Beer Stein with salt-glaze Decór, heavy pewter lid, produced around 1970
Salt-glazed steins are fired at at approximately 1,200 degrees Celsius or 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit Adding salt at peak temperature creates a hard glaze (which is actually a type of glass) that bonds to the pitcher body. Add 2.5 kilos (approximately 5 pounds) of salt per cubic meter of oven space. The salt turns a dark blue and settles in the recessed areas of the jug. To prevent salt from settling inside the jug, the jugs are fired upside down. Stoneware is no longer porous after firing, so the salt glaze was added for aesthetic rather than practical reasons. This stein was hand-crafted around 1970 in Höhr-Grenzhausen, Germany. Content: Approx. 1.5 Ltr. Height: Approx.: 11 1/5"