Hundreds of empty vintage beer cans are now on display at Clarence Smit Museum.

And just in time for next week’s Brews & Bites.

While the April 28 event hosted by the Ripon Chamber of Commerce has long been sold out, the beer can display at the museum located at 430 E. Main St. is free to see for the public.

Curator Connie Jorgensen indicated Tuesday that it was a coincident that the new display happened at about the time as that of Brews & Bites – those who purchased tickets (400 were pre-sold) can stroll into the participating downtown places including the Clarence Smit Museum and sample craft brews, hard cider or hard seltzer along with hors d’oeuvres and other snacks from 6 to 9 p.m.

She along with Audrey Meyers and Shirley Jorgensen helped in organizing the beer cans display.

“The director at the museum knew someone who had a collection,” Connie Jorgensen said of the museum loaners.

Many of the cans are decades old while others represent beers from around the world.

Some beer cans bring memories of a certain time period.

Take Billy Beer.

Introduced in 1977 by the Falls City Brewing Company on behalf of President Jimmy Carter’s brother Billy Carter, a can of Billy Beer is part of the local display while still being worth about 25 cents.

The value of these vintage beer cans is often impacted by rarity, desirability and quality.

Apache Export (cone top can), Tally-Ho Ale (cone top can) and Gunther’s Beer (flat top can) are considered among the Holy Grail items for collectors, fetching anywhere from $7,000 or higher.

The museum provides a copy of “The Official Price Guide of Beer Cans & Collectible” at the display.

Some of the beer cans here came about from a garage sale.

Connie Jorgensen and Shirly Jorgensen have enjoyed the interesting stories printed on the cans.

Olde Frothingslosh from 1969 features Fatima Yechburgh, who was Miss Olde Frothingslosh from the defunct Pittsburgh brewery.

A can of Hudepohl Pure Grain from Cincinnati honored the hometown Major League Baseball Reds and their three World Series championships including the Big Red Machine’s 1975 title over the Boston Red Sox in seven games – this was pre-1990 (Cincinnati swept the Oakland A’s that year, 4-0).

Speaking of championships, a can of Leonard Lager from New Zealand recognized the 1978 World Rowing Champions.

One of the known older beer cans on display is the 1936 Pacific Lager in the cone top can.

To learn more about the display or additional information, call the Clarence Smit Museum at 209.985.3186.