Stella Artois

A classic European lager from Belgium that I haven't had in a while. As you can see from the photo I had this in a cinema (while watching Trolls World Tour with the kids).

This beer is quite a lot hoppier than I remember, and a quick Google confirmed that it's made with Saaz hops. Compaing this to a Pilsner Urqell is a really cool example of the variety of flavour you can get from a single hop. I would describe this beer as fairly bitter, but it has nowhere near the bitterness of the Pilsner Urqell; but a beautiful hoppy aroma, nothing like the hoppy aroma of NZ beers, but an earthy, grassy kind of spicy thing. A nice subtle malt thing underneath with very light body and minimal sweetness. Kind of interesting that Belgium's most popular beer doesn't in any way taste like a Belgian style beer.

Drinking this has inspired me to go back and drink more European lagers; I drank a lot of them in my twenties, but I haven't really had many in the last ten years or so. 

ABV: 5.0%

Brewery: Stella Artois

Region: Leuven, Belgium

Style: Pale Lager

Wife check: "Tastes just like it's always tasted. Real good banana-y lager. Takes me back to summer in the grass."