Why is Stella Artois called "wife-beater"?

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.

Stella Wife Beater

I can tell you why, Many cops who investigate a domestic dispute or domestic disturbance, have almost always reported seeing many cans of Stella in the aluminum recycling bins of the houses they're investigating in the UK. In many of those house, they do find marks or bruises on the woman, or man if the woman was the one drinking, whenever they gave a report of their findings, the first question a constable would ask the investigator is 'Stella?' as you found 'Stella Artois, didn't you?' the Investigator would say yes, and so they would jokingly refer to the beer as wife beater, once the public found out about the nickname, Stella Artois sales started to suffer in the UK.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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