Stella Artois

[Droopy]

That's not some movie star's stage name. It's the name of a Belgian beer and I've heard many people on here state that it's the best thing since sliced bread. On the label it says that the Stella Artois brewery has been in business since 1366. So maybe it is more accurate to say that sliced bread is the best thing since Stella Artois.

But Stella Artois ain't all that. For the $8.50 I paid for a six pack of Stella Artois I could have bought a twelve pack of a cheap domestic beer and been happier. Stella Artois tastes like fizzy water. It has no flavor and only a slight hint of a scent that reminds me of Heineken. I ain't buying that stuff no more. I've drank two of them, the rest I'm going to leave in the fridge and try to pawn them off on guests.

[flvegan]

1. I had the same initial experience with Stella.

Didn't care for my first bottle, or my second. But I had a twelver and wasn't going to waste it. So the next weekend, I had another one. Wait, this isn't too bad. Then I had a couple more on Saturday. Pretty good. By the end of the 12 pack, I was sold on it, and I really like it now.

That said, I can't drink much of it at a time. The alcohol content is way too high for me (yeah, I'm a lightweight).

[Pierre.Suave]

24. Funny

"lightweight" is the first thought that comes to mind when I think about you too...:rofl:

[fizzgig]

2. if i were closer, i would gladly take them off your hands

stella is one of my favorite beers

[PeaceNikki]

3. HEATHEN!!!

Kidding. I do love Stella, though.

[Droopy]

4. LOL! You should have seen my review of Guiness

I thought people were going to try to track me down and revoke my beer reviewing privileges. :D

[PeaceNikki]

5. We all have different tastes, hence the vast variety of stuff.

To each their own (as long as it's not that vile crap called "Budweiser"!!!).

:)

[DS1]

6. It's a very clean beer. Good for fine food.

The American variants taste like absolute shit.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

7. I didn't like it, either

I'm a Pilsner Urquell fan. Have been for many years.

Also, for a shandy, Miller Draft is really good.

Shandy.

Now, that's a GREAT IDEA!

------------------------------------------------>

[Droopy]

8. What does "shandy" mean?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

9. Half beer, half lemonade

Nothing like it on a hot day.

[Droopy]

10. Must be a regional thing. I think I'd rather have the Stella.

:D

[Tangerine LaBamba]

12. It originated in Britain

ages ago.

It's very good. Give it a try. I bet you like it.

[GCP]

28. Lemonade is different in the UK vs the US

In the US, the equivalent would be like Sprite, only not as sweet.

[fishwax]

29. Shandy would be a great idea, but

the one I like I couldn't find in the stores this week. Summer ended early for Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy:

[billyskank]

11. This is one subject my opinion is worthless on.

No, not because I'm not a drinker. I used to be, and not so long ago that I can't remember.

The reason is because lager (fizzy beer) in Britain is ghastly. It ain't the same stuff you get on the continent. I've tried Heineken in Amsterdam - it's lovely. Heineken in Britain is like piss. It's not the same stuff. I've had beer in Belgium - truly wonderful drinks. You don't get them here.

So Stella might be the most wonderful beer in the world. But the Stella they sell here won't be, I can guarantee that.

[Richardo]

13. Heineken in the States is like piss too

I've never had a non-skunky Heineken, so I can only surmise that it's supposed to taste that way. I've never been to Amsterdam to taste the real stuff.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

14. Anchor Steam

Long ago, you could only get it in San Francisco, where it was brewed.

It was fabulous. Just the best beer I'd ever tasted.

Then, things changed, and now you can get Anchor Steam everywhere, and it tastes like mouse piss.

[Droopy]

15. Well, I'm in America

So if the distance a beer has to travel to get to me proportionally takes away from the flavor, then I guess I could understand why Stella isn't all that great here. But we have people from America saying that Stella is a great beer. There probably aren't too many people here who have been to Belgium.

But I think Heineken tastes just fine and I'm drinking one right now. Go figure.

[Richardo]

16. Shiner Bock

Texas' own beer, and nectar of the gods. :beer:

[Droopy]

17. Turns out we got some of that around here

I'll give it a try and get back to you.

[Richardo]

18. Great!

I'd like to hear your opinion. :thumbsup:

[fishwax]

30. I really missed Shiner Bock after I moved away from

Oklahoma a few years ago. I even tried to special order it at a local liquor store that specializes in smaller and regional beers, but to no avail.

Then, earlier this summer, they apparently expanded their range, because it started showing up in stores here :woohoo:



Time for me to crack one open :beer: :toast:

[speedoo]

19. It's decent beer.

Far too bland to be one of my favorites.

But please, please. Do NOT mention it in the same breath as crap like Budweiser.

[Left Is Write]

20. Stella's pretty decent, though I only drink it at bars or restaurants.

I don't buy it for the house.

If you want a really wonderful Belgian, try one of the varieties of Chimay. Well worth the price.

[muriel_volestrangler]

21. Sometimes known as 'wife beater' in the UK

It's a bog standard mass-produced beer on the continent. But in the UK, they marketed it heavily as premium (advert tagline 'reassuringly expensive') for years. And people here (and the British are not good judges of lager) decided they like it. It became so popular it became the drink of choice for people out to get drunk and behave horribly - hence the nickname.

To try to drop this unwanted image of violence, they're now tending to market it as just 'Artois', and have come up with a bullshit advert about how the rules said you could only use maize and barley as the grain ingredients in beer, and have said so since 1366. This is clearly a lie, since maize was then unknown in Europe. And all major lager recipes all changed in the late 19th century, with the advent of refrigeration and different brewing styles and yeasts.

Meanwhile, it looks like they're trying the same "it's top quality, really, that's why we charge so much" scam in the US. Resist it.

[Mudoria]

22. Euro piss in my opinion

terrible beer. :puke:

[Monk06]

23. You should have tried Pilsner Urquell. Stella is rather bland. Urquell has a strong hoppy flavor.

[trof]

25. Stella was (is?) the Budweiser of Europe.

Not necessarily taste (but maybe?), but availability and popularity.
I've had Stella in Amsterdam, Milan, Rome, Paris, Bombay, Barcelona, and maybe London.
OK, maybe not London.
And certainly nowhere in Germany.

Is that the outfit that just bought Anheuser Busch?

Use them to marinate some meat.

Skol.
:toast:

[WildEyedLiberal]

27. You probably had it in London; it is ubiquitous here

And yes, InBev just bought Budweiser. People don't seem to realize that Europe produces just as many crappy mass-market piss lagers as America does.

[WildEyedLiberal]

26. Americans think Stella is some kind of high-class import because it's from Belgium

What they don't understand is that it's the Belgian version of Bud Light. Of course, Stella Artois takes advantage of the American conception that imports automatically = gourmet and markets itself as a very classy, elite beer, which it's not.

If you want REAL quality Belgian lager, find yourself a Leffe Blond or a Hoegaarden.

[datasuspect]

31. distributed by anheuser busch in the US

i think a european conglomerate bought all the AB brands.

[WinkyDink]

32. I'll take Casteel, myself!

[Danger Mouse]

33. No, Stella isn't all that great. A friend of mine was of Belgian descent...

said that Stella is like the 'Milwaukee's Best' of Belgian beers, pretty much. :P