Brewery Tour Time

We recently took a trip back to our old area - Pottsville, PA - 

The home of Yuengling Beer!

We lived in Schuylkill County for many years, my husband was born in a little town there, and we have always enjoyed Yuengling beer.  The Yuengling Brewery offers free tours and we invited our friends to come with us to tour the brewery.  We toured the facility many years ago when we lived in the area...the tour, the gift shop, and the tasting room have been expanded and it is a great place to visit.

D. G. Yuengling & Son, established in 1829, is the oldest operating brewing company in the United States. In 2018, by volume of sales, it was the largest craft brewery, sixth largest overall brewery and largest wholly American-owned brewery in the United States. Its headquarters are in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. 

The story of America’s Oldest Brewery began when David G. Yuengling arrived from Wuerttemberg Germany to settle in the sleepy, coal-mining town of Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

The tour meets in the gift shop across the street from the brewery and then takes you over and into the kegging room.  The walls are lined with old time miners ( as COAL was KING ) and brewery workers.

Our guide explained how the kegs were filled, even though kegs are no longer filled at this plant.  Yuengling has plants in Pottsville, PA and Mill Creek, PA - right outside of Pottsville.  There are also plants in Tampa and in Texas, too.

Our tour then took us into the caves of Sharp Mountain.  You were told you might need a jacket as it is always 54 degrees in the caves and that is the perfect temperature for brewing beer.  Also, no open toed shoes or sandals allowed on the tour due to the uneven floors, and water puddles from the dripping off of the cave ceiling.

The cave was dug by hand with no power tools by miners and some of the rocks still bear the scars of the pick axe and shovels. During Prohibition the caves where the beer was stored were bricked off so that nobody could use them...they have since been opened up but not used for storage these days.  

For many years the brewery used spring water that was found in the cave...this ladder led up to the spring.   Now they use city water that is filtered before they brew the beer.

This is the Rathskeller...it was the lunch and break room for the workers in years past, and last time we visited it was the tasting room.  Now the tour is so popular ( we were there on a Wednesday and there were 45 people in our 11 AM tour!) there is a new, larger tasting room.

Along the tour there were many interesting items to view and documents to read.  The cut out here is of Richard "Dick" Yuengling. He is the 5th generation of  the Yuengling family and his four daughters are involved in the brewery and will make it the 6th generation!

Murals in the brewing room show women from the past who were the bottle washers.

The brewing vat.

Our guide provided us with a good step-by-step description of how beer is made.

The artist who painted the murals did not sign his work, but in the mural of the barrel makers he painted in himself...with the red suspenders.

This mural depicts the joy when Prohibition was repealed!  During Prohibition, Yuengling was allowed to brew Porter... a dark beer that was very nourishing. People who were anemic and nursing mothers could get a prescription from their doctor to buy Porter beer.  There is copy of one of these scripts preserved in the tasting room.

I forget the exact amount, but the brewery is charged for every so many cases of beer it makes...and then the public is charged tax again when they purchase the beer!

At this facility they produce the canned beer...the cans go past on a conveyor belt, are filled...lids are attached and then..

the beer is pasteurized.

How did the brewery stay profitable during Prohibition ?  Yuengling also produced ice cream and milk...and did so for many years.  The building across the street from the brewery is the old ice cream plant and is now the gift shop and tasting room.

There are great murals all around the outside of the brewery.

St. Patrick's Church was the first building built on this street - Mahantongo Street.  The brewery was the second.  The brewery grew and expanded over the years so now there are just a few inches between the two buildings.  

Just a few blocks up the street is the birthplace of author John O'Hara.  He wrote about the people of Pottsville and changed the name of Mahantongo Street to Lahantango - not much of a changes.  There are beautiful Victorian and turn of the century homes on Mahantongo Street and it is worth a walk ( a hilly walk!) to see them and the Yuengling Mansion, built by the first brewers son.

A good view of the brewery, including a flag showing support for Ukraine!

After the tour everyone is welcome to two 7 oz. glasses of beer...with all of the Yuengling products on tap.  Our guide described them all, along with Birch Beer - non alcoholic - for those who did not wish to drink alcohol.

A display of quart bottles...these are no longer brewed but were VERY popular in the past.

John was excited to see the Phillies represented...

An old ice cream sign.

Yuengling was one of several breweries that received a telegram a few weeks before Prohibition was repealed granting permission to start brewing in order to be ready for the demand.   I heard a story years ago that on the day Prohibition was repealed a truck containing Yuengling Beer left Pottsville headed for the White House!

As I was not driving I made sure to taste two beers I had not had before.  One was the newer Golden Pilsner.  The one I am holding is called Coal Miners Beer....half Porter/half Chesterfield Ale.  Since I really am a "Coal Miner's Daughter" I had to try it!  While I am not a huge beer drinker, this was great.  I think all the beers were good because they were all on tap.  My friend enjoyed Bongo Fizz...

Yuengling BONGO FIZZ is the latest innovation from America’s Oldest Brewery. Light, refreshing, and crisp, BONGO FIZZ is a premium beer that is the embodiment of tropical relaxation. Yearn for the beach with a taste that finishes with a juicy burst of natural mango flavor.

You can read about all the Yuengling products here - 

https://www.yuengling.com/our-beer/

If you are in the area of Pottsville, PA and are interested in touring the Yuengling Brewery it is a great time.  You can read all about how to visit here -

America's Oldest Brewery

Thanks for coming on the tour with us today...I think you would enjoy seeing it in person.  

Do you have any places you would recommend near your home?  Please leave a comment below and let me know about them, or if you like Yuengling products.  We always have some Yuengling Light Lager in our refrigerator!

Thanks so much for stopping by Our New Vista!

 

Theater Time !

We love living in Lancaster, PA for many reasons - but one of the best is The Fulton Theatre.  We have been enjoying shows at this theater for many years - we used to have a bit of a drive, but now that we live here we are just a few minutes away from Broadway quality entertainment.  We went to New York City on our honeymoon - 46 years ago! - and over the years we have been returning and enjoying many Broadway shows, so we know that the quality of the performances at The Fulton are top notch.  

Recently The Fulton held a one night only benefit concert and gala featuring the musical Ragtime - one of our favorite shows.

"On The Wheels of A Dream" was held in July and we were thrilled to be there and support this wonderful venue.

If you are not familiar with the show, here is a synopsis - 

Based on the novel of the same name by E.L. Doctrow, Ahren’s and Flaherty’s Ragtime is a compelling epic capturing the American experience at the turn of the 20th century. Tracking three diverse families in pursuit of the American dream in the volatile “melting pot” of turn-of-the-century New York, Ragtime confronts the dialectic contradictions inherent in American reality: experiences of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair. Over the course of the show, the worlds of a wealthy white couple, a Jewish immigrant father and his motherless daughter, and an African American ragtime musician intertwine. Together, they discover the surprising interconnections of the human heart, the limitations of justice and the unsettling consequences when dreams are permanently deferred. Featuring many of the historical figures that built and shaped turn-of-the-century America, including J.P. Morgan, Emma Goldman, Harry Houdini, Evelyn Nesbit and Henry Ford, this musical sweeps across the diversity of the American experience to create a stirring epic that captures the beats of the American experience: the marches, the cakewalks and - of course, the ragtime.

One of the features in the show is Model T Ford - 

A beautiful car was parked outside of the theater and everyone was invited to get a photo!  Then we entered, were given a glass of champagne, and took our seats for the concert.   We have seen the show twice and this was not a full production - it featured a cast of 60 performers and 20 musicians that presented the entire show in a concert form.  Just as moving as the full performance, it had us in tears and amazed at the performers ( many Broadway singers) and the wonder of the story.

After the concert we moved to the gala of dinner and dancing.  We had the choice o The Ballroom or The Speakeasy - two different set ups in the beautifully restored historic theater.  We chose the Ballroom!

The beautiful lobby was transformed into the Speakeasy - and the flowers and table settings were so beautiful!

This is the view from above as we made our way to the Ballroom.

This setting was just as impressive as the Speakeasy - we were directed to our table and our place setting was a glass engraved with "On the wheels of a dream" and a yellow rose.

This was a smaller, more intimate setting - with soft jazz playing in the background...

and I was thrilled to see one of my former colleagues from school  - he is the music teacher, I was the librarian - was providing the music!

Here is the menu from the evening...and I did not take photos of the beautifully presented meal - and wines - as I was too engaged in conversation.  This was the first time we attended an event where my husband and I were not seated with each other...but across the table from each other.  We got to meet new people and have a wonderful evening celebrating and supporting this wonderful theater.

One week later we were back - for Grease !

The show was great - and the Fulton does a photo op area where you can snap some shots.   Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader!

The show was amazing and the dancing and voices were terrific.  We also enjoyed a dinner in downtown Lancaster before the show.  

First time for a place called Shot and Bottle - all local spirits and locally grown food.

I enjoyed a drink called "Bohemian Raspberry" - 

John enjoyed a local brew, we had great salads with shrimp, and a peach upside down cake to share !

That is it for the Fulton Season this year - we just received our season tickets for the shows starting in September.  Here is the link to read more about The Fulton and see the shows for the coming season 

The Fulton

The Fulton Opera House, also known as the Fulton Theatre or simply The Fulton, is a League of Regional Theatres class B regional theater located in historic downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is reportedly the oldest working theatre in the United States. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964.

If you are visiting Lancaster, PA it is not to be missed!

Do you have local theater near you ?  Are you a Broadway fan?

Would love to hear your thoughts - and am always thrilled when you leave a comment below!

Last day of July - here comes August!  Make it a great month - and thanks for stopping by Our New Vista!

 

Prima Vera Salad

Sharing a pasta salad I made for a 4th of July picnic.  Our neighbors invited a group to join them for burgers and brats at the outdoor picnic area in our community.  Everyone brought a salad or a dessert and I chose to bring this salad - and it was a hit!

Don't remember where I found this recipe....but I found it in my old recipe box, written on an index card, in my handwriting.   Since I get a lot of recipes online in recent years I am thinking this is a recipe from long ago...

Prima Vera Salad

1 70z package of cheese tortellini

1 medium sweet red pepper, cut in small strips or pieces

1 cup of broccoli florets

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1/3 cup pitted black olives

Dressing

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup pesto

1/4 cup of milk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

This recipe can be doubled or tripled...I made a big batch for this occasion.

I used the cheese tortellini from Costco and used a red and yellow pepper since I was making a large batch...and not using the olives in case someone did not like them.

I chopped everything up and made sure the broccoli was in very small pieces so it would be easy to eat.

I rinsed the broccoli...

Cook the tortellini according to the package...I realized I should have used a bigger pot!  I use the wooden spoon trick to keep it from boiling over.

Drain and rinse the tortellini

Mix together the mayo, milk (I used half and half), and pesto and blend together.

Add the pepper ( I used coarse ground pepper ) and mix well.

Mix together the tortellini and veggies in a large bowl...

pour the dressing over the salad...

and mix together well...and chill till serving.

I was searching for a bowl to take this salad to the picnic are and found my old ( VINTAGE???) Tupperware bowl.  How old ?  It has the Tupperware Seal ( a cute little seal ) on the lid!  I forgot to take a photo, but earlier in the day I filled a small Tupperware bowl with water and popped it in the freezer.  Before I put the salad in this bowl I put the frozen bowl, lid facing down, in the bottom and piled the salad on top.  Even though I was taking this salad in a cooler with ice I thought the ice inside the dish would keep the salad cool ( and safe!) while it was out on the picnic buffet.  I learned this trick years ago and always do it when taking a salad to a summer event.

It was a great time and lots of fun...before we had dessert a rainstorm came by and we huddled under the umbrellas.  After the storm there was a double rainbow !   Not sure you can see it here...

A great day, but at the end of the rainbow was COVID!  The next day we heard someone tested positive and two days later I was sick.  Two days after that my husband got the bug.  We were pretty sick...all those people who say it is just a cold...well, that was not us.  Fever, chills, cough...we both ended up on anti-viral meds and after a few days felt better.  We stayed isolated and just ventured out this weekend!  We never had Covid before and we joked we thought we would never get it....WRONG!  I guess this is just a way of life now and this virus will be with us forever.

Very happy to be feeling good and back to normal life!

Did you attend a 4th of July picnic?  What dish did you bring?  I would love to hear - thanks so much for stopping by

Our New Vista!

Have a wonderful week !