Virtual Roadtrip: D.G. Yuengling & Son Brewery

Tour the Oldest Brewery in America

Stop #21 on our Virtual Road Trip is the D.G. Yuengling & Son Brewery in Pottsville, Pennsylvania! Established as the Eagle Brewery in 1829, Yuengling is the oldest operating brewery in the United States. The Company kept the original iconic eagle logo and has expanded over the years with a second brewery in Pennsylvania and another in Tampa, Florida. In 2019 it was ranked the largest craft brewery in the United States and sixth largest brewery in the world according to sales volume.

Today, you can tour the Yuengling Brewery and learn about nearly 200 years of family and brewing history. From the hand-dug caves that were used for beer fermentation to surviving the depression with “near beer” and expanding capacity due to demand, it’s all covered on the tour.

Did You Know? The original brewery was destroyed by fire in 1831. The building that you tour today was the second brewery built by the Yuengling family in the sleepy coal mining town of Pottsville.

Travel Tip: Tours last about one hour and are available all year. Check the website for current tour times, as they vary from January to March and April to December. Also, for safety reasons don’t forget to wear closed-toe shoes; sneakers are recommended.

Following the Connection

From one sleepy coal mining town to another, our next stop is White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The Yuengling tour featured historical hand-dug caves, and the Greenbrier Resort has a bunker that is buried 720 feet underground. The entrance is perfectly hidden from guests and it can survive a direct nuclear strike!!

Next Stop: The Greenbrier Resort Bunker Tour, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

Detour: A trip to the coal mining region of Pennsylvania is not complete without a visit to Eckley Miners’ Village Museum, the location used for the filming of the movie The Molly Maguires. The town is now a museum with tours provided by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. It really does look like a set from a movie!!

Plan Your Trip

Pottsville is located in the Schuylkill region of Upstate Pennsylvania. The town is located about an hour drive from Allentown, Harrisburg/Hershey, and Wilkes-Barre. The region is loaded with family fun, including amusement parks, museums, attractions, and unique small towns. Here are some recommendations from the travel desk at Check-it-Off Travel to consider while planning your trip.

Photo: Courtesy of D.G. Yuengling & Son