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Once a staple of American beer culture, Olympia now survives largely out of sight of its original home market — and that matters because devoted collectors and former drinkers are finding the brand increasingly rare in the United States. What began as a small Pacific Northwest brewery has been passed between owners and production sites until the label lives on mainly in Canada.
Founded in the late 19th century by German-born brewer Leopold F. Schmidt, the brand built its identity around a single line: “It’s the Water.” That slogan tied the beer to the artesian wells of the Olympia, Washington, area and became a core part of its marketing, even as the company’s operations and recipes changed over time.
The winding history behind a familiar can
Olympia’s roots are in Tumwater, where brewing began in the 1890s. The company recovered after Prohibition and went on to become a recognizable name through mid-century America. But in the decades that followed, ownership and production moved repeatedly: corporate takeovers, brewery closures and shifts in where the beer was actually brewed all chipped away at the brand’s original footprint.
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One persistent point of contention has been the product’s imagery. For years Olympia cans displayed a waterfall tied to the brand’s origin story, even after the brewery stopped using the local artesian source. That dissonance prompted legal challenges and criticism that the packaging overstated a connection to the Pacific Northwest.
- 1896: Brewing begins in Tumwater under Leopold F. Schmidt.
- Mid-20th century: Olympia becomes a mainstream American lager with strong regional identity.
- 1980s–1990s: Ownership changes, including sales to larger brewing firms.
- 2000s: The original Tumwater brewery closes and production shifts to other facilities.
- Today: The cans bearing the classic waterfall art are produced by Great Western Brewing and distributed in parts of Canada.
Over the years, several larger brewers manufactured Olympia under license or after acquisitions, including periods when the brand was brewed in California and Texas. Those moves diluted the “local water” message and left long-time fans feeling the beer had slipped out of its original place.
Where Olympia exists now — and what that means for fans
Currently, cans that still carry the traditional waterfall design are produced by Great Western Brewing, a Canadian brewer that holds the rights to sell Olympia in certain provinces. The brand is marketed there with explicit ties to its Tumwater beginnings, even though production is no longer local to Washington state.
That arrangement has a simple effect for U.S. drinkers: availability is limited. American collectors who spot an unopened can often ask the same question on social feeds — where did you find it? — because routine retail access in the United States has largely disappeared.
For brands and consumers alike, Olympia’s trajectory illustrates two broader trends: the lasting power of regional branding, and how corporate consolidation can shift where heritage products are made and sold. Even when a recipe survives, the story that sold it may change beyond recognition.
Practical takeaways for readers:
- If you’re hunting vintage Olympia memorabilia or unopened cans, treat finds as collectibles rather than everyday purchases.
- Expect to find current commercial versions primarily in Canadian markets, not in U.S. supermarket aisles.
- Brand imagery — like the waterfall — can be legally and commercially contested when production moves away from origin stories.
While Olympia no longer brews in Tumwater, its name endures in cans and memorabilia, a reminder that a product’s cultural footprint can outlast its original operations. For former fans and collectors, that mixed legacy is both a source of nostalgia and a reason to look beyond conventional retail channels.
