Enjoying an ice cold beer sometimes goes beyond the act of merely drinking it straight from the bottle.  Beer enthusiasts are beginning to realize that there are some things worth waiting for—and in the case of Stella Artois, it means understanding the importance of a properly and perfectly poured beer.  Belgian beers are traditionally served in unique glasses designed to draw out the flavor and accentuate the profile of a particular brew. For Stella Artois, that glass is the Chalice. The classic 9-Step pouring ritual uses the Chalice’s curves, stem and signature gold rim to create the perfect drinking experience that of our Stella Artois fans palettes long for. “The brand has a time-honored, nine-step ritual that hopes to give Stella Artois fans around the world the same experience they would get if they enjoyed a pint in Belgium. Backed by hundreds of years of brewing experience, there’s only one way to pour a Chalice of Stella Artois,” explains Chester Cabrera, Marketing Manager of Booze Online Inc, Stella Artois’ official and exclusive distributor.

It begins with The Purification, where the Chalice is cleaned and rinsed with cold water which allows the glass to reach the same tempature as the beer and ensures the lacing when the beer is drunk, followed by The Sacrifice, the act where the tap is opened in a single swift motion to let the first drop flow away before placing the Chalice with the logo facing forward under the tap at 45 degrees.  The Liquid Alchemy is holding the Chalice by the stem at 45 degree angle without the nozzle tap touching the Chalice. Next is The Head, where the Chalice with the logo facing forward to the top whilst straightening the chalice gradually without touching the Chalice with the tap nozzle, followed by The Removal, when the Chalice is almost filled with beer, connoisseur needs to ensure that the beer is overflowing slightly over the Chalice and in the same movement smoothly remove the Chalice from under the tap without touching the Chalice. The Beheading follows next, where the beer is allowed to overflow slightly and a head cutter is used to smooth the foamy brim at 45 degrees and close the tap in one smooth movement. The Judgement ensures that there is a perfect amount of foam in the Chalice, no more than two fingers, the beer has to be in correct proportion of beer and foam. The Cleansing sees that the bottom and sides of the Chalice are cleaned by moving the Chalice in water using a circular motion and getting of the excess water using a white towel, before it is finally presented to the drinker, with the Stella Artois drip catcher on the stem of the Chalice with the logo, place a clean coaster with the logo facing outward in The Bestowal.

The ceremonious reverence that goes into each carefully poured Stella Artois speaks of the brand’s provenance; and as a way to continue celebrating its origins around the world, Stella Artois launched the very first Stella Draught Masters Philippines on February 25, at the Draft Gastropub in Greenbelt 2. The winners will represent the country at the regional finals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia happening in May 2016. “This is our way of searching and honoring the perfect craftsmanship among men and women who are very talented in giving a perfect twist to the traditional way of serving our beers and we are honored to have the opportunity to introduce the importance of this pouring ritual here,” shares Philip Tan, Area Manager – Anheuser-Busch InBev, the company behind the global beer brand Stella Artois.

It’s a lot more than just pomp and pageantry. The process highlights the skill and craftmanship of the competitors, and reinforces the brand’s belief that their beer should always be served in a way that demonstrates the skill and passion that goes into creating a pint of Stella Arois.