MattR wrote:

I've never heard of Yuengling. I'll try one of those.

Yuengling (pronounced yingling) is the oldest brewery (1829) in the US.
It is located Pottsville, PA in the coal regions. Dick Yuengling, the
current owner, does his own ads and has made it into somewhat of a
national brand. He added two new breweries in Port Clinton and Tampa,
FL to supplement his historic facility. He features lager, but also has
black & tan, ale (Chesterfield Ale), port, stout, light and light lager.
Many outlets feature Yuengling as a micro brew or premium beer. I don't
know what Dick does with the barley staw and never asked him. If you
ever pass through Pottsville, stop for a brewery tour at the old brewery
which was actually built in 1831 after a fire destroyed the fist one.
And if Dick is there, ask him what he does with the barley straw.