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jojojones

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I recently started brewing, with my roommates, about four weeks now and am waiting for the first batch of a brown ale that was a recipe from the local HBS in Culver City CA. While myself and some friends were sitting around and one asked what is there difference between Malt Liquor and Beer and if we could brew Old English 1800? So I figured I would ask the experts as I didn't have an answer. I have no idea as to the first but with regards to the second I would guess the answer would be something along the lines of "yes, but why?"

Thanks
 
I think it varies from state to state, but Malt Liquor usually means that the ABV is higher than what can be sold as 'beer'.

Sure, you could brew an Old English style beer (high ABV, lots of adjuncts), but in the end, you probably can't home-brew it for what you can buy it for. If you search for 'cream ale', you'll find plenty of recipes for pale, high-adjunct beers using plenty of corn and rice.
 
Yeah, I believe Malt Liquor vs. beer is just a legal definition used to define higher-alcohol beers. A lot of places have different regulations for higher alcohol beers.

Revvy posts Papazian's Olde English clone recipe in this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/malt-liquor-vs-beer-113619/
Revvy said:
Papazian's Olde English 800 Malt Liquor recipe is legendary...


Olde English 800
5 Gallons

OG: 1.055 (13.5)
FG: 1.004 (1)
ABV: 7%
Color: 4.5 SRM
Bittering Units: 14

3.5 lbs. American 2-row pale malt
3.75 lbs. American 6-row malt
3 lbs. flaked corn
2 HBU (56 MBU) American Cluster hops (pellets) - 105 minutes (bittering)
1.5 HBU (43 MBU) American Nugget hops (pellets) - 105 minutes (bittering)
1/4 tsp. Irish moss
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast

A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 10 quarts (9.5L) of 130-degree F (54.5 C) water to the crushed grain and flaked corn, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122 degrees F (50 C) for 30 minutes. Add 5 quarts (1.9 L) of boiling water. Add heat to bring temperature up to 150 degrees F (65.5 C). Hold for about 60 minutes.

After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C) water, lauter and sparge with 4 gallons (15 L) of 170 degree F (77 C) water. Collect about 6.5 gallons (25 L) of of runoff, add bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.

The total boil time will be 105 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After total wort boil of 105 minutes (reducing wort volume to just over 5 gallons), turn off the heat, then separate or strain out and sparge hops. Chill the wort to 65 degrees F (18 C) and direct into a sanitized fermenter. Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 55 degrees F (15 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter, chill to 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for two to four more weeks at 40 degrees F (4.5 C).

When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.

So it is possible.

If you needed to make an extract version I'd sub the 2/6-row with a malt extract and the corn with sugar. Not sure on the qtys though. You'll need a ton of yeast too.
 
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