Iconic Olympia Beer stops production after more than 120 years

q13fox ^ | 1/27/2021

[mylife]

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Say it ain't so, beer lovers: Olympia Beer, a mainstay of bar taps and college parties for decades, is pausing production.

Pabst Brewing Co. made the announcement in an Instagram post Monday. The owner of the iconic local brand said the decicion came afer a decline in the beer's sales.

"Sadly, we have not been able to find a solution to the challenges posed by reduced beer sales and have had to make the difficult deciscion of temporarily pausing production of Olympia Beer," the company said on the beer's Instagram page.

[Night Hides Not]

Lousy beer, but nice view from the brewery hospitality room.

I went on a brewery tour during ROTC summer camp in 1975. It was a good tour, but we were only allowed to sample the beer for about 30 minutes.

Contrast that to the tour my platoon took to the Konigsbacher Brewery in Koblenz, Germany. My platoon sergeant and his wife set it up. The tour took about 90 minutes, then we were treated to a full meal (ham, potato salad, brotchen, etc.) in one of their tasting rooms.

Our host told us, "drink all you want until we close at 6"...it was about 3 at that point. We were also invited to their glass factory, across the train tracks. We were able to buy steins and beer glasses at cost plus 10%.

The view from their restaurant onsite was scenic, to say the least. It offered beautiful views of the Rhein River.

I usually visited once a month. The jagerscnhnitzel was excellent, and they served bock bier on tap year round.

[Bob434]

Yes i think so. I actually like schlitz and old model. Its all we could afford as 20 somethings lol

[atc23]

Here’s another one. Who cares what beer tastes like? I don’t like that beer nowadays with 6% 7% alcohol. I like a buzz but don’t like getting all liquored up on beer, that’s why god made whiskey.

[setter]

You have not drank rancid beer until you drank Iron City.

[ChildOfThe60s]

Anybody remember ABC ale from back in the 70s in Florida? It was the house brand of a liquor store chain called ABC Liquor. Pretty bad stuff, but it contained alcohol.

During the gas crisis recession when a buddy and I were both out of work we pooled our money and bought a 6 pack of ABC Ale for $0.99 and a pack of Marlboros for $0.45. When that was gone I drove by my parent’s house and helped myself to a couple shots of their bourbon.

[mylife]

Everything in FLA used to be ABC

[major_gaff]

Man, we used to drink Olympia and Rainier at the NAS Whidbey Island
E-club...50 cents a draft...good times, bad beer

[RedStateRocker]

Nah.

I don’t claim to be an expert, but I can tell the difference between a nice Double IPA or Imperial stout and a light lager. I couldn’t tell you the difference between , say, Oly, Coors, PBR, or Corona, since I don’t drink anything without a *LOT* of hops and high alcohol.

just like even a non wine snob is going to be able to tell the difference between a Pinot Grigio and a Cabernet.

You’re right about the buzz being the point. A four pack of 16 ounce DIPAs (with about an 8.5 alcohol content) and it’s crank up the bass and amp :-)

[hanamizu]

When I was little in SoCal and my dad took me into bars (I would get a Roy Rogers) I remember the signs saying Western Beers (like Olympia, Coors, Brew 102) and Eastern Beers (Budweiser, Pabst, & Hamms). As I recall the Eastern beers cost more.

[Born to Conserve]

“...to get a buzz...”

Best beer is vodka spritzer — vodka, carbonated water, squeezed lemon, ice. (gallons of it)

[xrmusn]

I went on a brewery tour during ROTC summer camp in 1975. It was a good tour, but we were only allowed to sample the beer for about 30 minutes.
= = = = = = = = = = = = =
Our ship was docked in Tacoma in 1960 and some of us made the trip to the brewery.
Hit the tap room and stayed till closing (all under 21) and the bartender was former Navy and he was glad to see something other than ‘doggies’ from FT Lewis and told us to come back tomorrow and just tell them already took the tour and they would bring us to the tap room.

[VastRWCon]

“I’ve had far worse.”

We drank Natty Boh back in the day!

[major_gaff]

I disagree...I could definitely tell the difference between Belgian, Stout, IPA,
or Mexican styles (which is actually their version of a Vienna Lager). But
then I have brewing beer for 25+ years and have been an AHA home brew
judge almost as long. And I usually drink beer for the taste, but the buzz
ain't bad either. ;~)

[mylife]

I’ve lived everywhere or was sent there.
I think I have had them all.

[max americana]

The story of Beer..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDNGPDLsaZ8

[mylife]

I miss all the regional beers made for working men, now all we have are ridiculous $10 a 6 pack craft brews.

I’m having a Genesee Ice at the moment $7.99 a 12 pack

[GoldwaterCountry]

Rainier was horrible but their commercials were legendary. The Budweiser frogs were a complete ripoff from Rainier’s commercials from the 70’s. Also, did anyone drink “Animal Beer”: Schmidt, Buckhorn etc?. How about Heidelberg?

[Billthedrill]

Lucky Lager. For when you can’t afford Oly.

[mylife]

I liked Schmidt’s

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Ever live near Chicago? Old Style Beer. Required and awful.

We called it Old Stool. On the other hand, Heilemann's Special Export was pretty good, as I recall, at least to my 20-something palate 30-something years ago.