
Beloved East Coast Beer Should Start Appearing in Illinois Bars, Stores
Back when I lived at home, my neighbor was a traveling salesman. He went all over the country, but went to Ohio in particular very often. Nearly every time he'd head to Ohio, my father would give him money to pick up a case of Yuengling beer. As a kid, I didn't understand the allure. When I finally became of legal age to drink, I understood completely.
I understood so much so that when Catherine and I went to Cleveland last spring, I made a special pitstop at a grocery store to pick up a case of Yuengling for myself and a couple six packs for the other DJs at work. However, very soon, Midwesterners won't have to make quite the pilgrimage for America's oldest brewery.

For context, Yuengling is the largest craft brewery in the country. Furthermore, it's the sixth largest brewery and largest (completely) American-owned brewery. The brewery, located in Pottsville, PA, is known for a wide variety of beers, including their trademark Yuengling Traditional Lager, in addition to Yuengling Light Lager, Black & Tan, Oktoberfest, and more.
The sore-spot for many in the Midwest was that despite being an indispensable part of America's rich history of beer, Yuengling was unavailable in states like Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana for the longest time. However, the brewery announced that, starting in late January 2025, Yuengling brand beers will be available on draft at bars and restaurants in Illinois.
Illinois stores will start stocking Yuengling in the weeks to follow, great news for people like me and my father.
Wendy Yuengling, the sixth generation family owner and chief administrative officer of the brewery, remarked about the game-changing arrival of Yuengling in Illinois:
For years we have seen an overwhelming desire for our portfolio from our most loyal fans in Illinois that have been eagerly awaiting the brand's arrival. We are incredibly proud to announce our expansion into a great beer market such as Illinois in the new year and, as the Oldest Brewery in America, we look forward to upholding our commitment of delivering high quality beer drinking experiences across the entire state. - Chief Administrative Officer of Yuengling Wendy Yuengling, per CBS News
At present, Yuengling is currently available in 26 states; mostly those on the east coast and southeastern United States. Yuengling has recently expanded to Arkansas in 2017; Texas in 2021; and Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma in 2023.
Yuengling has been in operation since 1829. Its flagship Eagle Brewery is located in Pottsville, roughly 90 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Here are some of the company's brews that will hopefully start popping up in Illinois bars, restaurants, and stores very soon:
- Yuengling Traditional Lager
- Yuengling Light Lager
- Yuengling Black & Tan
- Yuengling Golden Pilsner
- Yuengling Premium
- Yuengling Bock
- Yuengling Dark Brewed Porter
- Lord Chesterfield Ale
- Yuengling Oktoberfest
- Bongo Fizz
Read more about Yuengling's imminent expansion into Illinois on CBS News' website. Check out Yuengling on Facebook and their official website too.
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Gallery Credit: Stacker