wife beater
n.—Gloss: in the United Kingdom, a strong alcoholic drink, so-called because it may encourage fighting. Often specifically applied to the beer brand Stella Artois. Note: This is obviously a different use of the term than the one that refers to the sleeveless men’s undershirt made of ribbed cotton. «The drink, which at 5.2 per cent alcohol is stronger than many other lagers and therefore makes people drunker and sometimes more aggressive more quickly, has acquired the unflattering soubriquet of “wife beater.” “I first heard someone refer to it as that two or three years ago,” says Zak Avery, a beer trade commentator who owns a specialist off-licence in Headingley near Leeds.» —“Where did it all go wrong for the beer they call ‘wife beater’?” by Victoria Moore Daily Mail (United Kingdom) Nov. 15, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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