What Is a Seidla? — And Why It Isn't a Maß

What Is a Seidla?

A Seidla is half a litre of beer. More precisely: it's the glass, and the beer in it. Saying "I'll have another Seidla" means you want another 500ml. The glass itself is slightly rounded, with a handle, typically glass or stoneware — though this varies by brewery.

The word is Franconian dialect: a diminutive of "Seidel", which derives from the Latin "situla" (bucket or pail). In Franconia it's been used for centuries to describe the half-litre beer glass. Outside Franconia, barely anyone knows the word.

Why Does It Matter?

Franconian beer culture operates differently from Bavarian beer culture. In Bavaria — especially at Oktoberfest — you drink a Maß: a litre at once, sociable and fast-paced. In Franconia you drink a Seidla: smaller, slower, with the focus on the beer itself.

This isn't coincidental. Franconian breweries are smaller, more regional, oriented towards quality over volume. The beer cellar invites you to sit for two hours, drink two or three Seidla, bring your own bread, and watch the world. That's a fundamentally different drinking philosophy from lifting a Maß.

What Actually Happens If You Order a Maß in Franconia?

Usually: nothing dramatic. You'll get two Seidla, or a gentle correction. In many cellar taverns there simply are no Maßkrüge — because there's no need for them. This isn't hostility towards visitors. It's just the local norm that has existed here for centuries.

The actual faux pas in Franconia isn't ordering a Maß — it's asking for "a Helles." In Bavaria, "ein Helles" is the standard lager. In Franconia, it's a beer style designation that may or may not apply to what a given brewery makes. You order by name: "a Schlenkerla" or "a Mahrs Ungespundetes."

Where Does the Word Come From?

The word "Seidel" appears in Old High German, derived from the Latin "situla" (bucket or pail). In Middle High German it referred to a tall, cylindrical drinking vessel. In Franconian dialect it became "Seidla" — with the characteristic Franconian "-la" diminutive suffix (the same ending as Brezla for pretzel, Würschtla for sausage).

That Franconian "-la" ending is everywhere. You don't say Brezel but Brezla. Not Kipferl but Kipfla. Not Würstchen but Würschtla. The Seidla is in good company.

How Many Seidla?

About the Name of This Site

"Find My Seidla" is a play on words: Franconia has so many breweries, so many cellars, and so many unique styles that you actually need to search to find your personal favourite. That's the purpose of this guide. And then maybe a second one.