Beer stein

[7] The word Stein alone is not used any more to refer to a beverage container in standard German; rather, Krug, Humpen or, especially in Bavaria and Austria, Seidel are used.

It is believed by some that the hinged lid was implemented during the age of the Black Plague to prevent diseased flies from getting into the beer.

[8] The most traditional area of beer stein production is the Kannenbäckerland in the Westerwald region in Germany.

[8] They are usually made out of pewter, and are usually equipped with a lever that is in reach of the thumb, so that it is possible to grab the mug and open and close the lid with a single hand.

In German-speaking regions beer mugs may be known as: Considered collectible are traditional designs such as brewery emblems, Bavarian motifs such as Neuschwanstein or the Marienplatz Rathaus-Glockenspiel of Munich, and the colorful official annual Oktoberfest souvenir mug featuring the year's winning poster design.

The use of beer mugs is uncommon in most parts of Northern and Central Germany, and in these regions considered a Bavarian specialty.