It All started n the fall of 1950 When Olympia first started canning beer
Great Looking 3D Point of Sale Piece from 1950-51 To Help Introduce Olympia in Cans
While Can Advertising Was the exception rather than the rule when they did do it they did it very well!!
Another beautiful Billboard late 1950s
While The new can was big news for 1950 Most Ads were still dominated by the widely popular Stubby which would take some time to be overcome by the can
Colorful Gold Cans and the legendary logo that remained unchanged for many years
Another Big Change Was The introduction of 16 oz Cans in 55
Left to Right 1955 to 1962 Would See Very slight changes to The Can Design
Olympia Went to 11 and 15 OZ Cans from 1959 - 61
Starting in 1962 Olympia Would Return to the Standard 12 and 16 oz sizes Not Tall Cans Now Say Half Quart or Full Half Quart instead of King SIze
1962 Also Saw The Introduction of the Little Oly 7oz Can With a 8 Pack Carton
Early Flat Top Can lids use the Pale Export type Top
Later Flat Top Lids with the familar Light Olympia Beer logo
1962 Flat Top lid letting the consumer know that The full Quart Can is back and the 15 oz King Size is gone
No Opener needed Olympia Goes to Pull Tab Cans in 1964
Maybe the best thing since sliced bread the pull tab revolutionized the beverage container industry
Early Olympia Snap or Pop Tab Can Circa 1964-5
Early Olympia Pop Tab Can 1964
Early Ring Pull Can Rings were introduced early on as sharp edges would cut fingers. Small ring is indicative of first design
Above and below late 60s early 70s pull tab cans with the earlier skinny seam left and fatter right also note on the early can still has directions on the lid for opening
American Can Company Keglined right Continental on the left
Early Aluminum Cans pre 75 as only one brewery listed
Same cans different bottoms
In 1975 Olympia purchased Theo Hamm Brewing and Olympia was produced in St. Paul as well as Tumwater other changes were soon to come including bar codes and metric measure Also to not Pale Export was replaced with Export Type on the top of the can
More subtle differences look at striped letters left vs. Solid on right can on left is last generation 1979 80 of this label
The Familiar Big Ring Used from The Late 60s to Late 70s
When Oregon passed its containier law in the early 70s outlawing detachable tabs (left) most brewers were caught scrambling to find a solution. One easy way was flat top aluminum other more complicated push button (right) short lived due to technical failures
Combating Pollution This unique design was used in the early 70s before the now common stay tab
The now Common Stay Tab invented in the late 70s early 80s
Can Design Progression from First Design of 1950 to 1962 12 oz to The 1970 Dull Enamel Rings replacing The Metallic Gold in use from 1950 to late 69
1971 Would See the Introduction of the Aluminum Can
All Aluminum Cans Started Showing up on Store Shelves by the early 1971 Sharing Space along with Steel Can for around 2 Years
1974 Test Can and 1980s era Design Change seen on a 1990s can
Little Oly Cans
Introduced in 1962 The little Oly was a favorite among Golfers fisherman and housewifes
Above and Below From Left to Right Flat Top Zip U Tab and Ring Pull Cans
Olympia Test Cans
Olympia had been thinking about changing the classic label of their brand for years before making the change in 80-1 Next Few Images are of Test Versions with different color and script
Blue Ring Red Ring Foil Label Mockup Cans
1960s Test Cans The Dark Blue is a Zip Tab Can
More Test Cans
Different Cans Different Messaging
1974 Test Can Design
Olympia Gold Test Cans
To My Knowledge No Cans of Medallion Were ever Produced
Long Available in Draft only and very popular with Pizza Houses Olympia Dark was canned in the early 90s and available only in the gift shop at the brewery
As the 80s Turned into the 90s Olympia Changed can designs often trying to capture an ever shrinking youth market
The Bigfoot Was a gimmicky name given the big 24 oz Can it was popular with everyone but the Washington Liquor Control board leading to a short live
The Last of the popular Bigfoot Cans
Whats Old is New Again the current Can Design Olympia is popular again riding on a nostalgia trend
A Beautiful Label Design by a Local Tumwater Brewery
