There’s something almost comforting about knowing that while the world spins faster and faster, some things just don’t change. Beer is one of those things. Not all beer, obviously. Walk into any craft beer shop and you’ll see enough hazy IPAs and sour ales to make your head spin. That’s fine and all, but let’s be real, the classics have staying power for a reason.
We’re talking about beers that were being brewed before your great-grandparents were even born. Beers that survived wars, economic collapses, Prohibition, and every trend that came and went in between. These aren’t museum pieces either. They’re still out there, still being poured in pubs and bars around the world. So let’s raise a glass to tradition and take a look at some legendary brews that absolutely refuse to quit.
Yuengling Lager: America’s Oldest Brewery Still Going Strong
When people think of American beer history, they might picture Budweiser or maybe Coors. Thing is, there’s one brewery that’s older than both of them combined. Yuengling, established in 1829, is the oldest operating brewing company in the United States. That’s nearly two centuries of continuous beer production from the same family in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.
German brewer David Gottlieb Jüngling immigrated to the United States in 1828 from Aldingen, near Stuttgart, and anglicized his surname to Yuengling before beginning the “Eagle Brewery” on Centre Street in Pottsville in 1829. The first two beers that David brewed were the Lord Chesterfield Ale and Dark Brewed Porter which are still brewed today. The original brewery burned down just two years later, but David rebuilt and never looked back. The Eagle Brewery changed its name to “D. G. Yuengling and Son” in 1873 after Frederick Yuengling joined his father David in running the company.
Here’s where it gets impressive. Most breweries during Prohibition just closed their doors for good. Yuengling didn’t. During the Prohibition era, Yuengling survived by producing “near beers” beverages with a 0.5% alcohol content, along with running a dairy that produced ice cream. When Prohibition finally came to an end on December 5th, 1933, Yuengling brewed up “Winner Beer” and shipped a truckload to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the day the 21st Amendment was ratified. Honestly, I think that’s one of the most American things I’ve ever heard.
The flagship product is Yuengling Traditional Lager, an amber lager, and it’s popular enough that in some Pennsylvania bars you can just ask for “a lager” and they’ll know exactly what you mean. In 2018, it was the largest craft brewery, sixth largest brewery overall, and largest wholly American-owned brewery in the United States by volume of sales. Not bad for a family business that’s been around since Andrew Jackson was president.
Stella Artois: Belgium’s Gift to the World Since 1366
Walk into nearly any bar in the world and you’ll probably find Stella Artois on tap. The brand itself likes to claim a heritage stretching back over six centuries, and honestly, there’s some truth to that. Stella Artois traces its origins to over 600 years ago, to the Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven, Belgium founded in 1366. The Den Hoorn brewery was brewing beer in medieval times when the town of Leuven was just a small settlement.
Fast forward a few hundred years. In 1717, Sébastien Artois, a master brewer and former apprentice at Den Hoorn, purchased the brewery and renamed it Brouwerij Artois. The Artois family continued the brewing tradition, but the beer we know today as Stella Artois didn’t actually appear until much later. Stella Artois beer was first brewed in October 1925 under the code name ‘X’ and then launched the following January as “Stella Artois,” named after the Christmas star and marketed as a Christmas beer. The name “Stella” means star in Latin, a nod to its holiday origins.
What started as a seasonal Christmas beer quickly became a year-round sensation. First sold in the winter season, it eventually became available year-round, with exports into the broad European market commencing in 1930. The beer survived World War II, though production was temporarily halted. By 2006, total annual production volume of Stella Artois exceeded one billion litres.
The iconic label with the horn symbol and the 1366 date isn’t just marketing fluff. It’s a genuine connection to the original Den Hoorn brewery where it all began. Stella Artois is owned by Interbrew International B.V. which is a subsidiary of the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV. Yet despite being part of a massive conglomerate, it’s still brewed in Belgium using traditional methods, keeping that link to the past alive.
Guinness: Ireland’s Dark Treasure Since 1759
If there’s one beer that’s become synonymous with an entire country, it’s Guinness. Dark, creamy, and unmistakably Irish, Guinness has been brewed at St. James’s Gate in Dublin for well over two and a half centuries. Originally leased in 1759 to Arthur Guinness at £45 per year for 9,000 years, the St. James’s Gate area has been the home of Guinness ever since. Yes, you read that right. A 9,000-year lease. Arthur Guinness was nothing if not optimistic.
Arthur wasn’t just some hobbyist brewer. At first the brewery produced a variety of ales and beers, but in 1799 it was decided to concentrate exclusively on porter, a dark beer with a rich head. That decision turned out to be brilliant. It became the largest brewery in Ireland in 1838, and the largest in the world by 1886, with an annual output of 1.2 million barrels. That’s some serious growth in less than a century.
Let’s talk about what makes Guinness so distinctive. In 1959, Guinness developed a unique nitrogen dispensing system that results in finer, smaller bubbles than a conventional draft system, ensuring a creamier, smoother drink with a distinctive blond head. Before nitrogen, Guinness was good. After nitrogen, it became iconic. That cascading pour and thick creamy head? That’s all down to the nitrogen.
Today, Guinness is sold in over 150 countries and a whopping 10 million glasses of the dark, creamy stout are enjoyed every day around the world. The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin has become one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions, welcoming millions of visitors who want to learn the history and, let’s be honest, enjoy a pint with a view from the Gravity Bar. According to a Diageo publication in 2019, the St James’ Gate brewery was then operating at over 90 percent capacity and one of the “most profitable breweries in the world”. Not bad for a beer that started in the 18th century.
Budweiser: The King of Beers Since 1876
Say what you will about Budweiser, but there’s no denying its place in American beer history. Introduced in 1876 by Anheuser-Busch InBev in Missouri, Budweiser is the “King of Beers” with its iconic red label and crisp, clean taste. That’s nearly 150 years of continuous production, making it one of the older American beer brands still widely available.
Created in 1876, Budweiser quickly established itself as a national brand through innovative production and distribution methods, such as pasteurization and refrigerated rail cars. Before Budweiser came along, most beer was consumed locally because it didn’t travel well. With its expansive railroad network, Anheuser-Busch was able to sell Budweiser outside of St. Louis, making it a national success. That kind of distribution network was unheard of at the time.
Interestingly, the name “Budweiser” actually comes from the Czech town of Budweis, which had been brewing beer for centuries. The American version is quite different from the Czech Budweiser Budvar, and there’s been legal battles over the name for decades. Still, the American Budweiser carved out its own identity and became a cultural icon.
Today, “The King of Beers” is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, which was formed after Belgian brewer InBev agreed to acquire the American beer titan for $52 billion in 2008. It’s no longer an independent American company, but the beer itself continues to be brewed using largely the same methods that made it famous in the late 1800s. Whether you love it or hate it, Budweiser’s longevity speaks for itself.
Anchor Steam Beer: San Francisco’s Survivor Since 1896
While the East Coast had Yuengling, the West Coast had Anchor Steam. First brewed in San Francisco in 1896, Anchor Steam is one of America’s oldest beers that is still widely consumed today. The name “steam beer” comes from a unique brewing process that was specific to San Francisco in the late 1800s.
Following the California Gold Rush in the latter half of the 19th century, beer makers in the San Francisco area would cool fermenting beer in vats on brewery rooftops. This process of warm beer cooling in the cold air would create clouds of steam. Consequently, nearly every beer from that time and place in history was nicknamed “steam” beer. The method was born out of necessity because refrigeration was expensive and hard to come by, especially during the Gold Rush era.
Anchor Brewing Company became the last brewery to use the traditional steam beer method, and they trademarked the name to preserve it. The beer itself has a distinctive character, sitting somewhere between a lager and an ale. California’s Anchor Steam Beer, crafted since 1896 by Anchor Brewing Company, is a trailblazer of the craft beer movement. Its unique, amber-hued steam beer style blends crisp lager notes with ale-like warmth.
The brewery nearly shut down multiple times over the years. It was on the verge of closing in the 1960s until Fritz Maytag bought it and revived the brand, essentially kickstarting what would become the American craft beer movement. Anchor Steam became a symbol of San Francisco brewing heritage and a reminder that sometimes the old ways are worth preserving.
Old Milwaukee: Wisconsin’s Working-Class Classic Since 1849
Not every classic beer needs to be fancy or award-winning. Some beers earn their place in history by simply being reliable, affordable, and always there when you need them. Old Milwaukee, Born in Wisconsin in 1849, crafted by Pabst Brewing Company, is a no-frills American lager that’s been refreshing folks for generations. That makes it one of the oldest beer brands in the United States.
The aptly named Old Milwaukee was first brewed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, over 170 years ago and was formerly owned by the Schlitz Brewing Company before being bought by Stroh’s, which was then acquired by the Pabst Brewing Company. The beer has changed hands multiple times over the decades, but it’s never disappeared from shelves. It’s the kind of beer your grandfather drank, and maybe his grandfather before him.
The combined sales of Old Milwaukee, Old Milwaukee Light, and Old Milwaukee N.A. totalled just over half a million barrels in 2016. In comparison, 21 American beer brands shipped over a million barrels that same year. So it’s not topping the charts anymore, but it’s still out there. Old Milwaukee Light, a low-calorie version of the classic brew, was introduced in 1980, showing that even old brands can adapt to changing tastes.
There’s something admirable about a beer that doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is. Old Milwaukee isn’t trying to compete with craft IPAs or imported lagers. It’s just a straightforward American lager that’s been doing its thing for over 170 years. Sometimes that’s enough.
