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HOME > MATERIAL DEFINITIONS

STEIN MATERIAL DEFINITIONS

A wide variety of materials have been used to produce authentic German steins. Below we have listed and briefly described the most prominent ones.

PEWTER — A pliable compound consisting of tin, copper, and antimony. European pewter has a minimum tin content of 92%. Copper and antimony are added to harden the metal. The higher the tin content, the more silver the final color. A common misconception is that all pewter products contain lead. Although used in the past, lead is virtually never used to create pewter steins. Primarily, steins are component cast — that is, the lids, bodies, handles and special ornamentation are separately made. Pewter is also occasionally rolled or hammered. The final color is a result of the tin content, polishing and chemical antiquing.

CRYSTAL — A clear, high-quality glass. Please don’t confuse this with lead crystal, which is a material consisting of 24% or more lead monoxide. The body is hand-cut, hand engraved and/or patterned by the mold. They are case hardened, usually are mouth-blown and often feature transparent coloring on the exterior or the interior of the body.

GLASS — The least expensive of all popular materials. Unlike the procedure for making stoneware, pewter, and crystal steins, glass bodies and handles are formed in one mold. Also, the lids are often attached by machine. The bodies are usually transfer-decorated and the only hand work involved usually is the application of a decoration.

CERAMIC MATERIALS — Ceramic steins fall into one of 5 categories according to the quality of the ceramic mass, the raw materials, the firing temperature, the color, and density of the mass:

• EARTHENWARE (German-Irdenware, Topferware) — A colored mass that is porous (absorbs liquid) until it is glazed. It is fired at a temperature around 1,000 degrees Centigrade.
• CERAMICS (German-Keramik) — Slightly porous, light-colored ware, usually fired about 1,050 degrees to 1,080 degrees Centigrade. It must be glazed to make it impermeable.
• CREAMWARE (German-Steingut/Feinsteingut) — White earthenware with a lead glaze. Contains Kaolin (a fine white clay). It is fired twice, once at 1,150 degrees to 1,180 degrees Centigrade without a glaze, then decorated, glazed and fired again around 900 degrees to 1,000 degrees Centigrade.
• STONEWARE (German-Steinzeug) — Hard material, fired in high temperature kilns generally around 1,200 degrees to 1,400 degrees Centigrade. At this temperature, stoneware vitrifies (becomes glass-like). The resulting product is less than 2% porous; therefore, glaze is not mandatory for a stoneware stein. when glaze is used, it must be of a special quality to withstand the high kiln temperature.
• PORCELAIN (German-Porzellan) — True porcelain, known as hard paste, is made of Kaolin (white clay) and Pentuntse (pulverized granite). When fired at a temperature of 1,300 degrees to 1,400 degrees Centigrade, these ingredients produce a white, more or less translucent, glass-like material.

Article courtesy of M. Cornell Steins

Additional stein information:
A Brief History of Steins
Stein Lid Classifications
Tour a Stein Factory