[5] Yuengling is an Anglicized version of Jüngling, its founder's surname and the German term for a "young person” or "youngster".

German brewer David Gottlieb Jüngling (1808–1877) immigrated to the United States in 1828 from Aldingen, near Stuttgart, in the Kingdom of Württemberg.

During the late 19th century, breweries were also opened in Saratoga Springs, New York City, and Trail, British Columbia.

[10] The company also ran a dairy which produced ice cream and opened dance halls in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York City.

[13] Yuengling experienced an increase in sales after a renewed interest in history due to the United States Bicentennial in 1976.

Richard L. ("Dick") Yuengling Jr. took over as the 5th-generation company president in 1985, the same year its Pennsylvanian brewery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest in the United States.

In 1987, the brewery reintroduced an amber lager they had not made in decades to take advantage of a spike in popularity of heavier-style beers.

With production at the Port Carbon, Tampa, and original Pottsville plants, the company has expanded throughout the East Coast.

[20] As of 2017, Yuengling is a moderately priced beer popular northward through New York, westward into Illinois and Kentucky, and southward through Georgia, where it has a large following.

Yuengling also expanded distribution into West Virginia in May 2009, Ohio in October 2011, Rhode Island in June 2014, Connecticut in September 2014, Louisiana in August 2016, and Indiana in March 2017.

He made his anti-union beliefs clear, calling for Pennsylvania to be a "right-to-work" state, and praising Republican governor Tom Corbett.

[33] Yuengling will transfer at least 51% control of the company in the future to either of his daughters who are currently executives, Jennifer or Wendy; he told them which one privately, but not publicly.

In 2021, Yuengling announced its expansion into Texas through a partnership that has its beer brewed at a Molson Coors' facility in Fort Worth.