Pennsylvania’s own D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. is heading to the Lone Star state.
Starting this fall, the Pottsville, Schuylkill County brewer will begin distributing its beer in Texas as part of a westward expansion made possible through a partnership with Molson Coors Beverage Company.
The joint venture — called The Yuengling Company — was formed in September 2020 to expand Yuengling’s footprint beyond its 22-state East Coast footprint. At the time, the company didn’t identify which states the Yuengling label would reach first.
It’s easy to see why Texas was the top pick.
Jen Yuengling, vice president of operations and a sixth generation family member, told the Dallas Morning News: “Texas is bigger than our entire north region and the last eight states that we’ve launched, combined.”
The family told the Morning News it chose Texas first because of the loud and proud customers “clamoring” for it to become available.
The beer will be brewed at a Molson Coors facility in Fort Worth under the guidance of Yuengling’s family members and brewing team.
Yuengling, known as “America’s Oldest Brewery” is celebrating 192 years in operation. Yuengling has two breweries in Pennsylvania and one in Florida. Molson Coors, the nation’s second-largest brewer, has seven primary breweries and six craft breweries.
The partnership gives Molson Coors a popular brand at a time when beer sales have gone flat. Beer sales fell 2% in the U.S. last year, with canned cocktails and hard seltzers gaining popularity, according to the Brewers Association, a trade group.
— Sue Gleiter/PennLive via Associated Press