January 24th is Beer Can Appreciation Day. The Beer Can Museum in East Taunton, MA is a great place to see a vast cornucopia of beer cans from all around the world. Take the tour with us.
Who doesn’t love a nice, ice cold beer? Especially on Beer Can Appreciation Day. On January 24th, some Americans will put down their glass bottles and crack open a shiny can of their favorite brew to commemorate this auspicious occasion.
Beer, a frothy, carbonated alcoholic drink, brewed from malted barley (or wheat, corn, and rice), has been around since 9500 BC. Beer’s alcoholic content typically ranges from 4% to 6 % alcohol by volume (abv), though some brews can hit 20% to 40% abv.
According to U.S. News and World Report, China is the number one beer market, followed by the United States. Chinese beers Snow and Tsingtao are best-selling beers (1st and 2nd) worldwide (Bud Light and Budweiser are 3rd and 4th).
But if you want to see thousands of beer cans…of brands past and present…you should take the pilgrimage to the Beer Can Museum in East Taunton, Massachusetts. Located just south of the city of Boston, this little museum is chock full of beer cans, past and present. In fact, the museum has over 5,000 beer cans on display. From Old Style to Old Milwaukee, from Kirin to Coors, from Bass to Budweiser…this museum has them all.
For those old enough to remember, the traditional beer can wasn’t just a metal container to keep its carbonated contents fresh and cold. The beer can itself was a great example of folk art. Breweries would compete to come up with unique artwork with which to adorn their cylindrical containers. Yes, the beer can itself was its own unique form of advertising.
The museum has one of the oldest beer cans for “Krueger Ale,” created in 1935 to the present-day “alumabottles” style (metallic containers shaped like a beer bottle).
The museum was started by local resident Kevin Logan, who also hosts an annual “Museumfest” every summer to celebrate all things beer. So on January 24th, crack open a can of your favorite brew in appreciation…wherever you are.
