The Beer that Named the Mountain

Not really! Rainier was born in Seattle in 1878 before the state of Washington was even a state, but well after Mount Rainier was renamed by Captain George Vancouver from it’s original Native American name Tahoma.

Our founder, Andrew Hemrich, was a first generation German from a long line of brewmasters. Following in his father’s footsteps, he built the Seattle Brewing & Malting Company. Today we know it as the Rainier Brewing Company, named after the majestic mountain overlooking Andrew Hemrich’s new hometown.

Throughout the 1900s, Rainier became a regional powerhouse in the West Coast beer world. In 1954, the iconic Rainier “R” sign was raised above the brewery and became a landmark of the Seattle skyline. However, with Rainier’s huge success in the mid-1900s and a changing of the guard, brewing operations were moved away from Seattle, and that iconic “R” sign eventually went dark. Seattle was still the Rainier stronghold it always was, but the spirit of Rainier was weakened.

But if prohibition couldn’t keep Rainier down, nothing else could. Rainier joined forces with Pabst and recommitted to its homeland in the 2000s and once again, the iconic “R” sign lit up the skyline. The reinvigorated spirit of Rainier was welcomed home with open arms and it tasted fresher than ever. To this day, Rainier continues to be a symbol of home and happiness for millions living the Pacific Northwest lifestyle.