Malt liquor - Definition and Overview

Malt liquor is an American term referring to a type of beer that has a high alcohol content and is therefore considered too alcoholic to be called "beer". In the UK, similar beers are called super lager.

The reason for the name has to do with the vagaries of alcoholic beverage regulations in the United States. Many areas of the world brew beers that are equal in alcoholic strength to American malt liquors; in the United States, beers must fall below a certain range of strength, and at least domestic beers that exceed the mark must be named "malt liquors." While ordinary beers in the United States tend to top off at around 4.5% alcohol by volume, malt liquors typically range from 5.0% up to 9% alcohol by volume. In some areas of the western United States, beers that are too strong to legally be beer are confusingly called "ale."

"Malt liquor" is also taken as the description of a specific style of beer in the United States. These beers, like most American beer, are broadly based on the Pilsner style of lager, but the malt liquors often have sugar, corn or other adjuncts added to the malt to boost their alcoholic strength. These beers tend to have minimal hops and bitterness.

Pabst makes one of the most famous of these beers which they call Colt 45; another well known brand, also made by Pabst, is St. Ides. The consumption of malt liquors is frequently celebrated in rap music and hip-hop culture. Malt liquors are often sold in large bottles containing forty ounces (1.2 liters), as opposed to the standard twelve ounce (350 milliliter) bottle that contains a single serving of beer. Olde English 800 is another popular malt liquor that has worked its way into American pop culture.

External links

• Pabst (http://www.pabst.com)