German beer steins are often forgotten about when thinking of what to give someone; however, they make ideal gifts. These fascinating ornamental beer jugs have now become popular all over the world, and now come in several different varieties. The beer stein was invented in Germany, and is still to this day a traditional drinking mug for their beer. The term stein is an abbreviation of the German word Steingut meaning, "stoneware". This was the material of choice when the beer mug was first introduced.
The unique design of the stein allowed a tiny hinge to be pressed to lift the lid covering the beer. Allowing the drinker to lift the lid with one hand to drink, and then to close the lid to protect the beer when not drinking. This was for hygiene reasons due to the large number of flies that were present in Germany at the time. The beer drinkers did not want to find floating flies in their beer, so came up with the design of the German beer steins.
Although the problem of the flies soon became less, the lid enabled the German drinkers to dance and move freely without spilling their beer. The stein was originally made from stoneware, however, there have been several other materials used as well. Wood, pewter, glass and silver have all been used to make German beer steins. Ceramic steins were very expensive and only the upper classes would own these. As the materials changed over the years, the design and look of the stein changed dramatically.
Many ornamental and elaborate designs of german beer steins were being hand crafted. The most popular design was of drinking scenes and partying. The stein rapidly became an art piece, and very soon people began to collect them and appreciate their value. Although the stein is not used that often in Germany anymore, they are sold in huge numbers to the tourists. Although the design of the tourist bought ones are all very similar, the real collectable ones are outstanding.
A genuine collector of German beer steins will insist that it has been made in Germany to the traditional methods. Although there are many new modern designs and styles of the stein, collectors are always on the lookout for the very old ones. These can often be found in antique shops or on auction sites. The German beer steins are also great gift to give someone, especially if they enjoy their beer. Although the stein is often now seen as a novelty gift, they do still have a fantastic use and purpose.
You can have the stein designed especially for the recipient and personalized just for them. Although the German beer stein might not be totally authentic it will still have great value to the person receiving it. They can enjoy their beer, maybe with some dancing, and know that no flies will be dying in there on this occasion. Whether you want to collect the steins because of their value, or enjoy them for the use they were intended for. There are very few households that will not have German beer steins somewhere.