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Earthenware beer steins

Beer stein ( /ˈstaɪn/ US dict: stīn), or simply stein, is an English neologism for either traditional beer mugs made out of stoneware, or specifically ornamental beer mugs that are usually sold as souvenirs or collectibles. Such Steins may be made out of stoneware (rarely the inferior earthenware), pewter, porcelain, or even silver, wood or crystal glass; they may have open tops or hinged pewter lids with a thumb-lever. Steins usually come in sizes of a half litre or a full litre (or comparable historic sizes). Like decorative tankards, they are often decorated in a nostalgic manner, but with allusions to Germany or Bavaria. It is believed by some that the lid was implemented during the age of the Black Plague, to prevent diseased fleas from getting into the beer.^[1]

Etymology[link]

Common half-litre Humpen or beer mug.

Stein is an abbreviation of German Steingut "stoneware",^[2] the common material for beer mugs before the introduction of glass. The word is not used within Germany.

The word stein could have also originated from the German word Steinzeugkrug, meaning stoneware jug or tankard. By common usage, stein is referred to being a beer container with a handle and hinged lid.^[3]

Bierstein in German means beerstone – i. e. beer scale – a hard residue of calcium oxalate, protein, and sugar formed when a brewing vessel is used repeatedly without exacting cleaning.

History[link]

The stein originated around the 14th century. The spread of the bubonic plague throughout Europe forced Germany to take some precautions in preventing a catastrophe. A new German law was written, stating that all beverage containers needed a lid.^[3]

During the next 300 or so years, Germany enforced many regulations on how their beer was to be produced and transported, while other European countries didn't take such precautions. Thus German beer quickly became popular across Europe and demand for the beer increased as well. This demand made it a necessary search for inexpensive, yet durable material to transport large amounts of beer to different areas. Although many materials proved to be a sufficient material to use in creating beer steins, the most common materials used were glass, stoneware, and porcelain.^[3]

In the latter half of the 19th century, stein makers found different advantages within the different materials. The advantage in using stoneware to make steins was that molds could be used to mass produce elaborately carved steins. In using glass, not only could one produce multiple glass mugs, but an artistic touch could add to the glass by including acid etchings, glass staining, or even multicolored overlays. Porcelain's advantage was that a stein fabricator could use molds to make "character steins", steins that had a particular shape modeled after an item or a person. ^[3]

Throughout the 1900s, collecting antique and replicated beer steins became very popular hobby not only among individual people, but in museums as well. Production of beer steins has become substantially large in America, but the largest producer of beer steins is Ceramarte of Brazil. ^[3]

The most traditional area of beer stein production is the Westerwald region in Germany called "Kannenbaeckerland". This unique German potters region has been creating beer steins for centuries and is famous among the collectors as the original German beer stein producer. http://www.stein-man.de/shop_content.php?coID=200&XTCsid=ad9b5585022d8124f93f3a04a589bdc3

Material[link]

Beer steins were made primarily with pewter in many areas across Europe (primarily in England), but many steins were known to be made of glass, porcelain, and silver as well.^{[4] [5]} Steins has also been known to have been forged out of wood, earthenware, and crystal.^{[4] [3]}

Ordinary German beer mugs have been made out of glass for hygienic reasons since the introduction of glass mugs to the 1892 Oktoberfest. Modern beer mugs, except again decorative or luxury versions, don't have a lid.

Beer mugs (0.5 and 1 litre) are typical for beer gardens and especially the Oktoberfest, where they are popular for their robustness. In other settings, 0.33 and 0.5 litre beer glasses are also popular.

Other forms and synonyms[link]

In German-speaking regions beer mugs may be known as:

• Bierkrug ("beer mug")
• Maßkrug or Maß (for a one-litre beer mug)
• Humpen
• Adlerhumpen, a tall drinking glass sometimes with covers enamelled with the double eagle of the Holy Roman Empire
• Seidel or Seidla (Franconia, ½ litre). The term "Seidel" is also used by the Deitsch in the Deitscherei.
• Schoppen (Palatinate, ½ litre)
• Keferloher, the traditional (but non-embellished) stoneware beer mug, named after the village of Keferloh near Munich where they were originally produced

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.^{[citation needed]}

The lid[link]

Unusually large German beer stein (31.99 litre capacity, 15.88kilos empty).

Although they have long gone out of fashion, the lids on beer mugs serve as a sanitary measure especially to keep insects out of the beer. 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 (if one can hold the weight, that is).

These days beer mats are usually used to cover the glass or mug when required.

See also[link]

• Maß
• Oktoberfest

Pictures[link]

• 

  German Maßkrug of Augustiner Bräu.

• 

  Beer mugs and stein.

• Oktoberfest-beer-mugs.jpg

  Oktoberfest Beer Mug

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Beer steins

• How Beer Steins are produced, a BeerSteinsInternational factory tour on how German Beer Steins are produced
• A Brief History of Beer Steins, an article from a collector's website, taken from The Beer Stein Book: a 400 Year History (ISBN 1-889591-00-9)
• Stein Marks provides a database to determine the provenance of any stein.
• Art Nouveau influence in Beer Stein production, Typical examples of Westerwald "Art Nouveau" beer steins.
• The all time famous "Trompeter von Säckingen" Beer Steins, Popular stein examples taken from the poem written in 1885 by J. Viktor von Scheffel.

Mark Neumann
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 1st district
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Peter Barca
Succeeded by	Paul Ryan
Personal details
Born	Mark W. Neumann (1954-02-27) February 27, 1954 (age 58) East Troy, Wisconsin
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Sue Neumann
Children	Tricia Neumann Andrew Neumann Matthew Neumann
Residence	Nashotah, Wisconsin
Alma mater	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Occupation	Home builder
Religion	Lutheran

Mark W. Neumann (born February 27, 1954) is a businessman and politician. He represented Wisconsin's 1st congressional district from 1995 to 1999. In 2010, Neumann lost a bid to become the Republican nominee for Governor of Wisconsin. Neumann is currently a candidate for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin to succeed Herb Kohl who is retiring.^[1]

Early life, education, and early career[link]

Neumann was born in East Troy, Wisconsin, the son of Stella and Kurt, and one of five children. His father was an electrical engineer for General Motors and his mother was an executive assistant. Neumann graduated from East Troy High School in 1972. After High School, Neumann briefly attended General Motors Institute (now Kettering University)^[2]

In 1973, Neumann married Sue Link, his high school sweetheart, whom he met in Sunday school in the 4th grade. That same year, Neumann enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he graduated with honors in 1975, earning a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. After graduating from Whitewater, Neumann moved to River Falls, Wisconsin, where he taught mathematics at River Falls High School while attending the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, earning a Masters of Science in Supervision and Instructional Leadership. Neumann also did additional post-graduate work at the University of Wisconsin.^[3]

After college, Neumann relocated to Milton, WI where he began his career teaching Mathematics at Milton High School and Milton College, before the campus closed in 1982.^[4][5] In 1986, Neumann started his first company in his basement, building homes in the Milton and Janesville, WI.^[5] By 1991, Neumann's company was listed as one of the fastest growing companies in America by the magazine Inc..^[5]

U.S. House of Representatives[link]

Elections[link]

1992

Neumann decided to run for the House of Representatives as a Republican in 1992. He faced Congressman Les Aspin and lost 58% to 41%, while spending $700,000.

1993 special election

Shortly after defeating Neumann, Aspin was appointed U.S. Secretary of Defense by President Bill Clinton in 1993.^[7] Just months after being defeated by over 17%, Neumann entered the special election to fill the seat vacated by Aspin.

Neumann lost narrowly to his opponent, Peter Barca by only 675 votes; 49.3% to Barca's 49.9%.^[8]

1994

After losing in both 1992 and 1993, Neumann once again entered the race for Wisconsin’s First Congressional District. After losing to Peter Barca by 675 votes in the previous year, Neumann defeated Barca by 1,120 votes, becoming the first Republican to hold that seat since 1971. Neumann's victory was one of 54 Republican pick-up seats during the Republican Revolution.

1996

Neumann won re-election by 4,260 votes in a close 1996 race against Lydia Spottswood.

Tenure[link]

Neumann was sworn into the 104th United States Congress on January 3, 1995, when the Republican Party gained control of both houses for the first time since the 1950s. Neumann was assigned to the Appropriations committee, being the only freshman appointed to the committee that year. While on the committee, Neumann wrote his own version of the budget, which would produce a balanced budget by 1999. Neumann voted present in the election for Speaker of the House in 1997, instead of voting for Newt Gingrich.

In September 1995, Neumann failed in his efforts on an amendment requiring congressional approval of troop deployment to Bosnia. Then, on September 29, he voted to defeat the $243 billion military appropriation, along with other freshman Members, because it didn't contain his own amendment.^[12] As punishment for his vote, Bob Livingston removed him from the committee.^[12] This was brief, and Neumann was eventually reassigned to the committee.^[13] Neumann has been critical of LGBT rights in the past. In 1996, he commented to the New York Times that "if I was elected God for a day, homosexuality wouldn't be permitted, but nobody's electing me God."^[14][15]

Committee assignments[link]

Congressman Neumann served on the following committees and subcommittees:^[16]

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Veterans Administration
  • Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
• Committee on the Budget

1998 U.S. Senate election[link]

In September 1997, Neumann announced his candidacy for the United States Senate against Russell Feingold. Both candidates had similar views on the budget surplus, although Neumann was for banning partial-birth abortion while Feingold was against a ban. Both candidates limited themselves to $3.8 million in campaign spending ($1 for every citizen of Wisconsin), although outside groups spent more than $2 million on Neumann; Feingold refused to have outside groups spend their own 'soft money' on his behalf.^[17][18] Feingold defeated Neumann by a slim 2% margin in the election. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Neumann had a 30,000 vote margin outside Milwaukee County, but was overwhelmed by a 68,000 vote margin in Milwaukee County.^[19]

Post-congressional career[link]

Neumann stayed out of the 2004 Senate campaign, instead supporting former Lt. Governor Margaret Farrow, who did not run.

Despite speculation that Neumann might run against Senator Herb Kohl or Governor Jim Doyle, he did not choose to seek elective office during the 2006 election cycle. He had considered a run for Governor, but did not enter the race in deference to Scott Walker, who withdrew in favor of former Congressman Mark Green.

2010 gubernatorial election[link]

Neumann told the Wisconsin State Journal on April 23, 2009 that he intended to run for governor in 2010,^[20] and on July 1, 2009, Neumann officially declared his candidacy.^[21] In 2010 Neumann stated his opposition to same-sex marriage, and claimed that he wanted to focus on jobs and economic development.^[22] Neumann was defeated 59% to 39% in the September 14, 2010 primary by opponent Scott Walker. Walker was ultimately elected Governor in the general election.

2012 U.S. Senate election[link]

Neumann has announced his candidacy for the Senate seat of retiring senator Herb Kohl.^[23] On October 6, 2011, it was announced that he had raised $300,000 during the first month of the campaign.^[24]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mark Neumann for U.S. Senate Official Campaign Site
• Biography, interest group ratings, public statements, vetoes and campaign finances at Project Vote Smart
• Campaign contributions at FollowTheMoney.org
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Collected news and commentary at The New York Times