Yuengling finally hops across line into Ohio

Zeb Hawkins had his first taste of Yuengling beer years ago at a Pittsburgh Pirates game.

The 30-year-old Akron resident was hooked.

But D.G. Yuengling and Son, the oldest operating brewery in America, doesn't distribute in Ohio. So to get his favorite beer, Hawkins makes special trips every so often to Pennsylvania — or asks family and friends traveling there — to pick up cases.

Soon, he won't have to do that.

Yuengling, which has a cult-like following reminiscent of Coors before it was distributed along the East Coast, is finally moving into the Ohio market. The company hopes to start selling Yuengling here as early as October.

''The launch in your state is going to be huge,'' said Pat Noone, the brewery's business development manager and the one spearheading the move into Ohio. ''It's probably going to be the most successful launch in Yuengling's history.''

For fans like Hawkins, October can't come soon enough.

''I just think it's a damn fine beer,'' he said.

Yuengling, based in Pottsville, Pa., is the fourth-largest brewer in the United States, according to the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colo. Its popular brands include Traditional
Lager, Original Black & Tan, Porter and Lord Chesterfield Ale.

For some reason, though, Yuengling hasn't been distributed in neighboring Ohio, forcing hard-core fans like Hawkins to make jaunts to Pennsylvania. It even led to the creation of the website ''BringYuenglingtoOhio.com.''

''The reason we haven't been in the state is because we haven't had the beer to service the state,'' Noone said. ''Ohio is one of the largest states in the country in terms of beer consumption, and we needed to make sure that when we did come, we were able to service the state properly.

''We're kind of just a small brewery. We just don't go out there and open up markets. We want to protect the integrity of our brands. We want to make sure when we go in, we do it right.''

The company is expanding its Mill Creek brewery in Pennsylvania to handle the move into Ohio. Noone recently traveled around the state meeting with potential distributors, retailers and customers.

''The level of excitement across the entire state is high, very high,'' he said. ''They want us and they can't wait until we get here.''

While the company is shooting for an October launch, the release might be later than that. It depends on the brewery expansion and time involved setting up a distribution network, Noone said.

Jon Albrecht, beer buyer for the Acme Fresh Market chain in Akron, said that Yuengling will do well in Ohio and is likely to be one of the top sellers for the grocer. Yuengling is the most requested beer by Acme customers, he said.

''It's going to be a huge splash at the beginning,'' he said. ''There's no doubt that we will stock it. We'll stock everything that says Yuengling on it.''

He doesn't think Yuengling can overtake Bud Light as the best-seller, though. And he wondered how the introduction of Yuengling will affect buying patterns. For example, will consumers buy more beer or simply shift from other brands?

There's also a question of whether people just want what they can't have. Coors had tremendous mystique when it wasn't available on the East Coast. The 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit starring Burt Reynolds and Sally Field is built around the story of an illegal shipment of Coors from Texas to Georgia.

Greg Bellan, 34, of Twinsburg, has always enjoyed Yuengling, so he isn't worried about the novelty wearing off for him.

''I am thrilled,'' he said of the move into Ohio. ''It's long overdue.

''Ohioans love their beer and they love good beer. Yuengling has a different taste than one of the [national brands]. It almost has that microbrew feel to it.''

Alex Gable, 23, of Akron also is a fan.

''For the longest time I wanted nothing to do with beer,'' he said. ''Yuengling was the first beer I have ever had that I actually enjoyed the taste of.

''Every time I hear the familiar ring of 'I'm going to Pennsylvania this weekend' from family or co-workers, I immediately reach for my wallet, hoping that I can get a couple cases to hold me over 'til I get another chance to buy this wonderful beer.''