What exactly is malt liquor?

[boron]

Hi,

what exactly does "malt liquor" means in the United States?

So far, I've collected these definitions:

• A term obligatory used in the U.S. for any (or only imported?) beer containing 3.2 abv (abw?) or more or 5.0 abv or more (depending on the state?)
• A cheap beer, usually not flavored with hops, containing high % of alcohol

What is usual range for alcohol content in malt liquors readily available in stores: 6-8%? Up to 14%?

 

[Tyrone]

i had always thought it was high alchohol & low hopped "beer".. I know i had a lot of Schlitz blue bull inspired hangovers in my college years...

 

[Zamial]

Malt liquor is crap plain and simple. It is stronger than standard american lager beers to the tune of 6-8% ABV normally. Many of them are ICED meaning they freeze them and remove the water making them stronger. They are most commonly found in 40oz bottles.

The draw to these is they are dirt cheap and 2 will get you a nice buzz. This makes them attractive to the poorer beverage consumers. Many of these are skunky and taste just horrible but the point is to get a buzz not sip and enjoy.

They were popularized by the gangster/rap community and as a result are marketed towards inner-city/urban types. I would not be able to tell you how to brew one nor would I waste my time trying.

 

[Revvy]

Malt Liquor is simply just a strong corn/riced adjuncted lager.

Malt liquor is a North American term referring to a type of beer with high alcohol content. In legal statutes, the term often includes any alcoholic beverage above or equal to 5% alcohol by volume made with malted barley. In common parlance, however, it is used for high-alcohol beers made with ingredients and processes resembling those in American-style lager. Malt liquor is distinguished from other beers of high alcohol content in that the brewing process is seen by many critics as targeting high alcohol content and economy rather than quality.

A malt liquor is just a big lager, like bud, miller, coors. It's just a lot more grain and rice and corn...it technically really no different than a barelywine or any other high grav beer. It's just a bigger version of an American Light Adjunct Lager. You could call it a strong lager, or a DLAL (Double Light American Lager.)



In fact Charlie 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.

People look down on it, and call it crap, but often those same folks don't think twice about making or drinking "Imperial" beers.. Imperial Ipa, stouts, etc, but in reality all a Malt Liquor is is an "Imperial Lager."

 

[Chris1272]

Malt liquor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[boron]

Ok, thanx.

 

[Premnasbiaculeatus]

Heaven in a paper bag...not really, high gravity, low quality, low flavor swill. Unless it's Mickey's, Mickey's is classy:rockin:

 

[Diaperload]

I've always wanted to ask this question but felt I would look stupid.

 

[bucfanmike]

Its the choice of malted beverage of most inmates that come through the jail. Big 40s and oversize cans seem to be the packaging choice as well. Still not as popular with the dead beat crowd as cheap vodka but its close.

 

[Diaperload]

Hey! I'm in that dead beat cheap vodka club! I use the cheapest stuff possible in my air locks.

 

[BWN]

I thought if it was wrapped in a paper bag while you drink it, it is called malt liquor.

 

[LTownLiquorPig]

Made a couple of messes of myself of St. Ides. Good memories I've been told.

 

[unionrdr]

Higher gravity puke beer. I got sick on that stuff when I was a teen so many times I just can't stomach the stuff now. Sippin on a 40 my a$$!

 

[arkowa]

See Rogue Daddys Little Helper as a craft commercial example of a malt liquor. Listermanns in Cincinnati also produces a malt liquor. It is not all $1.50 40 oz chuggers.

 

[BrewKnurd]

Alls I know is you can't run a successful business if you aint' got no schlitz malt liquor. you ain't representin'! You ain't keeping it real!

 

[unionrdr]

That's about how much it cost in my day,when quarts of beer were more popular. It went well with a conastoga...

 

[Kate00]

Alls I know is you can't run a successful business if you aint' got no schlitz malt liquor. you ain't representin'! You ain't keeping it real!

I was just about to post this!!! You beat me to it

 

[jafo28]

Made a couple of messes of myself of St. Ides. Good memories I've been told.

LOL! Been there myself. I can't believe my friends and I would drink this stuff.

 

[Cambone]

Nothing to add at this point, other than that Colt 45 malt liquor is my dirty little secret. Absolutely love the stuff.

 

[GySgtLynn]

80% urine 20% liquid ****, with 2 pounds of table sugar... Fermented with an American lager yeast at 69 degrees... It's a steam beer!!