ABOUT BREWERY GEMS
ABOUT BREWERY GEMS
In 2001, after selling our Bed & Breakfast Inn on Lummi Island, I found I had time to pursue my interest in
the history of pre-Prohibition breweries of the West. I started with our own
Bellingham Bay Brewery, and was pleased to have
the history
published as the feature article in the May-Jun 2005 issue of
ABA's American Breweriana Journal. Then for the
Sept-Oct '07 issue, my research on the
Salem Brewery Ass'n. was
published, and for their Mar-Apr '10 issue, the
Aberdeen Brewing Co. was chosen as the feature
article. Since then I've had a number of my articles appear in other
publications. In 2010, I was honored to receive American Breweriana Association's Excellence in
Literature award for "Outstanding achievement in supporting the objectives
of ABA and the Beweriana community." I currently have other
Brewery Histories in progress, and many that are
completed, which I up-date when I find new material or images.
Additionally, I am contemplating a book on the History of Rainier Beer. My interest in Breweriana grew from bottle collecting. I chose
to collect only Beers - seeking those of varying colors, sizes, shapes, and
unusual embossing. I felt that a beer bottle collection needn't be boring. The
bottles on display in my window containes either weiss beer, Lager, Ale, Porter,
or Brown stout. From beer bottles it was hard not to add stoneware
beer bottles, beer steins, trays and other attractive display items to
my collection. Beer steins from pre-prohibition, western U.S.
breweries, has become a real passion, and my
article on this subject has
also been published. I enjoy collecting and sharing my knowledge with
others. I often receive inquires as to the age or value of items, and
while I'm not a professional appraiser I can often establish an age
and approximate value of a piece. I'm also interested in upgrading my own collection of
distinctive embossed beer bottles, as well as adding to my Northwest
breweriana archives. Check my Breweriana
Wanted page.
If you are looking for specific items, I'll put you on a list to
be notified if and when I find anything.
I often buy collections, so if you have any items for sale - please
Contact me.
NABA - National Association of Brewery
Advertising - Member since May 1984 ABA - American Breweriana
Association - Member no. 0896
I served thirty years with the
U.S. Navy's Submarine Force and have a website profiling the units I
served with, plus the site has some submarine memorabilia for sale.
I'm
Gary Flynn of Bellingham, WA - a breweriana collector and brewery
historian.
I designed and launched my Brewery Gems web-site in June of 1999
as a means to downsize my collection of 35 years. I wanted an
alternative to selling on eBay, and hoped for a more personal and direct
means to interact with collectors.
I am a member in
good standing with the following collector organizations:
click on the submarine - www.aboutsubs.com