HOW IT STARTED

People just love to collect stuff. Any stuff. Never has the adage “one man’s trash is another’s treasure” rung so true. It’s no wonder, then, that beer drinkers have long enjoyed collecting just about everything with a brewery name or brand on it — what we call breweriana today. Among the first beer collectibles were bottle caps, or crowns, an innovation of the 1890’s. A boomlet in breweriana availability began in January 1920 when the onset of Prohibition forced hundreds of breweries and thousands of saloons and taverns to close their doors. In 1933, the beer started flowing again, and shortly thereafter two brand new beer collectibles were born: the beer can and the beer can opener.

BCCA HISTORY

THE EARLY YEARS

While there had always been individual beer can collectors around, contact between them was mostly local and usually coincidental. Then, on October 20, 1969, an article in the St. Louis Globe Democrat featured the beer can collection of one Denver Wright, Jr. He soon heard from several kindred spirits in the St. Louis area, and at a meeting at Wright’s house in April 1970, the organization now known as the Brewery Collectibles Club of America was born. Back then though, it was called the Beer Can Collectors of America. By the end of 1971, the BCCA boasted 304 members, from 17 states and Canada. Overseas members, some from as far away as Australia and New Zealand, have attended every one of its annual CANventions in the last two decades.

THE HEYDAY

Beer can and breweriana collecting grew like wildfire in the 1970’s. In 1978, the club’s roster numbered nearly 12,000 members, including many grade school and high school students. For a while, the industry capitalized on the fad by pumping out specially-designed commemorative cans whose only reason for being was that collectors would snap them up. As a result most of these commemorative cans are still incredibly abundant and virtually worthless, most notably the ubiquitous Billy Beer. Early on, only trading was allowed at BCCA sanctioned shows. However with the amazing popularity of the hobby, money did find its way into the BCCA and the ban on cash transactions at shows was eventually lifted. Over the ensuing years, the hobby has matured. While some of the less serious collectors have dropped out over the years, the core membership of the BCCA is made up of collectors with strong passion, advanced collections and a great interest in the survival and growth of our club. As a result of their stewardship, the BCCA remains the premier club in the hobby and brewery-related items are now taken very seriously as collectibles.

THE RESURGENCE

The spectacular growth in the 1990’s of micro brewing has helped to foster a renewed interest in breweriana collecting. Micro items are in high demand, and BCCA membership is on the rise. New members are signing up and many collectors who were active in the ’70’s and ’80’s are rejoining. The club now boasts more than 3,500 active members from all 50 states and 27 foreign countries. Today our club publishes a professional, full-color 48-page bimonthly magazine, stages an annual CANvention that attracts an average of 1000 members, hosts this comprehensive website, and has published two of the hobby’s premier beer can reference guides. We’ve come a long, long way since 1970! In all likelihood, there’s a BCCA Chapter in your state or local area. The club has well over 100 Chapters, both local and at-large, so no matter what you collect or where you live, you can find and meet collectors who share your collecting passion. If you’re into collecting almost anything connected with beer and breweries, you belong in the BCCA. Join on-line now using the membership application in our Membership area.

ABOUT THE HOBBY

Beer can collecting probably began shortly after the very first beer cans from the Krueger Brewing Company showed up in stores in January 1935. Undoubtedly many beer drinkers were fascinated with this revolution in packaging. They were nearly unbreakable, stacked easily, chilled quickly, were colorful and — perhaps best of all — hassle free as they were non-returnable. What’s more they required the use of another brand new collectible: the beer can opener.

Among the first beer collectibles were bottle caps, or crowns, an innovation of the 1890’s. A boomlet in breweriana availability began in January 1920 when the onset of Prohibition forced hundreds of breweries and thousands of saloons and taverns to close their doors. Many owners and workers held on to advertising items that were left behind. After Repeal, when a brewery would close, taverns often sold or gave away the advertising items from that brewery which they had displayed.

The modern era of the hobby began in St. Louis in 1970 with the formation of the Beer Can Collectors of America (BCCA), now the Brewery Collectibles Club of America. Now breweriana enthusiasts had a way to interface and to grow their collections. Other beer can and breweriana collector clubs eventually formed, but the BCCA remains the largest and most active of the hobby’s organizations.

Think about the last time you visited a grocery or beverage store. Have you ever looked at the different brands of beer on the shelves and in the coolers? Have you been beguiled by the variety, graphics, and colors of the packaging? Have you admired the neon and lighted signs that advertise beer at your local watering hole? Or had had a brewery-branded book of matches, napkin, or coaster catch your eye? If you have and you have saved them, then you need to join the BCCA. Check out our other interesting pages for more information about this fascinating hobby.