Malt beverage - Definition and Overview

Malt beverages are alcoholic and non-alcoholic fermented beverages in which the primary ingredient is barley which has been allowed to sprout ("malt") slightly before it is processed. By far the most predominant malt beverage is beer, others include ale and similar brews. A non-alcoholic beverage brewed in this fashion is technically not "beer". Such a beverage may be prepared by either removing alcohol from the finished product or by using a slightly altered brewing process which yields very little alcohol (technically less than 0.5% by weight).

The term "malt beverage" is often used by trade associations of groups of beer wholesalers ("The _____ Malt Beverage Association") to avoid any negative connotations associated with beer. Additionally, the term is applied to many other flavored beverages prepared from malted grains to which natural or artificial flavors have been added to make them taste supposedly similar to wines, fruits, colas, ciders, or other beverages. Marketing of such products in the United States has increased markedly in recent years. In most jurisdictions, these products are regulated in a way identical to beer, which allows a retailer with a beer license to sell a seemingly wider product line. (In Texas, such beverages must be referred to as "flavored beers" rather than "Malt Beverages").