Beer is the preferred choice of alcohol for most Americans – per Statista — whether it's to douse the heat of a hot summer afternoon or the spiciness of a flavor-packed Caribbean barbecue . Brew has become an integral part of the country's culture, with more than 9,900 breweries spread across the U.S.
– each serving up unique forms and flavors. But where, exactly, is the oldest brewery in the country? The answer is Pennsylvania, a state replete with a rich history and the second-largest producer of craft beer in the nation. In 1828, a German immigrant named David Yeungling arrived in the U.
S. with a dream: to establish a brewery. By the following year, he'd turned that dream into a reality, founding the Eagle Brewery.
But like most aspirations, this one, too, had to go through a rite of passage. The brewery was destroyed by fire a couple of years later in 1831. Yet, the man refused to give up.
He remained steadfast, rebuilding the brewery at another location a few blocks away, and turned it into a success story. Nearly 42 years later, his son renamed the business to honor the family legacy: D.G.
Yuengling and Son. Today, that name represents a tradition about two centuries old. The first two beers brewed there by David Yuengling — the Lord Chesterfield ale and dark brewed porter — are still sold by the brand.
Why did David Yuengling pick Pennsylvania? David Yuengling came from a family of brewers, so he knew exactly what he needed when picking a town for his brewery.
