--- title: "The Belgian Formula in Ukrainian: How AB InBev Efes Brews Stella Artois Using Local Water and Malt" description: "An AB InBev Efes Ukraine manager explained that Stella Artois in the country is brewed following an unchanging Belgian recipe, but using local well water and Ukrainian malt, while Czech and German hops are used. The global quality service checks samples every six months." date: 2026-11-10T05:06:42.993Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/stella-artois-ukraine-license-production tags: [stella-artois, ab-inbev, beer-production, ukraine, quality-control, brewing] author: "Marina Slivenko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # The Belgian Formula in Ukrainian: How AB InBev Efes Brews Stella Artois Using Local Water and Malt ![Bartender pouring Stella Artois beer from a branded aluminum can into a glass at a bar](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/10/stella-artois-ukraina-litsenziya-produktsiya/stella-artois-ukraina-litsenziya-produktsiya-1.webp) ## Key Points - Stella Artois in Ukraine is brewed using a licensed Belgian recipe that cannot be changed - The only local components are well water and Ukrainian malt from approved barley varieties - Hops for Ukrainian production are Czech and German, just like for the Belgian one - Every six months, samples of beer, raw materials, and water are sent for analysis to AB InBev's global laboratory When a consumer opens a can of Stella Artois bought in a Ukrainian supermarket, they get a drink brewed according to a Belgian recipe, but using local resources. This is how the licensed production of one of the world's most recognizable beer brands operates in Ukraine. Larisa Akulinova, brewing production manager at AB InBev Efes Ukraine, explained in an interview with the WAVE project (RBK-Ukraine) in detail what comes from Belgium and what is sourced locally, and how the global control system prevents the product from "deviating" from the standard. ### A Recipe That Cannot Be Changed The key principle of Ukrainian production is strict adherence to the technology enshrined in the license agreement. "We brew Stella Artois strictly according to the technology that is transferred along with the production license," Akulinova emphasized. This means that proportions, temperature regimes, fermentation duration, and other technological parameters are not subject to local adaptation. Compliance with these requirements is monitored by AB InBev's global quality service, which periodically audits the work of all brand licensees worldwide. Thus, the Ukrainian brewery functions as part of a single production chain where deviation from the standard is unacceptable. ### Water and Malt: Two Variables in the Global Formula While the technology is rigidly fixed, there are two components inherently tied to geography: water and malt. In Ukraine, Stella Artois is brewed using water from its own well and Ukrainian-made malt produced from globally approved barley varieties. "In fact, only the water and malt are different," Akulinova summarized. At the same time, Ukrainian malt must meet the same quality standards as raw materials for Belgian or other foreign breweries. The origin of the water does not eliminate the need to bring its characteristics to approved indicators: there is a water treatment specification that sets acceptable values for acidity, alkalinity, and hardness. Well water undergoes appropriate treatment before entering the brewing kettle. ### Hops: The Same as in Belgium Unlike water and malt, hops for Ukrainian Stella Artois are not purchased locally. According to Akulinova, Czech and German hops are used in production — the exact same varieties as in Belgian production. This decision is logical: hop varieties directly affect the aroma and bitterness of the drink, and to preserve the brand's taste identity, the company prefers not to experiment with suppliers. Thus, of the three main brewing ingredients (water, malt, hops), two are tied to Ukraine, while one — hops — remains "imported" and common to all brand productions. ### Semi-Annual Checks and Tasting in a Global Laboratory Quality control is not limited to internal brewery procedures. Every six months, the production sends samples of the finished beer for analysis to AB InBev's global quality service. Along with the drink, the raw materials and water used in the process are checked. Samples are tested in the company's own laboratory according to an approved system of criteria and must pass mandatory organoleptic tasting. This means that even with perfect recipe compliance at the workshop level, the final verdict on product compliance with the brand standard is made by an independent (within the corporation) body operating under protocols uniform for all countries. ### What This Means for the Consumer For the end buyer, this entire system means one thing: a can of Stella Artois bought in Kyiv or Lviv should be indistinguishable in flavor profile from the one sold in Brussels or Amsterdam. The difference in the raw material base (local water, local malt) is offset by strict water treatment specifications and barley quality requirements. And the semi-annual audit by the global quality service serves as insurance against recipe drift. As a result, the consumer gets a product in which the Belgian DNA of the brand is preserved even when using Ukrainian resources — and this is the main indicator that the licensed production model is working as intended. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Бельгийский рецепт и местные ингредиенты: как создают украинский Stella Artois](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/taste/belgiyskiy-retsept-ta-mistsevi-ingredienti-1794286854.html) - Interview with Larisa Akulinova (brewing production manager at AB InBev Efes Ukraine) detailing licensed production technology, raw material composition, and the quality control system. All facts in the article are taken from this source. ## FAQ ### How does Ukrainian Stella Artois differ from Belgian? According to the AB InBev Efes Ukraine representative, the brewing technology is identical and transferred along with the license. Only the water (Ukrainian well water) and malt (Ukrainian-made from globally approved barley varieties) differ. Hops — Czech and German — are the same as those used in Belgium. ### How is the quality of Ukrainian Stella Artois controlled? AB InBev's global quality service audits licensees. Every six months, production sends samples of beer, raw materials, and water to the company's own laboratory, where they are analyzed according to approved criteria and subjected to tasting. ### What requirements apply to water? There is a water treatment specification: well water must meet certain indicators of acidity, alkalinity, and hardness recorded in the brand's technological documentation.