East Coast transplants, your wait is over: Yuengling beer is finally set to arrive in Wisconsin this winter.
The beer, which is produced in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, at the country’s oldest brewery, will be available at bars and restaurants in the state by late January.
“We’ve had Wisconsin on our radar for quite a while,” said Sheryl Yuengling, who handles order services for D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc., and is one of four sisters who run the brewery today. “It was about making sure that when we arrived, we did it the right way. We’re a family-owned brewery, and we take a lot of pride in growing at a pace that keeps quality front and center. Wisconsin’s beer culture is legendary, so we wanted to be fully prepared before joining it.”
Yuengling is expected to be available on tap on Jan. 26. Packaged beers will follow in grocery stores, liquor stores and other retailers starting March 2. The O.G. Yuengling Lager – which drinks something like a cross between a Miller Lite and a Samuel Adams Boston Lager – and Flight, an ultralight lager, will be available on tap. The packaged lineup will initially include Lager, Light Lager, Flight, Black & Tan and Golden Pilsner.
Traditional Lager, a light amber Vienna-style lager, is a staple in bars, restaurants and bottle shops across the East.
There have been teasers on the local distributor’s social media about Yuengling’s pending arrival. Chalk stencils showed up at several iconic Milwaukee sites, including the Hoan Bridge, Bronze Fonz, Milwaukee Public Market, Fiserv Forum, Riverside Theater and The Calling sculpture with the message: “Check the skies. A new eagle is migrating west” and “America’s oldest will be Wisconsin’s newest.”
The post references Yuengling’s bald eagle logo, which dates to the brewery’s founding in 1829 as Eagle Brewery. Since then, the eagle has remained a prominent part of the company’s brand imagery and identity. Yuengling also partners with the American Eagle Foundation to advance its mission of education, conservation and rehabilitation of the bald eagle.
There have also been billboards in Milwaukee with the message: “If you know, you know. If you don’t, you will.”
Chief Administrative Officer Wendy Yuengling called Wisconsin “one of the great beer states in America.
“There’s a real sense of tradition and pride here, and we’ve always wanted to be part of that story. It just had to happen at the right time. We also know how passionate Wisconsinites are about great beer, and that energy was a big part of why this expansion mattered to us,” she said. “We’ve definitely heard the calls for Yuengling in Wisconsin. Fans have been reaching out on social media for years, and we’ve had bar owners and retailers tell us they’re ready the moment we arrive. That kind of enthusiasm means a lot to us. Honestly, it helped guide this expansion. We pay close attention to where people are most excited to welcome us, and Wisconsinites really showed up.”
Chicago-based Molson Coors Beverage Co., which the longtime Miller brewery on State Street on Milwaukee’s West Side, and Yuengling launched a long-term brewing partnership in September 2020 that has been expanding the geographic distribution footprint of Yuengling’s beers, which primarily had been available only in the East.
Molson Coors and Yuengling formed the joint venture, in which Yuengling remains family-owned and operated, to allow the Yuengling brand to distribute in 25 additional states. Under the partnership, Molson Coors breweries are brewing Yuengling beers to ensure consistency, and the companies share profits. The expansion began with a launch in Texas in 2021 and came at a time when Molson Coors, Yuengling and other brewers were dealing with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating effects on bars and restaurants.
The Yuengling story began in 1829 in Pottsville, a city with a current population of about 24,000 people about 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia, that has endured for nearly two centuries.
“As a sixth-generation family brewer, our family has always believed that great beer brings people together,” Wendy Yuengling said. “Each new state we enter feels like welcoming more people into the Yuengling family. We can’t wait to raise a glass with our newest fans.”
Since the formation of the joint venture, Yuengling has expanded into six additional states – Texas (2021); Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma (2023); Illinois (2024); and Michigan (2025). That brought the total number of states where Yuengling is available to 28.
The Wisconsin rollout of Yuengling will occur simultaneously with Iowa in early 2026, bringing the total to eight new states and 30 overall.
“We’re just getting started. As we settle into Wisconsin – and soon Iowa – you’ll see us showing up in more places and moments that matter to local communities,” said Debbie Yuengling, employee engagement and culture manager for the brewery. “We’ve got some fun activations in the works for later in the year, including the return of our Oktoberfest, and we’re planning to be part of some of the big seasonal traditions that folks look forward to every summer. We can’t share too much just yet, but we’re excited to be out there meeting people where they already love to gather.”
What’s next for Yuengling after expansion into Wisconsin and Iowa?
“We always tell fans the same thing – be patient, and come visit our brewery in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, if you can,” Debbie Yuengling said. “We don’t necessarily have aspirations to be a national brand, but we do want to bring our beer to as many loyal fans and curious drinkers as possible. Every expansion has to happen at the right time and in the right way for us, so while we love hearing the excitement from other states, our focus is on growing thoughtfully and making sure the beer stays exactly what people expect from Yuengling.”
