When you hear the word Yuengling, you probably don’t think of ice cream. I know I didn’t. I think that’s because I was born in 1989 and the ice cream hasn’t been sold since 1985. Before that, it had a rich (pun intended), 65-year history. So, I guess it’s very possible that many of our readers do remember it.
If not, let me tell you a tiny bit about the history. In 1920, Frank D. Yuengling, owner of D.G. Yuengling & Son Brewery, started Yuengling’s Ice Cream Corporation. They were doing great with beer, so why did they open an ice cream business? Prohibition. The family run business was hit hard with anti-alcohol legislation, and they needed another venture to keep the business afloat.
One of the Original Yuengling Ice Cream Trucks
They started with ice cream, and grew rapidly. By 1929, the Yuengling family bought two more properties in Pottsville, PA to expand the ice cream operation. By 1930, the company began processing and distributing milk and changed their name to Yuengling Dairy Products Corporation.
The Orginal Yuengling Ice Cream Plant
In 1933, the 21st amendment passed, Prohibition ended, and Yuengling brewery opened back up. But they kept making ice cream, until 1985, when they closed their ice cream plants, due to a lack of interest from the up-and-coming Yuengling sons.
The family never imagined they’d be selling this product again, until a few years ago, when David Yuengling – cousin of brewery owner, Dick Yuengling, and great grandson of the original Ice Cream founder – was approached by a family friend about reopening the business.
Although David is directly related to the Yuenglings, the ice cream business is completely separate from the brewery. Still, he knew the name recognition would help: “One of the biggest things in putting a new product on the market is getting brand-name recognition, which is a problem we don’t have,” says David. “We are really popular for not having been on the market for 30 years.”
So, here we are. David decided to go for it, and Yuengling is now offering 10 flavors of ice cream, all of which are made without artificial ingredients, a higher percentage of butterfat, and less air. They’re marketing the product as a premium brand.
Flavors include classics like Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and Chocolate Chip, but also some more uncommon flavors, like Classic Chocolate Marshmallow, Root Beer Float, Black and Tan, Espresso Chocolate Chip, and Vanilla Fudge Chunk with Pretzels.
The ice cream is available at select stores in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, and New Jersey. To find a location near you, use the Yuengling Ice Cream Store Locator.
If anyone gets their hands on some, we’d love to know how it was. Let us know in the comment section below, on our Facebook page, or on Twitter!
