6,000 Cans of Beer on the Wall

Here's information provided by Livermore Downtown Inc.

The First Street Alehouse on Tuesday opened for the first time with a substantial collection of collectible beer cans.

The collection consisting of approximately 6,000 different cans from over 70 countries is purported to be the largest of its kind open to the public in the US.  It is on loan from long time collector David Goett of Livermore. Mr. Goett has been amassing this amazing collection since the 1970's. It started at the University of Connecticut from which Mr. Goett graduated in 1977. He then joined the Air Force and traveled the world picking up examples along the way.  The collection is divided approximately half and half between foreign and domestic cans.

The first beer can was introduced in 1935. The collection includes an example of this first can: Krueger Ale from New Jersey. Also of interest is the first Budweiser can from 1936. One of the favorites among collectors, and very rare, is the "olive drab" camouflaged can which were produced in the 1940's during WWII in the US and were shipped overseas to our servicemen in the interest of morale building. An example of this type is also on display. 

The First Street Alehouse has graciously agreed to display this collection and has provided the custom built cabinets to house it. In addition to the years spent amassing such a distinguished collection, Mr. Goett has been working on organizing, cataloging and filling the display cases with cans for this exhibit since January. Six months and innumerable hours later, the display is ready to go.

"First Street Alehouse is very honored to have been asked to house this amazing collection!", says Ron Witherspoon, Alehouse co-owner. "Being a family of beer advocates, we love that the public will have access to seeing this collection that showcases the evolution of canned beer in our modern culture.  First Street Alehouse prides itself in being an establishment that offers a unique experience, so this beer can collection fits in beautifully! Every beer can seems to have a story. Beer lovers that come to see these cans are sure to have a few stories about the beer they recognize from their past."