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Yuengling

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D.G. Yuengling & Son
File:Yuengling logo.png
LocationPottsville, Pennsylvania, USA
Port Carbon, Pennsylvania, USA
Tampa, Florida, USA
Opened1829
Annual production volume1.2 million barrels
Owned byRichard L. Yuengling
Active beers
Name Type
Yuengling Lager Lager
Light Lager Lager
Yuengling Premium Beer Pilsener
Yuengling Premium Light Pilsener
Original Black & Tan Pilsener/Porter Blend
Dark Brewed Porter Porter
Lord Chesterfield Ale Ale

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A portion of the Yuengling Brewery at dusk

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File:Oldest.jpg
Historical plaque on the outside of the brewery

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D.G. Yuengling & Son, commonly called Yuengling, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is the oldest operating brewing company in the United States, having been established in 1829, and is one of the largest breweries by volume in the country. Yuengling's trademarked phrase "America's Oldest Brewery" refers to the U.S. only, as the Canadian brand Molson, founded in 1786, is the oldest in North America.[1]

Yuengling produces 1.2 million barrels (140 million liters) annually, which as of 2005, placed it sixth among American commercial breweries. Besides its two Pennsylvania facilities, Yuengling also operates a brewery in Tampa, Florida.

Yuengling is pronounced Ying-lingⓘ (/ˈjɪŋlɪŋ/). The family-owned brewery has traditionally changed ownership through the purchase of the company by the offspring of the previous owner.[2] Yuengling beers are sometimes simply called "Lager" by fans.[3]

History

The German brewer David G. Jüngling immigrated to the United States in 1823 from Aldingen in the Kingdom of Württemberg. He anglicized his surname from Jüngling to Yuengling and began the "Eagle Brewery" on Centre Street in Pottsville in 1829. His eldest son, David, Jr., left the Eagle Brewery to establish the James River Steam Brewery along the James River in Richmond, Virginia.[4] The first brewery burned down in an 1831 fire and the company relocated to Mahantongo Street.[5] 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. Although the company's name changed, the bald eagle remained the company's emblem. During the late 19th century, breweries were also opened in Saratoga, New York City, and Trail, British Columbia, although they were eventually merged with the Pottsville plant.[4]

Frank Yuengling began heading the company in 1899 after his father Frederick died.[2] During the Prohibition era, Yuengling survived by producing "near beers" (0.5% alcohol) called "Yuengling Special", "Yuengling Por-Tor", and "Yuengling Juvo".[4] The company also ran a dairy which produced ice cream and opened dance halls in Philadelphia and New York City.[2] After the 18th Amendment was repealed in 1933, Yuengling sent a truckload of "Winner Beer" to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in appreciation, which arrived the day the amendment was repealed – particularly notable since Yuengling beer takes almost three weeks to brew and age.[6] Richard L. Yuengling and F. Dohrman Yuengling succeeded Frank Yuengling after their father's death in 1963.[7]

Yuengling suffered from the rise of large commercial breweries during the 1970s. It was able to survive owing to demand from its customer base in Schuylkill County. The company also experienced an increase of sales after a renewed interest in history owing to the United States Bicentennial in 1976.[2] 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. Yuengling initially brewed beer at Mount Carbon but eventually abandoned it. The dairy remained in business until 1981.

In 1985, the Yuengling brewery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest brewery in the United States.[8] It was also so listed in the Pennsylvania Inventory of Historic Places at some unspecified date. (The company's website mentions only a vague national and state registration in 1976).[7] Yuengling has been a registered trademark since 1995.[9] The Pottsville brewery was featured on an episode of The History Channel's American Eats.

Richard L. Yuengling, Jr. took over as company president in 1985. In 1987 the brewery reintroduced a lager they had not made in decades to take advantage of a spike in lighter-style beers. Since this time, Yuengling Lager has become its flagship brand, accounting for 80% of production and much of its rapid growth. In the early 1990s, demand throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware outstripped the existing brewery's abilities. In 1999, they increased their manufacturing capacity by purchasing a Stroh's plant in Tampa, Florida, hiring the former Stroh employees, and began working with a trade union for the first time.[2] In 2000, the company built a third brewery in Pennsylvania, in Port Carbon in Schuylkill County near Pottsville. With production at the Port Carbon, Tampa, and original Pottsville plants, the company has been able to expand throughout the East Coast.

After management threatened to shut down the factory and close shop if workers kept union representation, Yuengling employees filed for union decertification in 2006. As a result, Yuengling did not to renew a contract with Teamsters Local 830 of Philadelphia in March 2006.[10] In response, the trade union began boycotting Yuengling products.[11]

As of 2007, Yuengling is a moderately priced beer popular northward through New York, westward until Ohio, and southward through South Carolina. The Tampa brewery supplies the Florida Gulf Coast, Central Florida, North Florida, the Florida Panhandle as well as Alabama and Tennessee[12] . The brewery uses corn from Minnesota and hops from Washington as ingredients in its products.

Products

Finished bottles being cased at a brewery
File:Yuengling Lager.JPG
Yuengling Traditional Lager
File:Premiumlabel.jpg
Yuengling Premium Beer
  • Traditional Lager
This is the company's flagship beer, and what is received if a "lager" is ordered throughout many parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, especially around Philadelphia.[3] This is also true throughout the central part of Pennsylvania, from south of York to north of State College. It is usually sold in green bottles prominently featuring the word "LAGER" on the label, although it is also available in cans (which are only produced at the Tampa facility). Brown quart bottles as well as 22 ounce bottles (colloquially known as "bombers") are also sold. Yuengling Lager is 4.4 percent ABV.
  • Light Lager
This is a lower-calorie version of the Traditional Lager.
  • Yuengling Premium Beer
This is a standard American pilsener.
  • Yuengling Premium Light Beer
This is a lower-calorie version of the Premium Beer.
  • Original Black & Tan
This black and tan is a mixture of Yuengling Premium Beer (40%) and Dark-Brewed Porter (60%). It was introduced in 1986.[13]
  • Dark-Brewed Porter
This porter has a very dark cola color, appearing almost black in the glass with a pale tan head, and has a strong malt flavor. Rather than using the traditional top-fermenting ale yeasts used in most porters, Yuengling's porter is bottom-fermented; few mainstream breweries produce this style. Originally known as "Pottsville Porter," this beer is notable for being one of the few porters commercially available from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.[14]
  • Lord Chesterfield Ale
Named for Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, this is Yuengling's hoppiest beer and only true ale. Like the Traditional Lager, it is usually sold in green bottles (but also in cans) and has an element of corn in its profile. It is very carbonated and tends to sprout a large but short-lived head when poured. As of 2007, Lord Chesterfield is no longer sold in kegs. However, quarter kegs will be put back on the market in October 2008.[15]
  • Old German (no longer produced)
This was Yuengling's discount brand. Sold in stylistically unique, short brown bottles that resembled barrels, Old German was a flavorful, slightly sweet lager. Its inexpensive retail price ($1.15 for a six-pack in 1986) made it a favorite of college students and others of lesser means. Old German was discontinued in 1994. The brand was subsequently sold to Pittsburgh Brewing Company, which revived the Old German name as its own discount line.
  • Half & Half (no longer produced)
Originated from Reading's Northeast Taproom where they mixed a 50/50 blend of Dark-Brewed Porter and Lord Chesterfield Ale. The local bar then requested that Yuengling sold the draft pre-mixed and the official "Half & Half" was born. It was replaced by Original Black & Tan in 1986 and was discontinued.

References

  1. ^ U.S. Department of Commerce Patent and Trademark Office: Trial and Appeal Board decision in Molson Breweries v. D.G. Yuengling & Son (October 30, 1998).
  2. ^ a b c d e Bryson, Lew. Pennsylvania Breweries. 3rd Edition. Stackpoles Books. Mechanicsburg, 2005. ISBN 0-8117-3222-3
  3. ^ a b Russell, Don. The Philadelphia News (September 12, 2002): "Joe Sixpack" (column), ""In Philly, Lager means Yuengling" (reprint appearing on Yuengling site) Accessed December 8 2006.
  4. ^ a b c BeerHistory.com. "Yuengling of Pottsville: America's Oldest Brewery". Accessed December 8 2006.
  5. ^ Yuengling.com. "History". Accessed December 8 2006.
  6. ^ Jim Thorpe Today (April 2005): "Yuengling – America’s Oldest Brewery Turns 175 Years Old" Accessed 23 May 2006.
  7. ^ a b Yuengling.com. "History". Accessed December 8 2006.
  8. ^ National Register of Historic Places: Pennsylvania — Schuylkill County
  9. ^ Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval. "74453768". Accessed December 8 2006
  10. ^ Kimm R. Montone. The REPUBLICAN & Herald. Yuengling declares it will honor petition by workers to can union". Accessed December 8 2006
  11. ^ The Philadelphia Public Record. "Teamsters Boycott Yuengling". Accessed December 8 2006.
  12. ^ Brewery Tour, December 21, 2007.
  13. ^ Fine Beers - Yuengling - America's Oldest Brewery
  14. ^ Jankowski, Ben. Brewing in Styles (no date): "American Porters: Marching to Revolutionary Drummers
  15. ^ Brewery Tour, December 21, 2007.
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