HARRISBURG - Rep. Mike Vereb is calling it "beergate."

The transition team of Gov.-elect Tom Wolf, a Democrat, banned Yuengling beer from his inaugural bash in Hershey on Tuesday because company President Richard Yuengling supported anti-union legislation, Vereb claims.

The Montgomery County Republican terms it "un-American to turn down free beer."

Yuengling supported right-to-work legislation, which prohibits a company and a union from signing a contract that would require the affected workers to be union members.

Right-to-work bills stalled in the last session.

Richard Yuengling, whose family-owned company was established in the Schuylkill County coal-mining town of Pottsville in 1829, could not be reached for comment.

Wolf chose Hershey Lodge - which serves Yuengling - for his swearing-in celebration as a way to highlight Pennsylvania products and talent, his transition team has said.

Vereb called it "ludicrous" th at such an important event, featuring Pennsylvania products, would not include "America's oldest brewery."

Wolf spokeswoman Beth Melena with the transition team did not directly address Vereb's accusation.

"We met our beverage needs, and we have a variety of choices for attendees from a number of breweries, including Pennsylvania-based breweries," Melena said.

Vereb said he's not accusing Wolf personally of deciding to ban Yuengling for political reasons. He believes it was the decision of a "low-level bureaucrat" on the transition team.

To contrast brewery ages, Vereb noted that Susquehanna Brewing Co. in Pittston, a brewery providing beer to the Wolf party, is about 2 years old. Yuengling was founded as Eagle Brewery, according to the company's website. It is a nonunion operation.

Rep. Kevin Schreiber, D-York, a Wolf supporter, doesn't believe Wolf, a York businessman, would have authorized such a move. He said he attended an event at Wolf's ho use and thinks Yuengling was one of the beverages served.

"The irony is that Wolf's own cabinet company is not unionized," Vereb said.

Despite supporting right-to-work legislation, Richard Yuengling "certainly has not been an outspoken opponent of unions," Vereb said.

Brad Bumsted is Trib Total Media's state Capitol reporter.