Have you ever heard the term stein hoist and wondered what it meant?

A stein hoisting competition is a traditional Bavarian strength contest to see who can hold up a one-liter stein (think big glass mug) for the longest amount of time.

The rules are you hold the stein straight out in front of your body, arm parallel to the ground, and you can’t brace yourself with, say, a hand on your hip. That would be cheating!

This year, Sam Adams is hosting more than a dozen stein hoists locally, with the top Male and Female times winning a limited edition ceramic mug at each event. All winning times will be kept by Sam Adams, and the top times from across all the events will win exclusive Sam Adams swag at the end of the season! If you’d like to test your might, and have some fun (and beer) while doing it, check out the schedule of events below. Check back for updates over the next month and keep an eye on our social media too for the latest info. (Click here to follow us on Instagram or click here to follow us on Facebook.)

Check out this year’s schedule below:

Friday, Sept. 6, 6pm: Kris’ Mid City Tavern

Saturday, Sept. 7, 1pm: Swifty’s Delmar

Saturday, Sept. 14, 4pm: Ryan’s Wake

Monday, Sept. 16, 7pm: Spare Time Clifton Park

Friday, Sept. 20, 6pm: Apex Entertainment

Friday, Sept. 20, 6pm: Hooters

Thursday, Sept. 26, 6pm: Saratoga Casino

Saturday, Sept. 28, 2pm: Korner Bar & Grill

Sunday, Sept. 29, TBD: Hunter Mountain

Thursday, Oct. 3, 5pm: Trickshots / Wicked Eatery

Thursday, Oct. 3, 6pm: The Bunker Mohawk Harbor

Saturday, Oct. 5, 4pm: The Wild Horse

Saturday, Oct. 12, 12pm: Klam’r

Saturday, Oct. 12, 4pm: Lionheart on the Green

Monday, Oct. 14, 7pm, Recovery Room Amsterdam

Thursday, Oct. 17, 5pm: The Northern Barrel

Friday, Oct. 18, 6pm, Bootleggers on Broadway

Saturday, Oct. 19, 4pm: The Mill

And even if you don’t want to compete, come say hi and have a beer!

Want to learn more about stein hoists? Keep reading to learn some interesting stein hoist facts.

How much does a stein weigh?

A full stein should weigh about 5 lbs.

What is a good stein hoisting time?

According to ussteinholding.com, an average men’s competition will last between 3-5 minutes and ladies will last about 1-3 minutes.

What is the record for stein hoisting?

The U.S. Men’s National Record for stein hoisting is 21 minutes and 17 seconds. The U.S. Women’s National Record is 5 minutes and 34 seconds.

Click here to read more facts about stein hoisting. See you soon!