A Growing, Changing Club
was on the hunt for
In 1989, Pat Stambaugh
Some things never change
Minnesota beer glasses.
as he is still at it today.
As times have changed, so has the North Star
Chapter. While the focus was almost entirely on
beer cans in the early years, member interest
has expanded into all forms of breweriana.
Bottles, signs, openers, advertising pieces,
In 1981, beer ca
you name it. To expand and better serve its
ns
collectible. Here were the primary
membership, in 2008 the North Star Chapter
we see Mark Rob
serving Bob Vier
erts
became an affiliate of the two other major
ka
in O’Reilley Hall. nt a beer at the bar
breweriana national clubs, the American
Breweriana Association
(ABA) and the National Association of Breweriana
Advertising (NABA), in addition to the BCCA (which itself had
changed its name, while keeping the same acronym, to
Brewery Collectibles Club of America to move away from
the strictly beer can reputation).
Today at Guzzle ’n Twirl a collector can find anything that has the word “beer” on it.
Individuals who once only collected beer cans, now collect all kinds of breweriana
often specializing in certain brands or regional items.
Today the North Star Chapter has over 250 active
members mostly from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa, but
also from several other states and one Canadian province.
The Chapter hosts a number of breweriana shows every
year, including Guzzle ’n Twirl every October in Maplewood,
Minnesota and Springfest every March in Bloomington,
Minnesota, plus several smaller venues throughout
Minnesota and western Wisconsin, most of which are
co-sponsored with other regional breweriana clubs. The club
has a website, www.northstarchapter.com, and a Facebook
page, www.facebook.com/NorthStarChapterMN.
For more information on the club, events, and membership,
view the website or Facebook at the following:
The North Star Chapter
www.northstarchapter.com
www.facebook.com/NorthStarChapterMN
Phone: 651.731.9573
, as evidenced from this
Collecting beer cans still thrives
r Chapter had several
2010 photo when the North Sta
prices available for people
tables of cans with inexpensive
to sort through.
THE BIG 40!
It’s a terrific milestone for the North Star
Chapter to be celebrating 40 years of
Guzzle ’n Twirl. Back in 1973, there was no
thought this event would still be going strong
today. The hobby of collecting beer cans
and all kinds of beer related items has gone
through its ups and downs, yet one thing
that has remained a constant is the annual
Guzzle ’n Twirl show. Inside this brochure is
a brief history of the North Star Chapter
and a visual snapshot of past shows.
You’ll see how the show has
evolved considerably throughout the years. We’re pleased
that you can celebrate this
birthday milestone with the
North Star Chapter!
In 2008 the North Star Chapter, a long time chapter of the Brewery Collectibles Club of America,
became an affiliate of the American Breweriana Association and National Association of
Breweriana Advertising. From left to right, the leadership of these organizations at that time:
Joe Wendl (NSC Treasurer), Len Chylack (ABA President), Dave Wendl (NSC President),
Larry Moter (NABA President), Mike England (BCCA President).
The North Star Chapter – Collecting and Preserving Breweriana
zzle ’n Twirl
The early years of Gu today’s
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Pictured here is Mar
.
from the 1981 show
40 YEARS
OF COLLECTING AND FUN!
Writing: Jeff R. Lonto, Design: Brent Kastler – North Star Chapter Board Members.
Special thanks to Linda Huntsinger for photographs from early Guzzle ’n Twirl shows.
The North Star Chapter breweriana club formed on April 8, 1973 as
the tenth chapter of the national collectors club then known as the Beer Can
Collectors of America (BCCA), just as the beer can collecting craze of the 1970s
was starting to take off.
It all began in November 1972 when a profile of local beer can collector Bill
Henderson appeared in a Minneapolis newspaper. It seemed like an unusual
hobby to the newspaper editors but several other beer can collectors in the
area (many of whom were members of the BCCA, which had formed in 1970)
contacted Bill, and he invited them over for a trade session in his basement.
The trade session was so successful they decided to have another a few months
later, this time in a more public place, the parking lot of the then still operating
Theodore Hamm Brewing Company in St. Paul, in April 1973. The brewery agreed
to let the collectors set up there on a Sunday, when the business was closed.
Seventeen collectors and their guests, coming not just from the Twin Cities but
as far away as New Ulm, Rochester, Owatonna and Eau Claire, Wisconsin showed
up to trade old and new beer cans and get to know one another. A business
meeting was held as part of this trade session, officers were elected, and the
North Star Chapter of the Beer Can Collectors of America was founded.
Later that year another trade session, this one held
on the property of Wally and Velda Swenson of
Eau Claire, attracted almost 100 collectors from all
over the Upper Midwest. So successful it was, that it
became an annual event called Weekend at Wally’s,
Dave Yost makes the trip from Kansas nearly every year
evolving into a four-day Woodstock-type festival for
and typifies the spirit of Guzzle ’n Twirl.
beer can collectors that at one point attracted up to
400 revelers, until the host
finally decided to discontinue
it in the 1980s.
ted
Don Huntsinger coordina for
irl
the raffle at Guzzle ’n Tw
s
wa
o
ot
ph
is
Th
.
ars
ye
many
.
ow
sh
taken at the 1983
Weekend at Wally’s
wa
can bonanza for co s a beer
llectors. Gerry
Miller is pictured
with
unknown collector another
.
Guzzle ’n Twirl
In November 1974, a so-called mini-convention of beer can
collectors that came to be known as Guzzle ’n Twirl, was first held
in St. Paul. This event has continued with great success every year
for four decades. Many wonder about the event’s whimsical name.
The “Guzzle” part tends to be obvious to anyone who attends.
The “Twirl” comes from the early years when there was dinner and
dancing after the big show. There is still an evening dinner, but
the dancing more or less “went out of style” as the years went by.
Nonetheless, it is still officially and affectionately known as
Guzzle ’n Twirl. Today, G’nT is the largest breweriana collectors
event in the Upper Midwest, and one of the largest in North America.
National Recognition
In 1982, the North Star Chapter hosted the national BCCA Canvention at the now
long-gone Leamington Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. This four-day event was a
huge success for both the local and national clubs, with a
total attendance of 1,282, including club members and
guests, coming from 37 states including Alaska, and from
Canada, Great Britain and Sweden.
At the 1982 Canvention, the Chapter released a book,
Beer Cans of Minnesota, featuring every known can to be
produced by Minnesota breweries at the time in black and
white photos, with a color cover featuring an array of
never-produced test cans from the Theodore Hamm
Brewing Company on the front, and the only Minnesotaproduced gallon can, Kegle Brau from Cold Spring
Brewing Company on the back.
For many years,
Guzzle ’n Twirl was
held at O’Reilley
Hall of St. Peter’s
Catholic Church in
North St. Paul,
Minnesota. Here
collectors are
seen bringing in
their merchandise.
g
le ’n Twirl was the evenin
The “Twirl” part of Guzz held in O’Reilley Hall.
was
dinner and dance that
989 show.
e1
th
This photo is from
In 1989, the Hamm’s
Bear was one of the nic
e
raffle prizes at the show
.
He also provided many
photo ops for collectors.
Jim Friesen shows his
affection for “Hammy”.
In 1989, Jerry Kalla was the kitchen coordinator
for Guzzle ’n Twirl. Who can forget the great deal for
a hot dog, chips, and soda or beer?