Unformatted Attachment Preview
Name: Nate Brown
Class: Com ST 11: Fall 2018
General Purpose: ToiInfom
Specific Purpose: To inform the class about the beer stein as an artifact of German culture.
Cultural Artifact Speech – Beer Stein
I.
Introduction
A. Attention Getter
1. Drinking song lyrics:
a. If you have ever been to a German restaurant or drinking hall, or
have ever attended an Oktoberfest party, then you may have head
these words sung over and over:
b. “Ein prosit, ein prosit. Der Gemütlichkeit”
c. Translated into English, it roughly means “I salute to our good
friendship and cozy times we are having together.”
B. Topic Explanation
1. I would like to inform you about the German cultural artifact of the beer
stein. (hold up stein as visual aid)
C. Audience Analysis
1. As college students, you may have seen steins being used in restaurants, or
in movies. Or maybe you visited Germany or know some international
German/Austrian/Swiss students.
D. Ethos Statement
1. Although my family does have some German heritage, I really only
connect to the culture and to the stein because of my German friends who
have a beautiful collection, and who invite me to their Oktoberfest each
year. (show picture of me at the Oktoberfest on the screen)
E. Preview of Main Points
1. I would like to inform you about the German Beer culture, about the beer
steins themselves, and about my own experiences in Germany.
II.
Body
A. German Culture
1. German Beer History
a. Germany has a rich history surrounding the brewing and drinking
of beer, beginning with the initial distribution of beer throughout
Europe by Germanic and Celtic tribes as early as the 1st century
AD, according to the Pennsylvania Geographer magazine in 2015.
(Pennsylvania Geographer, 2015)
b. Although variations of beer (fermented grains) have existed for
thousands of years, the modern definition of beer was developed in
Germany, passed into law in 1516 by William IV, Duke of
Bavaria, as part of a purity law that defined beer as being made
only from water, hops, and barley-malt.
2. German Beer Today
a. The Lager style, a cool fermenting beer known for its clarity, was
invented and refined in Germany, giving rise to the manufacturers
of so-called American Lager such as Anheuser-Busch the makers
of Budweiser, Coors, and Miller.
b. Other well known types of German beer include the Pilsner,
various types of weisbier (white beer-wheat beer), dopples, tripel,
and mai bocks, and dunkelweis just to name a few.
c. Hundreds of German breweries continue to make and export beer
all over the world, including Beck’s, Spaten, and St. Pauli. As of
2006, according to the European Beer Guide, Germany alone was
responsible for exporting over 390 million gallons.
3. Beer Culture
a. The places that sold beer, breweries, public houses, and
biergartens, were places where people could congregate, exchange
news and ideas, tells stories, sing, and interact with others in their
community for fun and profit.
b. Outdoor festivals celebrating food and music were popular venues
for beer, best exemplified by the German Oktoberfest, where food
and music take a back seat to beer.
c. Modern celebrations see people dressing in traditional German
clothing, polka bands, games and music and food. And, of course,
lots of beer. (show image of Oktoberfest)
B. Beer Stein
1. Materials
a. According to the Beer Stein Wikipedia page, last edited August
2018, beer steins were primarily made of pewter (show visual aid)
but have also been made out of glass, porcelain, and silver.
b. Steins were thick and heavy so that they might last longer.
c. Some steins have had lids to keep insects out.
d. Recently, attempts have been made to serve beer in plastic steins in
Germany to reduce the risk of injury when heavy beer steins are
used in drunken fights, but such efforts have been unsuccessful and
have ended in protests and burnings, according to the website The
Local.de (The Local German, 2010)
2. Art
a. The high cost of stoneware steins, especially those with lids, made
artistic adornment desirable.
b. All Renaissance artistic themes, from shields, battles, horses, and
even Biblical scenes were used to decorate steins.
C. Personal Connection
1. My visit to Germany
a. After high school in 1988, I spent weeks in Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, and neighboring countries, where I could use some of
the German I learned in high school.
b. I visited the famous, although mostly touristic, Hofbrau Haus in
Munich, and drank too much.
2. My German friends
a. My best friend’s family are first generation Germans, speaking
German in the home, and hosting a backyard Oktoberfest every
year, only one of which I have missed in 26 years.
3. My Stein
a. And my friend brought this stein back from Germany for me about
15 years ago.
b. It has the words Triberg, Schwarzwald, which is a town in the
Black Forest. It has the a building titled Rathaus, which means
town hall. And it has a building with the title Wallfahrtskirche,
which means sanctuary
III.
Conclusion
A. Review Main Points
1. In this speech I have very briefly informed you about the German culture,
the beer stein as an artifact of that culture, and of what my own history is
with Germany and this stein.
B. Suggestions for more information
1. If you would like to know more, I recommend you find an authentic
German Oktoberfest to attend each October. There are several in the Los
Angeles area, including a large one at the Alpine Village in Torrance.
C. Clincher
1. And so I solute to our friendship and the good times we may have together
(hold up stein). Ein prosit. Der Gemütlichkeit”
References
The Bavarian beer purity law is adopted. (2017). History Today, 67(4), 9.
Beer mug brawling spikes at 200th anniversary Oktoberfest. (2010, September 24). Retrieved
September 10, 2018, from https://www.thelocal.de/20100924/30047
Feeney, A. E. (2015). The History of Beer in Pennsylvania and the Current Growth of Craft
Breweries. Pennsylvania Geographer, 53(1), 25-43.
Pariona, A. (2018, June 12). German Speaking Countries. Retrieved September 10, 2018, from
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/territories-and-countries-where-german-is-an-officiallanguage.html