BUSINESS

America's oldest brewery reminds beer lovers theirs is a 'story nobody else has'

June 26th, 2023

Since 1829, Yuengling’s flagship brewery in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, has been pouring out a product that brings Americans and families together.

"It's our story," Debbie Yuengling, the employee engagement and culture manager for Yuengling, told FOX Business’ Jeff Flock on "Mornings with Maria" Wednesday. "We have a story that nobody else has. We're America's oldest brewery, six generations, and we're super excited and proud about it."

"We're very lucky," Wendy Yuengling, chief administrative officer, said. "We're sixth-generation in a family business, and we get to work side by side with our dad, which not many family companies can say."

Debbie and her sisters – Jennifer, Sheryl and Wendy – are running America’s oldest brewery as Yuengling celebrates its 194th birthday this year. And despite its age, the sisters say the Pottsville location can still produce 900 cans of beer per minute.

The beer brand’s German-origin name means "young man" in English, which one Yuengling sister noted as quite ironic.

"I think that's part of our story. Being America's oldest brewery, six generations, and now four women that are going to be leading the brewery," Debbie pointed out.

Raising a cold one to the company’s milestone, Yuengling rolled out limited-edition, 12-ounce cans that read, "Let’s Go USA," while featuring a Stars and Stripes design.

The branding move comes on the heels of Bud Light’s decision to send transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney a commemorative pack of beer with their face on the can, which caused consumer and market backlash.

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As of last week, Bud Light sales were down 24.4% compared to a year ago.

On the other hand, the Yuengling sisters confirmed that they remain America’s top craft brewer, selling more beer than any other U.S. brand with over 2.2 billion barrels per year.

Country music star John Rich, who owns Nashville-based bar Redneck Riviera, told "The Big Money Show" on Wednesday that Bud Light "went to zero" with his customers.

"Nobody would purchase it. And guess what they're buying now? Yuengling," Rich said. "A lot of people [are] moving to Yuengling, so we're proud to have a brand like that at Redneck Riviera."

Though the brewery was founded by the sisters’ great-great-great grandfather and the industry largely remains male-dominated, Sheryl – who oversees order services – expressed that it’s a "fun business to be in."

Revealing how the family has stayed successful all these years, the Yuengling sisters know it’s the proud, patriotic bond they’ve created while at the helm.

"We have America's oldest brewery. Nobody else can say that," Debbie said. "We have amazing employees and very loyal consumers."

Curated By

Maya Gupta
Investigative Journalist | Grassroots Movement Organizer | Economy Consultant/Speaker
Maya Gupta writes from the fault lines of a world that refuses to stay quiet. Focused on the collisions between culture, power, and accountability, her work cuts past polished narratives to expose what’s really moving beneath the surface. From the rise of creator-driven influence to athlete activism and grassroots resistance, she tracks the momentum shaping a generation unwilling to wait its turn. Her reporting doesn’t cater to comfort, it confronts it, challenging institutions that lean on legacy instead of legitimacy. With a voice rooted in urgency and a lens tuned to those often ignored, Maya delivers coverage that reflects the stakes as they are, not as they’re packaged. This is journalism that doesn’t just observe change, it stands in the middle of it, documenting the push, the backlash, and the undeniable shift underway.

Suggested Reading

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