What Beer Does Longmire Drink?

Compassionate, attentive, and meticulous, but also with dry humor and laconic attitude, Sheriff Walt Longmire, the title character of the Western series Longmire, is the perfect example of a lone warrior. An able detective with a keen interest in solving the various crime in the fictional Absaroka County, Longmire is one of the favorite characters in the Western and police procedural genre. 

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So What Beer Does Longmire Drink?

Let’s cut straight to the answer – Longmire drinks Rainier (or Ran-YEEEAAH, as he calls it) beer in the show, and that’s the only beer he drinks. In fact, he can be seen drinking Rainier beer in almost every episode (just like Homer Simpson with Duff beer).

In the show’s pilot episode, a famous scene featuring Longmire shows his preference for Rainier beer. A colleague accuses Walt Longmire of drunk driving after seeing a bunch of beer cans in his car. Sheriff Longmire explains that “Every man who’s ever had a beer with me knows – I drink Rainier beer, always have, and always will.” In another episode, someone tries to frame Sheriff Longmire by leaving an empty can of Rainier beer at a crime scene.

Why Does Longmire Drink Only Rainier Beer?

The Longmire TV series aired by the A&E is based on the Walt Longmire Mysteries series of novels written by Craig Johnson. The writer of the novels explained in a 2022 interview (while he was promoting his new book Hell and Back) that Rainier beer was a staple in Wyoming, where he worked as a cowboy. 

According to him, Rainier was trying to launch their beer in Montana and Wyoming during the early 1970s and 1980s. You could buy a six-pack of Rainier beer for just $1.50, and everyone loved it. Rainier beer quickly became his go-to beer, especially during the hot summer days. So naturally, Rainier beer quickly became Walt Longmire’s signature drink.

So How Is Rainier Beer? 

If you have ever been to the Pacific Northwest or lived there, you have seen Rainier beer in bars and supermarkets. It’s the classic beer in the Northwest, and everyone falls back on it; being cheaper than Coors, Miller, or Bud and has a crisper flavor. You can even see people walking around with shirts, hats, and jackets with the famous R logo of Rainier Beer. 

Of course, Rainier beer is nowhere near premium craft beers, but it’s definitely above the basic Coors or Bud Light. It’s an amazing beer to enjoy during hot summer days. It tickles the itch; it’s affordable and easy to find in the Pacific Northwest.

The beer is still very popular in the area, but now it’s not brewed by the original brewery. Now, Rainier beer is brewed under contract in California after the company was sold to Pabst Brewing Company.

Is it really that good? Longmire loves Rainier beer (and he loves it in the novels as well), so it must be good. Let’s learn more about Rainier beer – what makes it special?

How Is Rainier Beer?

A Short History Of Rainier Beer

The Rainier Brewing Company, the original brewer of Rainier beer, is no longer active, as it was sold and closed in 1999. 

Based in Seattle, the origins of the Rainier Brewing Company go back about 150 years. The original brewery was active since 1854, when a local businessman, A. B. Rabbeson, opened Washington Brewery, which was essentially the first brewery in the city. By 1872, the brewery was renamed Seattle Brewery and launched the beer known as Rainier in 1878. 

Ten years later, Rabbeson sold the brewery and the beer brand to Andrew Hemrich and John Kopp, who continued to make beer. The new investors went through different acquisitions and mergers to create the Seattle Brewing and Malting Company, which continued to brew the Rainier beer for decades.

During Prohibition, the brewer of Rainier beer survived by producing a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, including root beer and fruit juice. After the end of Prohibition, Rainier beer was relaunched to great success across the Pacific Northwest. By the 1960s and 1970s, Rainier was known across the country for its memorable television and radio ads featuring Mickey Rooney. Unfortunately, the brewing company was sold to Pabst, which closed it in 1999. Beer production moved to Tumwater, Washington, until 2003, but was moved again to Irwindale, California, where Miller Brewing brews it. 

Quirky Facts About Rainier Beer

• Rainier was the last American beer that was sold in stubbies or steinies; flatter, shorter, and slightly smaller than the standard 12-ounce bottle, stubbies were popular because they were easier to distribute on long distances
• In 2004, a black bear passed out near Baker Lake Resort in Washington state after drinking 36 Rainier beer cans; the report says that the bear ignored the nearby Busch beer cans after trying only one; apparently, the bear came back the next day to look for more Rainier beer – it seems that not only Longmire loves Rainier beer (LOL)
• Rainier beer is still available in stores and in bars; it’s brewed under license in Irwindale, California, by Miller Brewing
• Beer is still produced in the original Rainier breweries; Emerald City Beer Company and Machine House Brewery are active in the former Rainier breweries
• Rainier Beer was on Mount Everest when the first American to reach the summit; James W. Whittaker, born and raised in Seattle, Washington, reached the summit of Mount Everest in 1963, where he had a can of Rainier beer
• Rainier beer reached #1 on the list of Top 100 Beers by Cold Cans

Wrapping It Up

In the rugged landscapes of the fictional Absaroka County, Sheriff Walt Longmire’s preference for Rainier beer became more than just a beverage choice; it evolved into a symbol of camaraderie and his connection to the untamed Wild West. Longmire’s moments with a cold Rainier beer provided a glimpse into his genuine authenticity and a brief respite from the weight of his responsibilities as Sheriff. Like the refreshing mountain streams that wind through his Wyoming home, Longmire’s preference for Rainier beer reflected a deep-rooted appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.