"4 Dot" Olympia Beer Label

Where do myths begin? Is there any basis in truth to them?

Perhaps the answer can be found in cyberspace, which is a good place to start to find the truth of this mythical question--

If a female signs her name to the back of the label from a stubby Olympia beer (i.e., an "Oly") . . . and the label has four dots on it . . . does that really mean she's agreed to . . . and has to . . . (well, you know) . . . ?

The myth began (at least among my circle of miscreants) in the 1960s. Somebody heard it from somebody. So, it must have had some merit to it. The process was very very simple--

(1) Have some money.

(2) Get some Olympia beer from somebody (a) old enough to buy it and (b) stupid enough to be willing to break the law by supplying it to incredibly stupid minors with no common sense.

(3) Consume enough Olympia "stubbies" until a label is
found with what appears to be four dots on the back side.

(4) Reach into the glove box and pull out a magnifying glass to examine the smear marks after the first couple of dots. Study it in the light of the campfire.

( 5) Have a friend or other impartial observer double-check the marks.

(6) Get a consensus that the label does in fact have the requisite four official dots.

(7) Resist the urge to sell the priceless label for just enough money to buy another case of beer.

(8) Find a pencil.

(9) Find a willing female participant who's gullible enough or sympathetic enough to sign the label.

(10) Get the signature.

It's been my observation that nobody has ever gotten past step (5). Never. Ever.

It has occurred to me that the myth was generated and circulated by the marketing department of Olympia Brewing Company at Tumwater Washington. But, probably not. The Olympia Brewing Company began brewing Olympia Beer in 1896 at Tumwater Washington, just south of Olympia. Olympia Beer was very popular in the Pacific Northwest and eventually expanded nationwide. It was reasonably priced (i.e., cheap). The brewery was eventually purchased by Miller, which closed the Olympia brewery in 2003 as being unprofitable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia_Brewing_Company

So, the answer to the question? Inconclusive. It appears that there's just not enough hard evidence to reach a conclusion. Still, there are people out there who are still contemplating, inquiring, conducting research:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/thebeerhere/the_beer_bizz/ ". . . and peeling off the label to count how many dots were on the back. A four-dot was treasure indeed because, when presented to your girlfriend, it meant that she had to . . . well, best draw a veil of graceful ambiguity across THAT one . . . not that I ever had a four-dot --- or that many girlfriends, come to that --- but an anonymous can of Oly still ranks among the best beers I've ever had . . ."

http://alumnisandstorm.com/htm2000/2000-11-Nov.htm "Oly Labels (4 dots indicated a particular production code). Two most popular rumors (totally unsupported by Olympia Brewing Co): (1) If you saved up enough labels with the 4 dots on back, Olympia would provide you with a a free case/keg/lifetime supply (depends on who's telling the story); (2) If you could get a gal to sign the back of the 4 dot label, you were just about, almost, pretty near, but not quite assured of . . ."