Belgium is a country with a diverse and traditional beer culture that dates back more than a millennium and has been listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2016. There are currently more than 300 breweries in Belgium, brewing an unparalleled range of different beer styles. It is estimated that there are just under a thousand Belgian beers consumed in the country and around the world. One of these beers is Stella Artois.
Stella Artois is a classic Pilsner that has been around for almost a hundred years. The brewery that produced this world-famous brew has a much longer history. The origins of the brewery lie in the Middle Ages: In 1366, a brewery called Den Hoorn in Leuven in Flemish Brabant was first mentioned in documents about a flourishing company. Part of the current name Stella Artois came into play with the master brewer Sebastien Artois. When he took over the brewery in 1717, he gave it the name Brouwerij Artois. In the same year, Stella Artois was brewed for the first time. Because it was produced for the Christmas season, it was given the festive name Stella. Stella is the Latin word for star. Since then, a red star has adorned all cans and bottles from Artois. This tradition was continued even when the brewery was taken over by the Interbrew group.
Although the Pilsner Stella Artois is still the brewery's most popular and best-known brew, there are other examples in the range. All bear the nickname Stella Artois and the star on the label. Traditionally, the brewery's creations are drunk from a specially designed goblet: the tulip-shaped glass with a slim, slightly convex body stands on a small base, the stem of which is decorated with a star. The brewery's logo is emblazoned on the glass. The gold-rimmed glass rim is narrow, fits perfectly on the lips and excellently emphasizes the taste of all Artois beers. The brewery got the recipes for the perfect culinary accompaniment to Stella Artois and Co. from none other than cooking legend James Beard. On their website there is a selection of classic recipes for steak, tomato sauce, burgers and pasta, which wonderfully underline the tasty pilsner with its fresh, subtly hoppy and straightforward character.
