The owner of America’s oldest brewery, D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc. formed a new joint venture (JV) with Molson Coors Beverage Company to expand its geographic footprint beyond the East Coast, the companies announced in a recent release.

Under the long-term brewing partnership, Molson Coors will brew Yuengling products and help the brand to grow from its current presence in 22 states. The joint venture, governed by a board of directors made up of Yuengling and Molson Coors family members and executives, will launch in the second half of next year.

“This is a huge growth opportunity for Yuengling, it’s a huge growth opportunity for Molson Coors, and we’re going to make a whole lot of Yuengling fans out west really happy,” Gavin Hattersley, president and chief executive officer of Molson Coors, said in a statement. “Today, three storied brewing families and their collective 18 generations of brewing excellence, have come together with one goal for the future – a future focused on growth. That is worth celebrating.”

D.G. Yuengling will remain a family-owned business and continue to operate separately from the JV. The company currently operates two breweries in Pottsville, PA and Tampa, FL.

“We are excited to launch this brewing partnership with the team at Molson Coors. Like Yuengling, Miller Coors has an established commitment to quality and rich history of family brewing excellence,” Wendy Yuengling, the chief administrative officer of D.G. Yuengling and a sixth-generation family member, said in the release. “Fans can expect the same Yuengling recipes and great taste they have come to love for more than 190 years.”