Editorial: Hurrah for a cold Yuengling in Illinois
Just off the interstate in Kenosha, Wisconsin, sits the Mars Cheese Castle. But if you spend quality time in the store's huge parking lot, you discover that the big seller is not the Dairy State's questionable curds but a fine Wisconsin beer called Spotted Cow. It's the product of the New Glarus Brewing Co. and it's not distributed in Illinois. That's why a huge mound of 12-packs sits in the front of the store, most of which is destined for cars with plates issued by the Land of Lincoln.
Yet, as the Tribune's Robert Channick recently reported, crossing the Illinois state line with more than a gallon of beer is, alas, illegal. And, yes, a 12-pack of 12-ounce beers exceeds that threshold. Luckily for many beer lovers, that rule typically is not enforced on the casual drinker.
We can't do much about the difficulty of drinking a Spotted Cow in Illinois, at least without breaking the law, but we can cheer the long-awaited Illinois arrival of Yuengling, an amber lager that is a good match for Chicago, given its superior taste to most mass-market beers, its 195-year history and its blue-collar bonafides as an historic beer brewed in Pennsylvania.
Its taste lingers pleasantly in the mouth like a microbrew or an import, but its fans don't (usually) have to pay the typical premium for a more pretentious Euro choice like Stella Artois. Finally, Yuengling (and some brand extensions thereof) is now available in your better class of local Chicago tavern in draft form. Please drink only in moderation and leave your car at home. But enjoy. Occasionally.
The beer distribution situation in Illinois is byzantine and seems to us better designed to protect entrenched players than those who might enjoy a quality beer on occasion. Illinois hardly is the only state with these issues, but we don't see the sense in people having to cart their favorite malt beverages across state lines and break the law while doing so. At least free the 12-pack.
So, for supporters of freedom of consumer choice in interstate beer commerce, the legal Illinois arrival of the splendid Yuengling is a small but tasty victory.
Originally Published: January 28, 2025 at 4:00 PM CST
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