Take a Yuengling Brewery Tour at the Oldest Brewery in the Country

As the craft beer industry has been booming over the past couple decades, brewery tours have become a major piece of tourism. Learning about the beer making process and getting to sample the freshest brews certainly has its draw. But some breweries offer something unique. Some breweries have history. Long, monumental, incredible history. And there’s no where you will find more interesting history than on a Yuengling brewery tour. After all, this Pottsville brewery is the oldest one in the entire country. Oh, and did I mention that the tours are free?

The History of Yuengling

You might be surprised to learn that Yuengling didn’t start as “Yuengling”. In 1829 David G. Yuengling established Eagle Brewery. But just two years after it opened, a fire destroyed the property. Little time passed before the brewery was rebuilt, moving the operations from Centre Street to Mahantongo Street.

Decades later, as the family members joined in the business, they changed the name to D. G. Yuengling & Son, which remains the brewery’s official name today.

Yuengling during the Prohibition

In 1919, the 18th Amendment nearly shut down operations at Yuengling with the Prohibition. But like other historic breweries and wineries at the time, they pivoted their business. While Pleasant Valley Wine Company shifted to sacramental wine, Yuengling’s plan paralleled Saranac’s strategy by producing “near beer”. The brewery was also able to produce their signature porter, which was deemed a medicinal treatment for anemic people. They also added a dairy across the street, where they produced ice cream. Today, the brewery tours end in the former creamery, where visitors can sample a variety of Yuengling’s current brews.

The second century of Yuengling

In the past hundred years, more changes have happened at the iconic brewery. Now in it’s 6th generation of Yuenglings, the business has adapted to changing times and production demands. At the turn of the 21st century, the brewery faced a healthy problem: producing less beer than the public wanted. As a result, they announced plans to build a new brewing facility just three miles away in Mill Creek. Right around the same time, Dick Yuengling got the opportunity to purchase the former Stroh’s brewery in Philadelphia. By 2001, the company was actively brewing in all three locations.

Yuengling moves to Tampa

Most recently, Yuengling has opened a Tampa campus as a destination experience. The campus includes a draft haus and kitchen with rotating menus.

Yuengling’s Most Famous Beers

In nearly 200 years of brewing, Yuengling has created their fair share of beers. It all started with the Lord Chesterfield Ale and Dark Brewed Porter, which are still made today.

When the Prohibition ended in 1933, Yuengling produced a special Winner Beer and even shipped a truckload to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Since its inception, Yuengling’s most popular and widest produced beer is their Traditional Amber Lager. When you go to any bar an order “a Yuengling”, that’s the beer you’ll get.

One of my favorite Yuengling beers is a seasonal release. Made in partnership with another Pennsylvania icon, it’s the Hershey Chocolate Porter.

How to Take a Yuengling Brewery Tour

I can’t tell you how many times I drove down I-81, passing the signs for Pottsville and the Yuengling Brewery Tour without ever going. I wanted to. My friends had gone. They raved about it. And as someone who prides herself on visiting hundreds of breweries and doing tours around the world, I’m a little ashamed it took me so long to get to Yuengling. But last December that’s exactly what I did.

We got off the highway in Pottsville and found a municipal parking lot down the block from the brewery. We made it just in time for the hourly tour, and we had prepared ourselves so we would be good to go right when we arrived. Unlike other brewery tours, Yuengling allows visitors of all ages to come along on their historic tours. The most important things to note are that you need to wear closed-toe shoes and be prepared to walk up/down about 150 steps. Due to the historic nature of the building, it is not wheelchair accessible.

Can’t make it to Pottsville? Take a virtual Yuengling brewery tour!

Going Underground

The start of the Yuengling brewery tour is also what makes it so unique. That’s because it is underground. But let’s go back a bit first. Why was a brewery established in Pottsville, Pennsylvania to begin with? Well, Pennsylvania is well known for its mining industry, which resulted in large settlements of mining communities across the state. Pottsville was one of those places. And David G. Yuengling knew he had a captive audience that longed for a refreshing beer after a hard day’s work in the mines.

When the brewery was created, the men who worked in the rack room were able to indulge. Any kegs that were not fully sealed became a perk for the workers. But beyond the rack room is the massive beer cave. Yuengling had the idea to create a large cave in the rock underneath the brewery as a natural way to store beer and keep it cool. The most impressive part of walking through the caves? Learning that they were hand carved.

During the Prohibition, the caves were sealed off. But don’t worry, they were reopened years later.

The Brewing Facility

After exploring the depths of the brewery, you will head to the top floor and work your way down, touring the various aspects of the facility along the way. From historic signs and antique equipment to modern technology and canning lines, there is so much to see and learn.

Sample Yuengling Beers

The brewery tour ends in the former ice cream shop, where a beautiful wooden bar spans the length of the room. For tour guests over 21, they can show their ID to receive 2 free samples of whichever beers are currently on tap. Even better, they can purchase additional beers for just $3 a pint. Extra fresh and extra cheap? Sounds like a win-win to me.

The Gift Shop & Museum

After you’ve finished imbibing in your beers, be sure to check out the extensive gift shop. In addition to cases of Yuengling beer, there is every different type of merch you could imagine. But beyond the gift shop, don’t miss the brewery’s museum. Anyone is welcome to explore the artifacts and history with the museum, whether or not they took a tour.