Stella Artois History

Founded in 1366 in the medieval town of Leuven, Belgium, just 16 miles east of Brussels, Stella Artois initially operated with the name Den Hoorn Brewery. The brewery's inception dates back to 1366 when it first began brewing beer, and its development was significantly shaped by the presence of students following the establishment of the University of Leuven in 1425. Flourishing due to the substandard quality of available drinking water, Brouwerij Den Hoorn thrived.

In June 1708, brewer Sebastian Artois achieved his master diploma from Den Hoorn Brewery. Nine years later, he took ownership of the brewery and subsequently rebranded it as Stella Artois. The name "Stella," meaning "star" in Latin, commemorates the occasion, and a star emblem has graced Stella Artois bottles ever since.

Sebastian Artois distinguished himself as an innovator, introducing various new beer styles and ultimately inspiring Artois brewmasters to craft a golden lager influenced by German and Czech Pils.

Not until 1926 did the brewery attain global recognition with a limited-edition Christmas beer, named after the Christmas star. From that moment onward, Stella Artois exclusively produces this Christmas star-inspired beer.
Stella Artois History