A Review of "D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc."

This is my review of "D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc." by Robert A. Musson, MD, and is not reflective of any other club members' opinions.  Our club was invited to review this book by Arcadia Publishing, and a courtesy copy was provided to me.  Any club member wishing to read and review the book is welcome to do so.

Reprinted with permission from D.G. Yuengling & Son., Inc, by Robert A. Musson ,MD. Available from the publisher online at www.arcadiapublishing.com or by calling 888-313-2665.

 

If you've visited any local bookstores or Barnes & Noble, you've most likely seen the sepia-toned covers of historical series from Arcadia Publishing. 

D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. was written by Robert A. Musson, who first visited Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville in 1979 with his parents. This book is obviously a labor of love, as Musson spent a lot of time gathering memorabilia, visiting the brewery and photographing their personal collections, and interviewing various folks associated with the brewery and its history.

The format of this book is set up in eight chapters of specific topics that span the history of the brewery and its personnel. This is not a typical narrative or story, but rather page after page of pictures with descriptive paragraphs that walks the reader through the history of Yuengling.

Chapter 1: The Origin of a Legend, takes us back to the beginnings of the brewery and the family that started it. Some of the earliest known photos of the brewery are included.

Chapter 2: The Next Generations Take Over, walks us through the late 1800's to the 1910's.

Chapter 3: Surviving Prohibition, shows us some of the alternate products that Yuengling made and sold during a dark chapter in our country's history (at least for beer lovers).

Chapter 4: Brewing Returns!, takes us through post-Prohibition to the 1950s.

Chapter 5: Hanging On, discusses the 1960s through 1980s.

Chapter 6: America's Oldest Brewery, gives us an idea of the overall changes that occurred at the brewery from its beginnings to the end of the 20th Century.

Chapter 7: America's Newest Brewery, describes the growth in popularity and the expansion of Yuengling in the early 2000s.

Chapter 8: Yuengling Today, looks at the next generation of the Yuengling family and the current state of the brewery.

From the introduction:

"The history of this fascinating company is told here through more than 220 images of people, buildings, equipment, advertising, labels, trucks, and more. It is aimed at history buffs, collectors of brewery artifacts ..., and anyone who enjoys drinking any of the fine Yuengling beers available."

So if you're a beer geek (like me) and/or like to collect beer books for your library, or if you're a big Yuengling fan, I recommend picking up a copy of this book. I enjoyed seeing the evolution of the brewery in pictures and Musson is to be commended for his attention to detail and dedication to creating a pictorial narrative of Yuengling.

Cheers,
Nate