Touring Yuengling, America’s Oldest Brewery, with the Family

Whenever I plan a family vacation, I always search the area for local breweries to add to the itinerary.  As a beer lover and a generally curious person, I just can’t pass up an opportunity to sample local brews and go behind the scenes to witness the brewing process.  My travels have taken me to breweries all over the world, but I had somehow never made it just one state over to visit Yuengling.

Family owned and operated since 1829, Yuengling holds the honor of being America’s oldest brewery.  As you can imagine, that makes for a rich history, and you can learn all about it during one of their FREE for all ages tours in Pottsville, PA.  My family and I took a ride out there a couple of weeks ago and did exactly that.

Our adventure began in front of the gift shop, where we assembled with our tour group and were introduced to our friendly and knowledgeable guide.  She started by showing us the original keg room and the equipment once used to fill the kegs.  You begin to imagine what a labor intensive task it was to work in a brewery back then, but things get really interesting when you walk into the caves.  Yep, I said caves.

The caves were the perfect temperature for storing their beer, but creating them was no easy feat.  The above-ground building already existed, so instead of blasting the space open, workers had to hand dig everything!  Hearing the story told from an enthusiastic tour guide really helps you to fully appreciate what you’re seeing.  Simply being in a cave was enough to fascinate my children, but even they became engrossed in the history of it all.

My favorite feature of the caves is the ladder leading up to the old cistern that was once used to hold water from a nearby natural spring.  Unfortunately, the spring no longer produces the volume of water required for beer production, but I love that you can still see a little of how it worked way back when.

Of course, you get to see the modern facilities as well.  In fact, if you take a tour on a weekday, you’ll see the live production process, complete with workers.  We happened to be there on a canning day.

You should have seen my kids as they stood open-mouthed in amazement at all of the cans whizzing by them.  They’ve been on a lot of brewery tours, but this was their first time in an actual factory environment, and they were just enthralled.

In the midst of all that industry, you’ll also find art in the form of murals and a gorgeous stained glass ceiling.  A nice surprise, right?

There’s a story behind everything in that picture, but I won’t spoil the tour for you by giving away all the secrets here.  If you keep your eyes open while you’re walking around, you’ll notice a lot of other thought-provoking details like those.

The tour is a little over an hour long, and every minute of it is packed full of interesting sights and facts.  As you’re exploring the buildings, you’ll learn things like the brewery’s original name, how they survived prohibition, and why the ladies in that mural look so grumpy.  Once you’re done, you can relax and ponder the experience over some yummy free samples!

Each person over 21 gets to choose two beers to try, and everyone else can opt for the birch beer.  My daughter enjoyed her birch beer, but I suspect I took even more pleasure in my samples.  And no, it wasn’t because they contained alcohol–it was because they were special.  First, I had myself a real black and tan.  I’ve had the bottled Yuengling Black and Tan countless times, but at the brewery, the guide was able to pour the combination of Porter and Premium fresh from the tap.  Maybe my opinion was influenced by the ambience, but I swear it was especially delicious.

My second choice was their new Golden Pilsner.  What makes that so special?  It’s the first year-round product that Yuengling has released in 17 years, and it’s entirely the creation of the four Yuengling daughters.  They’re the 6th generation of brewers, and it took them more than 18 months of collaboration to perfect their new recipe.  With as many brewers as I’ve met over the years, I don’t think any of them have been female, so I’m pretty excited about this development.  The beer itself is a refreshing, well-balanced blend of malt and hops, making it just right for summer.

The daughters weren’t available to pose for a picture with their new Golden Pilsner, so I had to settle for a cardboard cutout of their father Dick.

Believe it or not, there’s more.  If you’re looking for a souvenir, you’re sure to find something in their impressive gift shop.  If you haven’t had enough history, walk just beyond the gift shop to their little museum.  There you’ll find all sorts of Yuengling memorabilia, including documents, signage, a vintage cash register, and old bottles.

I spent so much time perusing all of the goodies in the museum that I started to worry they might kick me out!  Seriously though, if that sort of thing interests you, you’ll want to make sure you include time for it when you’re planning your day.

The tour of the Pottsville, PA facility is a must for any Yuengling fan, but you don’t need to be a beer aficionado to enjoy it.  The long and fascinating history sets it apart from any other brewery tour I’ve taken, and it’s definitely something the whole family can have fun doing together.  It’s a tribute not just to American brewing, but to American history–it’s even on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Yuengling brewery is located at 420 Mahantongo St., Pottsville, PA. Visit the Yuengling web site for more information on touring the Pottsville brewery, and be sure to connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with their latest news.