Although they serve the same purpose, these items are quite different from regular beer glasses and mugs. The traditional German beer steins are usually made of salt-glazed stoneware and have a pewter lid. They usually come with a lid that is hinged and has a thumb lift, which was initially designed to protect the beer from insects and dirt. The thumb lift also allowed the drinker to open the lid with one hand while holding the beer stein glass with the other.