A Question of Taste

Armed with just a plastic bag containing three cans of generic lager, Swedish documentary maker Jonas Magnusson quietly took on InBev. And won.

Just watch the video above for evidence.

We suggest you take the full 11 minutes to watch history in the making, where a pre-arranged interview sees Stella’s Marketing Director Jean-Jacques Velkeniers do the unthinkable – attempt to describe what Stella Artois tastes like or, more specifically, what it is about Stella’s taste that makes it so different from other lagers.

Incredibly it’s not making Stella Artois’ taste sound less generic that Velkeniers struggles with; it’s finding anything to say at all.

Eventually after asking to take a break from filming to consult a member of his team and fluently attributing the pause to ‘not knowing how to describe the beer in English’, Velkeniers describes Stella as:

 “A very refreshing, full bodied taste that’s very crispy. Then there’s the bitter after note that pops into your mouth and makes it quite unique.”

Jean-Jacques Velkeniers has been responsible for Stella in Europe for 10 years (since 2003) and still has no idea what it tastes like. 10 years. Oh, and bitterness is not unique to Stella either - it is in all beers.

Keep watching the video to see Velkeniers enthusiastically accept Magnusson’s offer of a blind taste test to identify Stella’s ‘unique taste’ against sister beer Jupiler and a generic Swedish lager.

Sadly, the taste test is shot down by Velkeniers’ press advisor who prevents the exercise for 3 bizarre reasons: Velkeniers not being 'prepared' (is 10 years not enough preparation?); the beers not being at the right temperature; and there not being any drinking water available. However, it would be reasonable to assume they have both drinking water and refrigeration at their headquarters.

The entire interview between Magnusson and Velkeniers sums up why we exist.

We wonder how he would describe the taste of Punk IPA?

BrewDog and the rest of the craft beer community strive to create beers with flavour. It's quite clear InBev, on the otherhand, couldn't care less what their beer tastes like.

Our 'April Fool's' Joke: a generic lager made by people who just dont care. Relevent here, huh?

Magnusson has succeeded in adding another crack to the ugly face of generic lager, worldwide.

And in the meantime, we’ll continue to do what we do – making beer that actually tastes of something. Beer that you can differentiate from every other beer you’ve ever tasted before because it’s made by hand, using real ingredients by passionate people who just love great beer.

It's what we live for.