It was a nice early morning on May 21, 2011. Beer merchandise collectors from all over the world were gathering in a beautiful and full of entertainments recreation center called „Belmontas“ . That day there was a traditional annual prestigious IV or VI international collectors market which is popular among a lot of collectors and has deep traditions. It was set up in one of the center rooms called "Malūnas“. It was organized by a well known in Lithuania and in some other countries beer merchandise collectors club "Prie bokalo". Dressed in unimaginable color T-shirt, tightened and always smiling club members welcomed the arriving collectors and sent them to the registration table where they had to pay a symbolic charge of 35 Lithuanian money. Other club’s „Prie bokalo“ members were already waiting by the table with even wider smiles. After the registration everyone received gifts.  The presents were so amazing that you could have thought it‘s Christmas. In the gift bags everyone found snow white T-shirts, a non-traditional special market‘s beer mugs, a whole range of „Aukštaitijos bravorai“ labels and something else.

Everyone was surprised by a received coupon for a free beer. Giving things away for free is very rare phenomenon in Lithuania probably that’s why organizers didn’t mention that coupon was only given for those who paid the registration charge.  By the way, there was another surprise in the bottom of the gift bag. It was a plastic liter capacity bottle of "Raudonieji dobilai" or "Laukinės avietės" beer.  People were saying that they were very surprised by such insight and cleverness of the organizers because not everyone could think of idea that such bottle is very practical for those who wanted to bring it home (we are talking about foreigners, not Lithuanians). For those who were afraid to break their presents such bottle became priceless. The market was set up in the second floor of „Malūnas“ so collectors brought their collectibles and decided to drink the beer they received as a present. Club‘s "Prie bokalo" president, thinking that he would fix his problems with articulation by getting on a platform and speaking through a thing similar to microphone, announced the start of the market. Unseen exchanges have begun. One collector was fascinated and he didn‘t expect anything like that. He brought a dozen of beer caps and he successfully exchanged it for 3 beer mugs. Those 3 beer mugs he exchanged for a pack of Lithuanian beer labels. Later he exchanged that pack with other collector who decided to do some kind of a picture from those labels. And for the labels he got 2 old beer bottles. Those bottles he successfully sold for Latvian who is opening a restaurant and he will use them as a decoration. When he saw that Latvian doesn‘t count money he asked for 50 lvl for a bottle. Latvian paid and the storyteller was asking where they exchange money there. Organizers have thought of a lot of challenges associated with beer. For example, participants had to drink half liter of beer from a beer mug with a spoon. Everyone had so much fun that they had a belly laugh while collectors were having trouble with their spoons. Later they had to put bottles from one box to another. There were a lot of shouts of excitement and everyone was amazed when they saw how quick the collectors were. Further away there were some unofficial challenges. The ones who are worth to mention would be "Will you take?", "Look what I got", "Will you taste my beer?" and others. There was a blic auction also. It was called blic because it was very fast. They announced the item but there were no bidders so the auction was over. After all the entertainments, happy and rewarded with gifts collectors started to go home. After the market the stories on the Internet about the event didn‘t end for about a month. People praised the organizers and the amazing place for the event. We are all impatiently waiting for the V or VII international beer merchandise collectors market which will be organized by the remarkable club’s "Prie bokalo" members. From the club "Humulus lupulus" we wish you that next year the attraction "Gintaras, where are you?" would happen and we would all have an opportunity to see the mystical legendary club‘s "Prie bokalo" member.