Useful Beer Stein Definitions

Beaker - A beaker is the analogue of a water glass, having no lid and usually no handle. In shape it is taller than it is wide, and was intended for drinking some sort of alcoholic beverage.

Decanter - a bottle with a stopper; for serving wine or other beverage.

Eartheware-A non-vitrified (porous) ceramic, kiln-hardened at 850°C-1000°C, synonymous with "pottery". Requires glazing to become non-porous.

Embossed - raised or depressed surface resembling wood, cloth, leather, or other pattern.

Etched-This term properly applies to designs created by removing material, whether by grinding, engraving, acid, diamond point or other means, most often done on glass. The term is also commonly used to refer to steins where the design is formed in an outline appearing to be incised into the body.

Faience-A tin-glazed earthenware. Faience was a predecessor of porcelain in Europe, and the glaze provided a "porcelain-like" ground for decoration.

Flask or hip flask - A hip flask is a thin flask for holding a distilled beverage; its size and shape are suited to a trouser pocket.

Gambrinus - legendary Flemish king who was said to have invented beer.

Glaze- hard, impervious coating fired on to ceramic materials, it can be clear or colored, transparent or opaque, matte or glossy

Goblet- a drinking glass with a base & stem.

Handpainted - While it seems obvious, this term is frequently applied to transfer-decorated items, and it actually has several very distinct meanings. In its purest form we mean entirely hand-drawn and hand-decorated by the artist. These steins are custom designed, and while copies may have been made, each one is unique.

Mettlach - One of several factories of the Villeroy and Boch company, Mettlach had by far the greatest stein production, and their steins are generally considered to be of high quality and design. They are well-catalogued and highly sought after.

Mosaic-a type of stein on which colored glazes are painted into ridged sections that protrude from the stoneware or pottery.

Mug - A mug is a handled drinking vessel which does not have a lid. Many mugs, but not all, can be called unlidded steins, if they were supposed to have a lid.

Neuschwanstein-famous Bavarian castle.

Pewter-a very workable metallic alloy containing as much as 90% tin, with the remainder made up of lead, copper, zinc, nickel, bismuth, or antimony.

Pilsner - A pilsner glass is a glass used to serve many types of light beers.

Porcelain-A glassy white, vitrified ceramic with a degree of translucency, extreme hardness and a very fine surface, ideal in color and texture for decorating. Porcelain is fired at temperatures above 1350°C. Glazed items present a hard, shiny, glass-like surface. Unglazed items have a non-shiny finish known as bisque.

Relief-Decoration made in a seperate mold and applied to the body of the stein, giving the piece a raised effect.

Römer-he name Römer is generally applied to glass drinking vessels which have a large bowl and a hollow stem. The stem of the Römer is frequently formed in rings, or may be decorated with prunts. It has no handle nor lid.

Stein - generally accepted term is a drinking vessel which has a handle and a lid. The lid is frequently attached to the body and uses a hinge to open, but set-on lids are also allowed.

Stoneware - True vitrified ceramic, lacking the fine white color and translucency of porcelain, fired at 1100°C-1300°C. Hard and impermeable after firing. Made in the Rhine valley in Germany as early as the 15th century.

Tankard - Large size drinking vessel generally made of metal with handle and no lid.

Transfer - A technique invented by the English to decorate pottery which involved printing a decoration on tissue, then transferring the decoration to the biscuit (unglazed) ware. The tissue was removed and the oils holding the colored decoration burned off in a low temperature firing before the final glaze was added and the piece refired. Frequently called PUG (Print Under Glaze), transfer techniques are very similar to decals, and they were popular because of their consistency from piece to piece and their lower cost than hand decorating.

STEIN LID CLASSIFICATIONS

The original purpose of the stein lid, as well as the body itself, is far from glamorous. Since the very first steins were simple drinking vessels, the primary reason for the lid was functional — common-sense precaution to keep insects and other contaminants away from the aromatic liquid. In addition to this, early functions of lids were to help keep the liquid at a constant temperature as well as to prevent spillage. Lids, even in the early days, provided an attractive finishing touch.

Today, the “finishing touch” aspect is by far the most important reason for the lid. In many cases, the lid is the most important feature of the stein. Hundreds of different lids are currently available — however, the vast majority of them can be categorized into the following groups:

•CONICAL — This is the “cone”- or “steeple”-shaped llid. It is the most common and least expensive type of lid. Today, most conical lids are entirely made of pewter and machine made. However, they can also be made from a white base metal. The surface is then plated with a nickel or similar alloy to create a shiny finish, or a pewter or pewter-like alloy to create a dark antique finish.

•ORNAMENTAL — Ornamental lids are always pewter. They feature superior detail, require special hand work, and are presently the most popular lids for limited-edition steins. They generally have glorified conical shape, complete with a top finial. Recently the stein factories have been introducing very interesting ornamental pewter lids, many of which are included on this site.

•FLAT — Flat lids, also known as semi-flat lids, are normally made of pewter. Although not entirely flat, the top surface does lend itself well to engraving.

•INLAY/FIGURINE — A very attractive lid, virtually always consisting of a pewter rim, a pewter flange (or lip), and a stoneware figurine or ornamental inlaid in the center.

•FIGURINE — “Top of the line” lid in which a figurine, most often made of pewter, is mounted on an ornamental pewter lid.