Why is Stella Artois called "wife-beater"?!
Answers: The rumor is that the beer Stella Artois is nick-named wife-beater because the chemical make-up of the beer makes people aggressive. Is this rumor true and have any studies been conducted into it?
I am quite sure this nickname started because of Stella's considerably high alcohol content. However, it is odd that there are other well known beers that do not carry the same stigma; such as Heineken, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and Pete's Wicked Ale for instance.
Interestingly, the first time I heard this derogatory term was from a friend who lives in London, but I had no clue it was of common usage.
When searching for references, it seems the term was indeed coined, in the UK, for the beers high alcohol content, and not some inherent chemical. Obviously, a higher alcohol content is more likely to induce aggressiveness than a weaker brew.
For a better explanation, check out this review of Stella provided by a UK consumer (link below): he explains the reference in more detail and even explains that one pint will put you over the legal driving limit in the UK.
perhaps its the quantity needed, its one of the strongest beers around.
i reckon it's just an urban myth - prob got nothing to do with chemical make-up and far more to do with the mentality of some people who drink it, those people being feckless idiots
A policman told me it is true. It is well known to make men aggresive and abusive.
It really do make some people very aggressive, my local pub will refuse to sell it to some customers.
A friend who works for InBev swears that Stella contains no dodgy chemicals, and you wouldn't belive how pi$$ed off the marketing dept is with the "wife-beater" tag. The money they spend try to convince us it's a premium brand is unreal. No wonder it's (Reassuringly) Expensive
Because of the effects the drink has on people. Having too much of this stuff tends to make people angry.
It is called "wife-beater" for the same reason a "muscle" t-shirt is called a "wife beater shirt". It is simply a negative association some wit made that stuck. I doubt there is anything in the beer any more than there is in the shirt that encourages wife beating.
Wife beating is a sign of a very angry man who never learned that it isn't appropriate to get physical to show that anger. They also never learned it isn't appropriate to hit women given that men are generally stronger. This may be a sign of cowardice as well if he never gets physical with guys.
ive heard this saying used before. all beer when drunk too excess would cause the same outcome in a person with an agressive mentality. i think vodka and sprits bring out the worst much more than beer though.
No such studies !
Too much of any alcohol drank by the wrong person, leads to aggressiveness.
I think it's because it's normally on a ￡5 for 6 deal - pretty strong and rough and has the normal larger - pissed qualities.
I drink it occasionally - but if I became violent I wouldn't drink!
Stella Act a twAt is normally drunk by immature wannabes
because of its strenth some men get aggressive on it go home and give the wife a slap
Its just an urban myth. I have drunk copious amounts of the stuff but I have never laid a finger on the wife. Usually because i have been to pissed no doubt.
I reckon it is true. My Mum used to work in a pub and the effect that stuff had on some of the guys in there was just awful. One in particular found himself with his hands round his girlfriend's neck after a night in it. He hasn't touched it since because he thinks it was because he had been drinking Stella that night. I think maybe it just brings out the very worst in someone, it doesn;t necessarily make them go home and beat seven shades out of the missus. My boyfriend had been drinking it one night when his usual lager was off and we had such a huge row on the way home, I've never seen him so argumentative.
I think they should be allowed to conduct some kind of study into it, despite what it may do to the sales, because if there really is something in it which makes people behave aggressively, they should either change some of the ingredients or make people fully aware of the risks.
20 years ago it was the strongest chemicle lager around
Urban myth holds that Stella Artois is called "wife beater" because of the name, not chemicals in the beer. The famous play "Streetcar Named Desire" features the violent, wife beating Stanley (played by Marlon Brando in the movie version) yelling "Stella"-begging his wife to come back. Scroll down on link.
In my last bar I was forced to change Stella to another lager because everybody who got drunk on it just ended up fighting. When the new lager was introduced there were no longer any problems. So in my experience it is true.