Maß
Encyclopedia
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
sold for immediate on-site consumption. In modern times, a is defined as exactly 1 litre.
is often used as an abbreviation for (plural: ), a one litre volume glass drinking vessel with a handle. This is frequently used in Bavarian beer garden
Beer garden
Beer garden is an open-air area where beer, other drinks and local food are served. The concept originates from and is most common in Southern Germany...
s and beer halls and is a staple of Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
. It is often referred to as a beer stein
Beer stein
Beer stein , 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...
or beer mug
Mug
A mug is a sturdily built type of cup often used for drinking hot beverages, such as coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Mugs, by definition, have handles and often hold a larger amount of fluid than other types of cup. Usually a mug holds approximately 12 fluid ounces of liquid; double a tea cup...
by English speakers.
Measurement
In the Southern German areas (Austro-BavarianAustro-Bavarian
Bavarian , also Austro-Bavarian, is a major group of Upper German varieties spoken in the south east of the German language area.-History and origin:...
), the originally measured 1.069 litres, equivalent to 2.259 US or 1.881 UK pint
Pint
The pint is a unit of volume or capacity that was once used across much of Europe with values varying from state to state from less than half a litre to over one litre. Within continental Europe, the pint was replaced with the metric system during the nineteenth century...
s. Other German speaking areas had different measures. In Baden until 1871, and Switzerland from 1838 through 1877 the was 1.5 litres.
Since beer for immediate consumption is usually sold in smaller amounts, between 0.2 and 0.5 litres, in the more northerly parts of Germany, the Maß has mostly fallen out of use there, except for Bavarian-themed events.
Drinkware and souvenirs
Some beer gardens and restaurants have spaces they rent out to patrons where they can store their . For a small monthly rent the establishment will wash your mug and keep it safe for you until you return. Sometimes the rent goes up with the prominence of the storage location.
are frequently decorated with a print of the sign of the brewery. On the upper end, a calibration mark is found to which the beer (not counting the foam) must be filled when served (but Bavarian hospitality dictates that the mark should be somewhat exceeded). Using without a calibration mark, or with a mark that is below the true 1 litre position, is prosecuted as fraud.
If a belongs to a person then often a lid made of tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
is attached. These lids bear engravings, usually the initials of the person it belongs to and some engraving that gives a hint to the owners profession, wit or affections.
Usage of the term
Frequently the singular is used in situations where the plural might be expected. "" will yield two, "" will yield ten.To order you could say "" for instance if you wanted the beer Augustiner (and note, while "" is male, a Maß of beer is referred to as female—""). Whoever orders a Maß of beer as "" instead of "" would out himself as non-Bavarian. A Bavarian would order "".
However in Austria is referred to as neuter making "" the correct version. Ordering "" would out someone as non-Austrian.
Masskrugstemmen
Masskrugstemmen is a strength competition that is gaining in notoriety during Oktoberfest season. It is holding a full Masskrug of beer at arms length until there is a winner. There are a few rules: 1) Do not spill the bier! 2) The arm must be straight, no bent elbows. 3) Your arm must be parallel to the ground and in front of your chest.VideoThe world record was set in Germany and contests are growing in popularity in the U.S.
See also
- Beer steinBeer steinBeer stein , 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...
- MugMugA mug is a sturdily built type of cup often used for drinking hot beverages, such as coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Mugs, by definition, have handles and often hold a larger amount of fluid than other types of cup. Usually a mug holds approximately 12 fluid ounces of liquid; double a tea cup...
- OktoberfestOktoberfestOktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
- TankardTankardA tankard is a form of drinkware consisting of a large, roughly cylindrical, drinking cup with a single handle. Tankards are usually made of silver, pewter, or glass, but can be made of other materials, for example wood, ceramic or leather. A tankard may have a hinged lid, and tankards featuring...