A New Domestic Beer Leader - Yuengling

[Bourbon Boiler]

Helped by their move into Ohio, Yuengling passed Sam Adams to become the largest US owned beer seller in 2011.

http://articles.mcall.com/2012-01-12...ter-s-insights

[aea6574]

I had no idea, thanks for the link.

Best regards, tony

[Bourbon Boiler]

I never would have guessed it either. With such narrow geographic coverage, it's shocking they were close enough to surpass Boston, and should blow them out next year with a full 365 in Ohio.

[bad_scientist]

Yeah, and Yuengling only has a few products, while any place that sells beer will carry 2 - 5 or more different Sam Adams beers.

I wonder if Boston Beer is falling behind because they can't decide whether they want to be like Budweiser or Dogfish head. So much shelf space is taken up by their niche beers and their stream of non-distinctive new offerings, and my guess is that not many people will pick those over a similar beer by their favorite microbrewery.

[ebo]

I guess I just don't get the whole Yuengling thing. I live in Ohio, and I was very happy to hear Yuengling was coming. After I had my first one, I was very let down after all the hype surrounding the brand. The Black and Tan is tasty, but nothing all that special. The regular Lager and the Light are absolutely nothing special.

I'll take Sam Adams products any/every time over Yuengling.

[smokinjoe]

More interesting info that surprised me this week was that Coors Light passed Budweiser as the #2 beer in the US. Bud Light remains #1, and Budweiser to #3. It seems the King is getting eaten away from both sides. Those who wish to drink American-style macro beers are going with lights. And, the micros and whatever you call SA, Yuengling, etc. are taking share from the other side. Ouch.

[Gillman]

Exactly. I wonder if this was "planned" by the macros (who still have over 90% of national sales). I.e., we'll specialize in light and others can take the small amount of the rest. Or did it come about due to a slow decline in the quality of mainstream lagers like Budweiser, Miller High Life, Pabst, etc., in other words, consumers increasingly can no longer see a purpose for bland full-strength lagers so they veered mostly to light with some to craft beers and regionals like Yuengling?

It is the opinion of many beer fans, including me who know the full-strength beers over a 40 year period, that they are not nearly as hoppy and full-tasting as in 1970. And how did 1970 compare to 1950 and 1933...?

I am sure Budweiser in 1900 and even 1933 was a great beer, it probably tasted, in hoppiness and maltiness, a lot like Sam Adams Boston Lager which follows an 1800's recipe. The industrial brewers may well have lost sight of what the product was all about. Or maybe again they perceived that 90% of the people will never like beer of character, so light beer is for them and we'll put our muscle behind that. I am not sure which it is, maybe a bit of both.

Gary

[DeanSheen]

I guess I just don't get the whole Yuengling thing. I live in Ohio, and I was very happy to hear Yuengling was coming. After I had my first one, I was very let down after all the hype surrounding the brand. The Black and Tan is tasty, but nothing all that special. The regular Lager and the Light are absolutely nothing special.

I'll take Sam Adams products any/every time over Yuengling.

Funny, I'm exactly the opposite. I love Yuegling but I'm pretty burnt on the craft beer thing. I have been drinking high ABV beer since Ohio lifted the ban around 10 years ago but I much prefer whiskey these days.

My tastes in beer run more towards Session beers. I like to be able to sit down and drink a few. Add in the cost of Micros and it gets even worse. Most anything here that is decent in a Micro goes for $10/6. I can get a 12 of Yuengling in the grocery store for $10.35.

So far they have Yuengling at Browns Stadium and The Q where the Cavs play. I hope they get it at Jacobs Field as well.

I used to not mind Budweiser before they took out all the hops and made it sweet. Yuengling is defenitly my goto 'regular' drinking beer now and many Ohioans agree. Just wait till next years numbers come out!

Ohh as an aside, had a friend in from Munich over the Holidays and he loved it. He liked Session Red a bit more but he was very fond of standary Yuengling.

[Gillman]

Point taken Robert but Yuengling Traditional Lager is actually (IMO) a good beer, to me it has many of the attributes of the old Budweiser circa-1970 and earlier...

The Black and Tan doesn't do it for me but I've always liked the porter, and it predates the craft era which gives it something special IMO.

Gary

[ThomasH]

Yuengling black and tan is my new go to beer. At 10.50/12, you can't beat it!

Thomas