Weihenstephan – The Ancient Bavarian Legend Since 1040
Weihenstephan stands as the undisputed champion of brewing longevity, having survived four fires, three plagues, multiple earthquakes and various wars throughout its thousand-year history. This Bavarian state brewery traces its roots back to 1040, when it was originally built as a Benedictine monastery in 725, with the brewery officially licensed to make and sell beer in 1040. What makes this brewery truly remarkable isn’t just its age, but how it has continuously adapted to survive. Even when the monastery closed due to secularization of the Bavarian state, the monks continued to brew like holy moonshiners, and this area in Bavaria later became a global hub for brewing education, which started in 1852 when the Central Agricultural School relocated to Weihenstephan. Today, Weihenstephan operates as a state-controlled enterprise under Bavarian government oversight. The brewery specializes in traditional German wheat beers and maintains its reputation for brewing excellence that spans nearly a millennium.
Stella Artois – From Christmas Gift to Global Icon Since 1366
Over 600 years ago in the Belgian town of Leuven, the Den Hoorn brewery was founded, and after several generations of exploration the golden Stella Artois came to life during Christmas in 1926, with the brewery gifting the beer to the people of Leuven by naming it “Stella” (meaning “star” in Latin). The brewery’s history actually stretches back much further than most people realize. “Artois” honours Sebastian Artois, who acquired the Den Hoorn Brewery in 1708, and named it ‘La Brasserie Artois’, with Sebastian becoming an innovator in his own right, successfully introducing many new beer styles. The beer was first brewed in Leuven, Belgium in 1926 as we know it today, though the brewery’s foundations run centuries deeper. By 1960, about 400 million litres of Stella Artois were being produced annually, and by 2006, total annual production volume exceeded one billion litres. The brand has transformed from a seasonal Christmas beer into one of the world’s most recognizable lagers.
Yuengling – America’s Oldest Brewing Dynasty Since 1829
Yuengling Brewery was founded by a German immigrant, David G. Yuengling, who landed in Pottsville, Pennsylvania in 1823 and changed his name from Jüngling to Yuengling, starting his brewery in 1829. This makes Yuengling America’s oldest continuously operating brewery, predating the next oldest widely-available beer by two full decades. Originally called Eagle Brewery, the name was changed to Yuengling & Son in 1873, and during Prohibition, Yuengling sold dairy products and near-beer to remain profitable. The brewery’s survival strategy during difficult times shows remarkable business acumen. While many breweries fell victim to Prohibition’s dry years, Yuengling diversified into dairy products and non-alcoholic beverages. The brewery has maintained its position as America’s oldest brewery, founded by D.G. Yuengling & Son in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in 1829 – two decades before the next oldest widely-available beer that is still sold today. Today, Yuengling remains family-owned and continues to brew in Pennsylvania, maintaining its status as a regional powerhouse.
Pabst Blue Ribbon – The Blue Ribbon Champion Since 1844
Pabst Brewing Company was founded in 1844 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Jacob Best and later named after Frederick Pabst, who expanded the company significantly during the late 19th century, becoming one of the largest brewers in the United States by the turn of the 20th century. The beer’s iconic name has an interesting origin story. Best Select brand received awards at world and U.S. competitions, and in 1882 Pabst added pieces of blue ribbons around the necks of “Best Select” beer bottles, with “Blue Ribbon” officially added to Best Select brand name. By the late 1800s, the Company had become one of the largest breweries in America, officially changed the brand name to Pabst Blue Ribbon, and added red stripe to the label. The brewery pioneered several industry innovations, including what many believe to be the first six-pack packaging. According to the American Beer Museum blog, Pabst is believed to be the first brewer to package beer in packs of six, with this practice allegedly catching on after a study determined six beers was the ideal weight for the average housewife to hoist home from a store. Despite closing its original Milwaukee facility in 1996, PBR experienced a remarkable revival among urban hipsters in the early 2000s.
Schlitz – The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous Since 1849
Schlitz beer got its start in 1848 in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, tavern brewery owned by August Krug, and in 1850, Krug hired Joseph Schlitz as a bookkeeper, then Schlitz took over as brewery manager when Krug died in 1856, with Schlitz marrying Anna Maria Krug, August Krug’s widow, and changing the name to the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. In 1902, Schlitz produced one million barrels of beer, making it the largest brewery in the country, with the brewery’s namesake beer, an American-style lager, known as “the beer that made Milwaukee famous”. The company flourished through much of the 1900s, starting in 1902 when the production of one million barrels surpassed Pabst’s claim as the largest brewery in the United States, with Schlitz pioneering numerous advances in the brewing industry, most notably the use of brown glass bottles beginning in 1912, as previously beer was bottled in clear glass bottles which allowed sunlight to spoil the flavor, and the entire industry quickly adopted the brown bottle design still used today. Unfortunately, Schlitz faced a dramatic decline in the 1970s due to cost-cutting measures and aggressive advertising that backfired with consumers. Pabst bought out Stroh and all its assets including the Schlitz brand in 1999.
Anchor Steam Beer – San Francisco’s Gold Rush Survivor Since 1896
First brewed in San Francisco in 1896, Anchor Steam is one of America’s oldest beers that is still widely consumed today, deriving its name from a unique brewing process characteristic of a bygone era, as following the California Gold Rush beer makers in the San Francisco area would cool fermenting beer in vats on brewery rooftops, with this process of warm beer cooling in the cold air creating clouds of steam, and consequently nearly every beer from that time and place was nicknamed “steam” beer. The brewery’s unique production method was born out of necessity rather than choice. Without access to the refrigeration technology available to East Coast breweries, San Francisco brewers had to be creative. The rooftop cooling process that gave Anchor Steam its name became a defining characteristic that set it apart from other American beers. Today, Anchor Brewing Company continues to use traditional brewing methods while maintaining the distinctive flavor profile that made it famous during California’s gold rush era.
