Companies and Brands

This Is America's Oldest Beer

Douglas A. McIntyre

Published: April 21, 2021 8:20 am

With the COVID-19 pandemic altering nearly every facet of daily life in 2020, many Americans have turned to one of the oldest pastimes in human history — drinking. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that alcohol consumption increased about 14% in 2020 compared to the previous year.

While the pandemic is a relatively new development, beer drinking is not. In fact, many of America’s favorite beers have been brewed in the same way for well over a century.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed information from media sources and breweries themselves to determine America’s oldest beer.

The first recorded beer brewed on American soil dates all the way back to 1587, and the first brewery popped up in 1632. However, the oldest continuously operating brewery in America only dates back to the 1800s. That brewery is still making the same beers that it did nearly 200 years ago.

The oldest beers in America originated in only a handful of states, with Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Missouri home to several of them. In some states, whether it is because of climate and culture, beer consumption is far higher than in others.

Introduced in 1829, Yuengling Lord Chesterfield Ale & Porter is America’s oldest beer. Its state of origin is Pennsylvania, and it was brewed by parent company Yuengling Brewing.

Yuengling, was founded by David G. Yuengling in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in 1829, which is two decades before the next oldest widely available beer that is still sold today. Originally called Eagle Brewery, the name was changed to D.G. Yuengling & Son in 1873. During Prohibition, Yuengling sold dairy products and near-beer to remain profitable.

Click here to read about America’s 30 oldest beers.