Stella Artois

Imported beer from Belgium, my distributor offered 24 beer glasses free if I bought a case, so I did. Any fans of it here?

Only when
bettered
by this:

[img]http://wrangler.cocktaildb.com/208.1[/img]

That's a new one on me....how was it?????

I personally love Stella, but can not afford to drink it like I can my old standbye Miller High Life. Miller also counts as one of my guilty pleasures.



Dennis in Cary

It's absolutely worth the 24 free beer glasses! As far as imported beers go, it's OK enough; it is a pretty standard European pilsner, IMO. Beer Advocate gives it a C+, which translates to "decent". You should sell the case quickly enough, I think, if you let folks know you have it.

quote:

Originally posted by i95

Only when
bettered
by this:

[img]http://wrangler.cocktaildb.com/208.1[/img]

My what is it comment referred to this...what is this????

From Drinkboy:

"Amer Picon is a bitter cordial made with orange, gentian, and other ingredients. It has a bold bitter flavor and is often used as a digestive. At the current time, this product can be fairly difficult to find, and in fact doesn't appear to be available in the US at all."

Interesting...thanks for the info!!!

quote:

Originally posted by leethebard

quote:

Originally posted by i95

Only when
bettered
by this:

[img]http://wrangler.cocktaildb.com/208.1[/img]

My what is it comment referred to this...what is this????

Picon or Amer Picon is actually an orange bitters aperitif popularly used in France (especially the Alsace region) which, when added via shot sized glass to a pale lager like Stella, creates what the French rightly hail as a Picon Biere.

(My point in even bringing up this concoction [which really adds some depth to certain beers] is that the less than complex Stella Artois is the perfect blonde beer to host an infusion of Picon.)

quote:

Originally posted by chewingthefat

Imported beer from Belgium, my distributor offered 24 beer glasses free if I bought a case, so I did. Any fans of it here?

It's nice, not exceptional. A bit overpriced for what it is.

I first ran into it in Seattle about 3 years ago.

Stella is a nice beer, but better overseas on tap. As for Belgian beers, I love an occasional Chimay, and really liked the Leffe Blonde I had while in London this summer. I'm not sure if Leffe is available stateside, much less in Atlanta.

Thanks for the info Fly - I've been back for a couple months, and have not seen it in normal stores. I'll have to check some of the specialty stores. If I find it, I can only hope that the bottle retains some of the character that the beer has on tap.

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

It's absolutely worth the 24 free beer glasses! As far as imported beers go, it's OK enough; it is a pretty standard European pilsner, IMO. Beer Advocate gives it a C+, which translates to "decent". You should sell the case quickly enough, I think, if you let folks know you have it.

It's a good Pale Lager from Belgium. Beer Advocate's users, which help provide the scoring, tend to want dark, complex, rich beers. Most of the Top 25 beers are heavy stouts and strong IPA's. So, subtlety is lost on these beer drinkers. BA's idea of beer is not mainstream. So, becareful using their scores. If the beer is not "craft" beer, it gets lower scores by BA website users.

a C+ means that there's no chocolate, heavy toasted malt, vanilla, spice, coffee notes, etc in the beer. If you look around BA, the heavy beers get higher scores than Lagers, especially pale lagers. IMO, the site users don't know how to rate lagers that aren't chock full of nuts.

So, if you're looking for cocoa aroma, toasted nut flavor and velvet texture, Stella isn't the beer for you. If you're looking for a lager with light play of malt and hops on the nose and tongue, decent head and lacing, crisp with some bitters aftertaste, then Stella will deliver.

Stella Artois is fairly common on tap in bars in Minneapolis/St. Paul. I don't drink it. I probably won't. I rarely drink any beer by a big brewer.

quote:

Originally posted by flyseye

quote:

Originally posted by Scorereader

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

It's absolutely worth the 24 free beer glasses! As far as imported beers go, it's OK enough; it is a pretty standard European pilsner, IMO. Beer Advocate gives it a C+, which translates to "decent". You should sell the case quickly enough, I think, if you let folks know you have it.

It's a good Pale Lager from Belgium. Beer Advocate's users, which help provide the scoring, tend to want dark, complex, rich beers. Most of the Top 25 beers are heavy stouts and strong IPA's. So, subtlety is lost on these beer drinkers. BA's idea of beer is not mainstream. So, becareful using their scores. If the beer is not "craft" beer, it gets lower scores by BA website users.

a C+ means that there's no chocolate, heavy toasted malt, vanilla, spice, coffee notes, etc in the beer. If you look around BA, the heavy beers get higher scores than Lagers, especially pale lagers. IMO, the site users don't know how to rate lagers that aren't chock full of nuts.

So, if you're looking for cocoa aroma, toasted nut flavor and velvet texture, Stella isn't the beer for you. If you're looking for a lager with light play of malt and hops on the nose and tongue, decent head and lacing, crisp with some bitters aftertaste, then Stella will deliver.

While I will not disagree with some of what you say, the top rated beers on Beer Advocate tend to be rated higher based on their availability, or lack thereof,than any " big beer " theory.

When it is all said and done however, Stella is an average beer, and it gets rated on Beer Advocate a C+, which, last time I checked, was an "average " score.

To say the readers of Beer Advocate don't know how to properly score an average lager is obviously weighted towards their view about a beer that you apparantly like, and is, to be honest, short sighted, and incorrect.

Ask anyone from Belgium what they think of Stella compared to most other Belgian beers, and your responses will be " average " at best. I had a friend from Belgium tell me it was good for washing dishes...

I agree with both you and Scorereader. I find it interesting that the discussion about Beer Advocate notwithstanding, we all agree that C+ is right about where Stella should be!

What I think happens is that there are a lot of average pilsners, and at the same time, an average pilsner is pretty good. Therefore, it is harder for a beer of this style to stand out among its peers; lots of decent drinkable average beers, with not much to tell them apart.

quote:

Originally posted by flyseye

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

It's absolutely worth the 24 free beer glasses! As far as imported beers go, it's OK enough; it is a pretty standard European pilsner, IMO. .

Not to be anal, but Stella is a Lager, not a Pilsner.

Well, categorizing a beer by "style" is somewhat problematic these days, especially since every beer "group" (BeerAdvocate, RateBeer, BJCP, etc) seems to have a different, even longer, list of beer styles and sub-styles.

But "Lager" isn't a beer style as such according to almost every definition, but a grouping of all bottom-fermented styles, including, of course, pilsners.

Micheal Jackson called Stella Artois a "...pilsner-type beer" (terminology he seemed to prefer over simply "pilsner/pilsener" out of respect for the beers *of* Pilsen, I'd guess) in every edition of his Pocket Guide from the first edition in 1982-on as well as his Beer Companion and The Great Beers of Belgium - that's good enough for me.

I always consider pilsner = pale lager. Would it be fair to say we agree on everything but the terminology?

I tried Stella for the first time while @ Hyde Park in London August before last. I fell in love with it but it might have been the surroundings that nurtured that feeling.. I do agree that it a bit light tasting, I add tomato or Clamato juice to it sometimes.

Stella is a very good, dry lager...it's what Bud tries to be but isn't. The first time I tasted it, I thought back to Rheingold beer, "the dry beer." Very refreshing but with a good flavor.

quote:

Originally posted by jesskidden

quote:

Originally posted by flyseye

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

It's absolutely worth the 24 free beer glasses! As far as imported beers go, it's OK enough; it is a pretty standard European pilsner, IMO. .

Not to be anal, but Stella is a Lager, not a Pilsner.

Well, categorizing a beer by "style" is somewhat problematic these days, especially since every beer "group" (BeerAdvocate, RateBeer, BJCP, etc) seems to have a different, even longer, list of beer styles and sub-styles.

But "Lager" isn't a beer style as such according to almost every definition, but a grouping of all bottom-fermented styles, including, of course, pilsners.

Micheal Jackson called Stella Artois a "...pilsner-type beer" (terminology he seemed to prefer over simply "pilsner/pilsener" out of respect for the beers *of* Pilsen, I'd guess) in every edition of his Pocket Guide from the first edition in 1982-on as well as his Beer Companion and The Great Beers of Belgium - that's good enough for me.

Lagers are brewed with a top fermenting yeast and ales are brewed with a bottom fermenting yeast. Lagers are generally fermented cold (just above freezing) while ales are generally fermented much warmer (~60*F). The temperature of fermentation is equally as important as the strain used.

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

I always consider pilsner = pale lager. Would it be fair to say we agree on everything but the terminology?

Pilsner is but one type of pale lager, not the equivalent.

quote:

Originally posted by stevep

Lagers are brewed with a top fermenting yeast and ales are brewed with a bottom fermenting yeast. Lagers are generally fermented cold (just above freezing) while ales are generally fermented much warmer (~60*F). The temperature of fermentation is equally as important as the strain used.

I think you have your facts a bit confused, although your comment about fermentation temperature is correct. Lagers use a bottom fermenting yeast and the optimal fermentation temperature is not just above freezing, but in the 45-55 degree range. Once the desired carbonation is achieved, you then lager (chill) the beer at a temperature just above freezing for up to three months.

quote:

Originally posted by brentk

quote:

Originally posted by stevep

Lagers are brewed with a top fermenting yeast and ales are brewed with a bottom fermenting yeast. Lagers are generally fermented cold (just above freezing) while ales are generally fermented much warmer (~60*F). The temperature of fermentation is equally as important as the strain used.

I think you have your facts a bit confused, although your comment about fermentation temperature is correct. Lagers use a bottom fermenting yeast and the optimal fermentation temperature is not just above freezing, but in the 45-55 degree range. Once the desired carbonation is achieved, you then lager (chill) the beer at a temperature just above freezing for up to three months.

Thanks, I'm a little mixed up... been out of the loop for a few years.

quote:

Originally posted by flyseye

quote:

Originally posted by jesskidden

quote:

Originally posted by flyseye

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

It's absolutely worth the 24 free beer glasses! As far as imported beers go, it's OK enough; it is a pretty standard European pilsner, IMO. .

Not to be anal, but Stella is a Lager, not a Pilsner.

Well, categorizing a beer by "style" is somewhat problematic these days, especially since every beer "group" (BeerAdvocate, RateBeer, BJCP, etc) seems to have a different, even longer, list of beer styles and sub-styles.

But "Lager" isn't a beer style as such according to almost every definition, but a grouping of all bottom-fermented styles, including, of course, pilsners.

Micheal Jackson called Stella Artois a "...pilsner-type beer" (terminology he seemed to prefer over simply "pilsner/pilsener" out of respect for the beers *of* Pilsen, I'd guess) in every edition of his Pocket Guide from the first edition in 1982-on as well as his Beer Companion and The Great Beers of Belgium - that's good enough for me.

I refer to Pilsners AKA Pilseners as only the beers of pilsen. I will also say, Stella's website refers to the beer as a pale lager, although I agree " pilsner" has become sort of a catch phrase lately.But like I said, don't want to get anal.

FWIW,I met the late Michael Jackson at a couple of beer tastings in Indianapolis around 2000.To be real honest, he was an obnoxious, drunken fool.Everyone at both of these gatherings, including myself, lost any amount of respect we had for him after these events. I later learned that part of his behavior could have been the result of Parkinsons disease, but the fact remains he made a complete azz of himself at these events.

That's sad to hear about Jackson; he did so much to bring the appreciation of good beer back to the world.

quote:

Originally posted by flyseye


To say the readers of Beer Advocate don't know how to properly score an average lager is obviously weighted towards their view about a beer that you apparantly like, and is, to be honest, short sighted, and incorrect.

Ask anyone from Belgium what they think of Stella compared to most other Belgian beers, and your responses will be " average " at best. I had a friend from Belgium tell me it was good for washing dishes...

I never said I liked pilsners or pale lagers. I said, that BA users favor heavy beers and score based on such beliefs. The stouts have an overall higher score than the pale lagers. That's not short sighted to point that out, look at the scores. There are a only a relative few low scoring stouts, while by and large, the scores are much higher and are not really based on quality in class, but based on the users ideas that deeper is better.

If A=average, B=Above Average, C=Average, D=Below Average and F=Well below average, then every class of beer should have a bell curve that fits somewhere in the "C" range. That is not the case in BA. Comparing Stella to an imperial stout, is ridiculous. And users tend to do that. Compare beers to beers out of their class. Read some of the users' descriptions. It's clear they want another beer, rather than the class of beer they chose to desribe. I don't compare IPA's to ambers. So, when I drink an IPA, if it's not amber, I don't get bent out of shape.

I wasn't saying Stella is the greatest beer, or even greatest Belgian beer. I simply said that BA users don't score the pale lagers very highly. So, a C+ is a rather decent score for a pale lager. And then I gave a fair description of the beer. It want overly favorable, just described the beer. So, I'm not sure where you got the idea that I liked pale lagers. I guess because I didn't slam it. Well, I thought it better the describe the beer for the OP, rather than rip my opnions on whether it's any good. Whether it's any good is up to the consumer. And every consumer is different.

I don't care what Belgians consider good beer. I've been around craft and micro-brews long enough that I can make my own judgement. My post was not about how Belgians see the beer, but about BA's scoring system.

Don't assume I drink Stella from my description. I don't care for it. But then, I don't care for lighter pilser/pale lagers as a class.

I like hoppy hoppy beers. And Stella doesn't meet my needs for hops. however, I can still describe it without using my own bias that wants hops galore in my beer. Unfortunately, reading the descriptions from BA, it seems most users can't use the same unbiased approach.

short sighted is some of those descriptions. not just for Stella, but for all sorts of beers.

Me, I'm not short-sighted, I'm actually looking at the big picture.

quote:

Originally posted by flyseye


You are missing the point. The point is, even as a Pilsener/Pale Lager,or whatever you want to call it, Stella is only average.

A quick scan of Beer Advocate shows well over 50 Pilseners with an "A" score.So I don't know what you are talking about with all that " comparing to an Imperial Stout" stuff.

Beer Advocate rates good Pilseners/Pale Lagers highly, the point is Stella is not one of them. It is rated properly according to most, Belgian or not.Good Pilseners/Pale Lagers rate well, average ones do not. Simple as that.

You also seem to be hung up with the Beer Advocate top 100 rated beers. Well of course the more complex beers are going to rate higher, just like with wine, scotch, or any other type of alcohol.

Unless of course you feel Stella Artois, or any other Pilsener/Pale Lager, is a better beer than Westvleteren 12,or Three Floyds Dark Lord, your argument simply does not stand up.

I you you missed my point. Maybe you are one of the people who post on BA, so you feel I was speaking dertrimentally about you personally. Well, I'm not. So don't get your panties in a knot let your underwear get twisted - I'm not trying to get personal, just speaking generally.

YOU saying my arguement doesn't stand up, doesn' mean it doesn't. That's your opinion.

I haven't the time to go through the stats. But, the lighter beers do not fare well in comparison to heavier beers. The bell curve is much higher. The top 100 beers listed only reverberates that sentiment.

Furthur more. When wine is given points, the point are not compared cross class. i.e. a Merlot is not compared to Pinot Noir to determine if the wine is high quality or not. In fact, a Merlot that tastes like a Pinot Noir, makes for a bad Merlot.

And your comparison of Stella to Westvleteren 12 and Three Lords Dark is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. Stella is in the pale lager class, those beers are DARK BEERS. You might as well compare Highland Scotch to Islay. Highland Scotch can be very high quality, but will never be peaty. It's quality is measured in other areas. The fact you used those two beers as you example, only proved my point.

See, the point is, you think one style of beer is "better" than another. You even said it: "Unless of course you feel any pilsener/Pale Lager, is a better beer than Westvleteren 12,or Three Floyds Dark Lord..."

Better, when comparing different style is purely subjective. Budweiser is crappy, not because it's a pilser, but because it's a crappy pilsner. Stella, is a decent pale lager. Certainly it won't have the flavor of a Dark Belgian beer, but it's not made that way.

When beer awards are given out, there are different classes. You can't compare a Sour Ale with Rye Beer and say that the Sour Ale is crappy compared to all the fine Rye Beers.

So, it's not a question of whether or not Stella Artois compares with any other heavier beer. It's how it compares to other euro pale lagers. And even then, Stella isn't the top. But, since the users on BA seem to use the same standard for all beers to give their rating, a C+ is a decent score for a euro pale lager. Look a the other top euro pale lagers: There's not 50 scores of A for this group. In fact, there is only 1 (ONE) A-. http://beeradvocate.com/top_beers?this_cId=BE&this_style=&cId=BE&style=37

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/37/?start=0

meanwhile: in the American Double/Imperial Stout catagory, only 7 beers rate below a B- (that's C+ or worse) SEVEN! out of 150 beers!

How can so many beers be "above average"?!?! Clearly, the ratings are skewed to dark, choclate, coffee, fruit, nut, etc. flavors.

So, if I see an Imperial Stout with a B+ on BA, I know that it's merely an average (and maybe below average) Imperial Stout. Where a C+ Euro Pale Lager, is slightly above average Euro Pale Lager.

quote:

Originally posted by flyseye

Nice discussion though, scorereader.

while you try to imply you've "won" by this statement. Doesn't mean you have. Nice try, though, flyseye.

First, there aren't "lots" - there are 18 out of about 1000 rated euro lagers that scored in the A range. And 16 of those had only 1 review. I think we can "s"-can those reviews. One person? seriously? At least 2 reviews are needed for some sort of validity. I was wrong, though, 2 beers got a ratings out of nearly 500 beers that have more than one person's opinion listed, instead of one. Wow. Big difference.

Second, regarding: "And the statement that Stella is not as good as Westvleteren 12 or Three Floyds Dark Lord only proves ONE thing, that it is not." Well, again, you're comparing apples to oranges. If someone doesn't like Imperial Stouts, they'd disagree with you. Which is why one shouldn't compare beers across styles. Better to say, Stella isn't as good as Sam Smith's Pure Brewed Lager. I'm not saying Stella is great, I'm merely helping someone, who wants to know if Stella is worth purchasing with free glasses. A C+ in that catagory, is not a terrible score, considering the paltry scores in that category. It's not a stellar score, it's not even the top 25 score. But, in the larger realm of euro lagers, it's a decent score.

Third, I used the word "dark" not to describe any style of beer, but simply to show that the beers you provided were not comparable. Since they're both different style beers even from each other, "dark" was merely a single word that could link them together. I'm pretty sure that was clear. So, I find no merit in trying to show that I'm "wrong" by that comment.

Fourth, I never said what kind of beer should be on the list of top 100 beers from Beer Advocate. I merely pointed out that Beer Advocate has a tendency to rate certain types of beers higher than other types of beers because the users of beer advocate, by and large, don't do a good job comparing a style within it's own style because the users favor heavier, richer beers. You disagree with that. Well, fine. I have a right to my opinion, and just because you say otherwise, doesn't mean you are right.

Beer advocate is what it is. I use it occassionally when looking for something different...or about to try something different.

I'm done with this, because, as I said, I'm not even a Stella Artois drinker.

quote:

Originally posted by flyseye

quote:

Originally posted by Scorereader

quote:

Originally posted by flyseye

while you try to imply you've "won" by this statement. Doesn't mean you have. Nice try, though, flyseye.

I was not trying to imply anything, other than it was a nice discussion that for once didn't get personal, besides your " panties in a bunch " statement, and probably my " shortsighted " one. Nothing more.

There are no winners here, you have your opinion, I have mine. I really did enjoy the discussion, but I agree, it has run its course. Cheers scorereader.

I'll take back my "panties in a knot" comment. I sometimes just get typing away - my finger say things I wouldn't.

Cheers. I'd clink beer glasses with you, but it's only 11:15am.

Just thought I's take time out to thank Scorereader for his honesty...we all say things we regret sometimes...and yes it's easy to talk quickly with a keyboard without thinking or editing.....We have some great people here on roadfood...thanks!!!!!

ps. you are right, flyseye: it was actually a nice discussion. I guess I took your comment wrong. And, you are right, too, that Stella Artois is not the best euro pal lager in its class. I do, however, think I'd buy a case if it came with 24 of those nifty Stella Artois glasses. I don't know where I'd put them in my already-crammed-with-glassware bar area in a modest sized rowhouse...but I'd make room.

There have been plenty of occasions where I’ve been lit by 11:15 am… Those instances are becoming more and more rare but…..

Stella Artois = Belgian Bud

quote:

Originally posted by JoeEats

Stella Artois = Belgian Bud

That's actually an excellent analogy. And it's about twice the price.

When I was in Dublin I noticed they had Budweiser on tap at all the pubs…. I asked one of the owners and he said it was one of the top 3 sellers.. Blew my mind… I wonder if it’s the same when I order a Stella over there.

Wow. Budweiser has been brewed in Ireland at the St. Francis Abbey Brewery for some time now, but I had no idea they had achieved such market penetration.

I'm with ya on that.

and I definately agree about Brooklyn Lager. Some brewpubs do a good job with lagers, too. Capitol City Brewery and Restaurant, for instance, has a nice Oktoberfest lager that I enjoyed recently. Incidentally, Cap City belgian style beers tend to be pretty good.

quote:

Originally posted by Run2Eat

When I was in Dublin I noticed they had Budweiser on tap at all the pubs�. I asked one of the owners and he said it was one of the top 3 sellers.. Blew my mind� I wonder if it�s the same when I order a Stella over there.

I had the same experience in Ireland and was just as surprised as you were. Kind of funny to see Bud considered a drink of choice in a land of such fine beer.

If al I drink is 90 Minute IPA (at least for now), does that make me Joe 4 Pack?

Hmm, I'm sort of surprised you guys like the Brooklyn Lager so much. I thought it was a good beer, but lacked something.. maybe it was the meal I was eating. I'll have to give it another try when the opportunity presents itself.

Have you tried the Summit Pilsener? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

As for the Stella, it drinks fine, but doesn't move me.

quote:

Originally posted by eatsandclimbs

Have you tried the Summit Pilsener? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

not available in DC, MD or VA.

Since the company that brews Stella Artois (InBev) just bought Anheuser-Busch, I would Imagine that the company's flagship Belgian brew will be seen more and more places with the AB distributors behind them.

quote:

Originally posted by Rt66Mike

Since the company that brews Stella Artois (InBev) just bought Anheuser-Busch, I would Imagine that the company's flagship Belgian brew will be seen more and more places with the AB distributors behind them.

Not necessarily. A-B has been the importer of most of the European InBev beers sold in the US since Feb. 2007 and they were being distributed by A-B's wholesalers in most cases already (some states have restrictive laws about changing distributors).

The A-B subsidiary is called "Import Brands Alliance"- the name can be seen on the websites and labels on most of those brands (Bass, Beck's, etc) with a St. Louis, MO address.

http://www.inbev.com/go/media/global_press_releases/press_release.cfm?theID=27&theLang=EN