Stella Artois

I've actually never had Stella Artois before, and I wanted something new to round out a mixer.  It's been a while since I've had a Premium American Lager, so here goes:

Vittles:
Premium American Lager
5% abv

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 19/25
Taste: 29/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 6/10
Overall: 74/100

Impression:
I have no idea why the BJCP classifies Stella Artois as a Premium American Lager, since I'm fairly certain SA is over in Belgium.  But, it does seem to have a similar flavor and taste profile to many of the "premium" lagers brewed here in the States.  It doesn't pour out special -- don't be fooled by that swanky commercial where the guy blows the glass, paints the logo and gold stripe on it, then passes it through to the bar where it pours out with such a well-formed head that the barkeep needs to level off the foam before serving it.  (That's like believing you'll get a pristine bun on your fast food burger.  But that's aside from the point.)  Anyway, the aroma was faint and grainy, and that may have been more appealing after a sweaty afternoon of yard work, but it wasn't quite hitting the right notes for me.  The flavors followed the nose with no surprises.  I found it to be moderately dry with a fairly high level of carbonation, despite the pretty pathetic head (and I know how to pour for a good head -- if you doubt my skills, look back at some of my previous posts).  On the plus side, it is somewhat crisp and refreshing, and there's little to no after taste.

All in all, I'm glad I tried it, but my tasting tonight basically confirms what I suspected -- it's a relatively flavorless brew, which is why you find it all over the place.  It's not a special beer -- it's a beer with faux-Euro charm that won't offend anyone's taste buds.  If I were in the mood for a premium American lager, and this was cheap enough, I'd have it again, but a whole lot of stars have to line up just right for that.

Cheers!