Olympia Pale Export Type Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

Olympia Pale Export Tab Top Can

The Olympia Pale Export Type Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can represents a classic piece of Pacific Northwest breweriana produced by the Olympia Brewing Company in Olympia, Washington. Founded in Tumwater by Leopold Schmidt, the brewery became one of the most prominent regional brewing powerhouses in the American West.

Design and Branding

The front display panel features Olympia's classic golden horseshoe emblem framing a scenic illustration of Tumwater Falls, anchored by the famous slogan, "It's the Water". The company credited its regional success to the purity of the natural artesian wells on the brewery grounds. The label prominently displays the historic "Pale Export Type" moniker in bold, stylized lettering flanked by traditional hop and barley illustrations. On the reverse panel, the brewery's trademark artesian water statement is featured: "The purity and solvent properties of our famous artesian water enable us to attain perfection in the art of brewing".

Manufacturing and Variations

Breweriana enthusiasts catalog several manufacturing variations across different production runs of this 12-ounce container:

• Can Metallurgy: The container was manufactured in both soldered steel and seamless aluminum formats.
• Manufacturer Marks: Packaging was supplied by major container companies of the era, resulting in body stampings and logos from manufacturers including the American Can Company (featuring the Keglined emblem) and the Continental Can Company.
• Mandatory Text: Distribution across multiple western states led to subtle text layout differences, including alcohol volume statements such as 3.2% declarations to comply with specific state regulations.
• Lid Treatments: Collectors recognize differences in top lid stamping, vanity lettering, dot codes, and chime profiles across manufacturing runs.

This can stands as a central artifact celebrating the enduring legacy and iconic advertising heritage of Washington state brewing.