Brewed Where?

Which beers sold as foreign are brewed in Britain, and what to buy instead

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Where is Stella Artois brewed?

Sold as foreign, brewed in Britain Verified Last checked 5 September 2026

Stella Artois is sold as a beer from Belgium. It is brewed in Britain, at Magor, Monmouthshire, South Wales and Samlesbury, Lancashire.

What to drink instead 6 beers on the same shelves that are what they say

4.6%
UK
5.2%
Belgium
The UK version is 0.6 percentage points weaker than the version sold in Belgium, a cut of 11.5%.
Brewed for the UK in
Magor, Monmouthshire, South Wales; Samlesbury, Lancashire
Brewed in Britain
Sold as a beer from
Belgium
Leuven 1366 heritage on the label, Belgian name and chalice serve
Brewed in (country)
United Kingdom
Brand owner
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV
HQ: Leuven, Belgium
UK rights held by
Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I (AB InBev UK Limited) (owned)
UK strength
4.6%
Strength at home (Belgium)
5.2%
UK Stella Artois is 4.6%; the Belgian original is 5.2%. The UK strength has been cut three times: 5.2% to 5% (date not confirmed by a primary source), 5% to 4.8% during 2012, and 4.8% to 4.6% from September 2020.
Style
Euro Pale Lager
Brand created
1926, Belgium
Brewed at home in
Leuven, Belgium
What the UK label says
“Country of Origin: United Kingdom. Manufacturer: AB InBev UK Limited, EC4A 1EN; InBev Belgium, Bd Industriel 21, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium”
Source: groceries.morrisons.com

In short

On the shelf, Stella Artois presents as Belgian: Leuven 1366 heritage on the label, Belgian name and chalice serve. Since 2000 it has been brewed at Magor, Monmouthshire, South Wales and Samlesbury, Lancashire by AB InBev UK Limited; before that Whitbread made it at Various Whitbread sites. In Belgium the same beer is 5.2%. Here it is 4.6%, which is 0.6 percentage points weaker. The brand belongs to Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, which also owns Bass and Boddingtons in the UK. On the recipe: Budweiser Brewing Group said the 2020 cut to 4.6% kept the original yeast strain and Saaz hops and that the beer is brewed with British barley at Magor and Samlesbury. The label says: "Country of Origin: United Kingdom. Manufacturer: AB InBev UK Limited, EC4A 1EN; InBev Belgium, Bd Industriel 21, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium."

Who has brewed it here

YearsBrewerSiteSource
1976 to 2000Whitbread (under licence from Interbrew/Artois)Various Whitbread sitesNone recorded
2000 to nowInterbrew / InBev / AB InBev UKMagor and Samlesburyasiantrader.biz

Questions people ask

Where is Stella Artois brewed?

The beer sold in the UK is brewed at Magor, Monmouthshire, South Wales and Samlesbury, Lancashire by AB InBev UK Limited.

Is Stella Artois brewed in the UK?

Yes. It is brewed at Magor, Monmouthshire, South Wales and Samlesbury, Lancashire.

Is Stella Artois really Belgian?

The branding is Belgian, but the beer sold in Britain is brewed in the UK at Magor, Monmouthshire, South Wales and Samlesbury, Lancashire.

Who owns Stella Artois?

Stella Artois is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, headquartered in Leuven, Belgium. In the UK the brand is handled by Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I.

What strength is Stella Artois in the UK?

Stella Artois is 4.6% ABV in the UK. In Belgium it is 5.2%.

Is Stella Artois weaker in the UK than in Belgium?

Yes. The UK version is 4.6% against 5.2% in Belgium, 0.6 percentage points weaker.

See also

Affligem Blond
Imported from Belgium · sold as Belgian
Unverified
Chimay Blue
Imported from Belgium · sold as Belgian
Partly verified
Duvel
Imported from Belgium · 8.5% · sold as Belgian
Genuine import Verified
Grimbergen Blonde
Imported from Belgium · sold as Belgian
Unverified
Hoegaarden
Imported from Belgium · 4.9% · sold as Belgian
Genuine import Verified
La Chouffe Blonde
Imported from Belgium · 8.0% · sold as Belgian
Verified

Side by side with Budweiser.

Every beer sold as Belgium · What else is brewed at Magor, Monmouthshire · Every brand owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

Sources

  1. Asian Trader (asiantrader.biz), 8 October 2020: cut from 4.8% to 4.6% across UK and Ireland from September 2020; brewed at Magor, Wales and Samlesbury, Lancashire with British barley; original yeast and Saaz hops retained
  2. The Grocer (thegrocer.co.uk), January 2012: Stella cut from 5% to 4.8% during 2012; AB InBev quote about UK category trends; duty saving estimated at about 8.6m pounds a year
  3. AB InBev (ab-inbev.com): Stella Artois made at Magor
  4. Morrisons (groceries.morrisons.com), 5 September 2026: UK ABV 4.6%, country of origin United Kingdom
  5. Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org): Belgian standard 5.2%; UK sequence 5.2 to 4.8 to 4.6 (secondary source, used as a lead only)
  6. second research pass (protzonbeer.co.uk): cited by second research pass
  7. second research pass (bbc.co.uk): cited by second research pass
  8. second research pass (morningadvertiser.co.uk): cited by second research pass