Yes, There Is A Yuengling Ice Cream; But No, It Will Not Give You A Boozy Buzz

yuenglingicecreamIf you’re the type of person who’s tried (or is willing to try) mixing beer and ice cream in some kind of alcoholic, creamy float dessert, hearing that there’s a brand of Yuengling ice cream that’s just now returning to shelves might sound like a dream come true. And while it’s true, all right, there’s no actual beer involved in the dessert.

It’s been almost 30 years since the last carton of Yuengling’s Classic Ice Cream disappeared from the grocery store shelf, so it’s no wonder devoted fans are in a bit of a tizzy, as noted by Foodbeast.

D.G. Yuengling & Son was founded in 1829 and is now the oldest brewing company still in operation here, although the ice cream arm is completely — and unfortunately, for many — separate from the beer side of things.

When Prohibition hit in the 1920s, the brewery decided to turn its talents to other industries, including the dessert set. The owner of the brewery started Yuengling’s Ice Cream Corporation in 1920 in Pottsville, Penn. to deal with the moratorium on booze set by the 18th Amendment, the company site explains.

And from there on, the ice cream became a fan favorite, even after Prohibition was repealed in 1933. That ended in 1985 when the family decided to close up the factory and donate the building.

But as of last week, Yuengling’s Ice Cream is back in production under the ownership of one of the Yuengling family, and will make its return to shelves by mid-February of this year at certain East Coast stores. As for that beer float, the closest brewed flavor is probably Root Beer Float. But if you want actual Yuengling, well, you’ll have to add that yourself.

(Oh and in case you’ve never encountered Yuengling in any of its forms and are curious about the pronunciation: It’s “ying-ling.”)

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