Steins, Mugs, and Champaign Glasses

Wow! What an honor. As I told the Blessed Swede by way of reply upon receiving the invitation to join this august group, “Beer is my second native language.”

Texas Monthly has an awesome ad this month that puts beer in the proper perspective. Here it is for those of you who don’t subscribe to the magazine.

Now, as fine as that might make beer look, that is no way to serve beer. It’ll lose its chill too quickly. Let’s face it. Beer isn’t for the dainty-hearted sippin’ folks. Its hop-hearty delicacy needs to be savored in mouthfuls, and coldly. For that you need a good cold mug.




This is a stein.

A stein is for the shelf.


















This is a mug.

A mug is for your beer.

The distinction is not always kept clear. Steins aren’t designed to keep beer cold. Mugs are. The difference is in the material used to construct each, and will be easily recognized if you ever get a chance to be in Germany. I learned all this “old school style” from having lived there as an Army brat.

These are steins and mugs from my own collection. Next time I’ll pass along pictures of the steins I picked up for a friend.

By the way, if ever you have a chance, don’t pass up a Bitburger in a mug.