result, Yuengling did not renew a contract with Teamsters Local 830 of Philadelphia in March 2006.

Yuengling began distribution in the state of Georgia on October 27, 2008.

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

A fire broke out at Yuengling's Tampa brewery on October 26, 2013.

In February 2014, Yuengling Ice Cream returned to the market after a nearly 30-year absence.

In October 2016, Dick Yuengling sparked calls for boycotts of Yuengling after endorsing Donald Trump for president.

As of 2017, Yuengling is a moderately priced beer popular northward through New York, westward until Illinois and Kentucky, and southward through Georgia, where it has a large following.

Despite losing out to Arkansas, Kentucky began serving Yuengling in draft form on March 6, 2018, and began selling it for takeout use on March 19, 2018.

News reports in 2019 also indicated that Yuengling's two other daughters, Debbie and Sheryl, also both work for the company, and are also "next in line to take over."

Yuengling’s flagship beers became available across the state of Texas in August of 2021.