Iconic Olympia Beer stops production after more than 120 years

Iconic Olympia Beer pauses production

After 120 years of beer production, Olympia Beer pauses production, Pabst Brewing Co. announced Monday.

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.

Seattle City Council approves grocery store worker ‘hazard pay’

City council members unanimously approved legislation approving hazard pay for grocery store workers during the ongoing pandemic.

Olympia Beer was founded more than 120 years ago in Tumwater, Wash. Widely known throughout the 1960s and 70s, the beer slipped out of popularity and was first sold to Pabst in the 1980s. Beer production moved out of Olympia in 2003.

Pabst left some room for a resurgance, however. The company said it's only "pausing" production.

"We remain commited to finding the best solution to keep brewing Olympia Beer in the future," Pabst said.

Although production moved out of its namesake town almost two decades ago, the landmark Old Olympia Brewery in Tumwater remains.

The tower was turned over to the city in 2016, and Tumwater officials have since created an ambitious $6 million plan to rehab and retrofit the brewhouse and open it to the public.

City officials hope to reopen the brewhouse to the public within the next five years. Ideas include a museum, a craft brewery to preserve the legacy, along with restaurants and shops.