Malt liquor is an American term for a particular type of beer which has high alcohol content. In an average beer, the alcohol content can go up to 5%, whereas, in a malt liquor, it can be between 5.5% to 12%.
Malt liquor was created in the 1930s, and showed a promising future thereon. The return from prohibition on brewing in 1933 was rather difficult. Depression and World War II that soon followed made things further more difficult for brewers. Metal, gas, and other supplies were redirected for the use of warfare. However, the late 1930s brought in a new revolution, and nothing could stop malt liquor enthusiasts. They experimented with other ingredients. Soon began another battle, one to have the most successful malt liquor business in the country. Dawson Farber, Anheuser-Busch, and Joseph Schlitz were moving to the cities with larger budgets to launch their individual brews. This launched the beginning to a whole new market and competition for malt liquor.
Let’s have a look at the best malt liquor brands that are available for you to choose from.
22oztofreedom
| Brewery | Voodoo Brewing Company |
| Alcohol % | 8.20% |
| Appearance | Faint yellow |
| Aroma | Smells like malty alcohol, rice, grain, sweet corn |
| Taste | Sweet, smooth |
| Carbonation | Light to medium carbonation |
Mickey’s
| Brewery | Miller Brewing Co. |
| Alcohol % | 5.60% |
| Appearance | Deep golden ocher |
| Aroma | Corny sweet, slightly malty |
| Taste | Smooth, sweet, well rounded, leaves a little bit of an aftertaste |
| Carbonation | Medium carbonation |
Colt 444
| Brewery | Sun King Brewing Company |
| Alcohol % | 6.00% |
| Appearance | Golden yellow |
| Aroma | Corn, barley, grassy, slightly yeasty |
| Taste | Smooth, strong barley taste, hops, corn slightly yeasty |
| Carbonation | Medium carbonation |
Schlitz High Gravity V.S.L Very Smooth Lager
| Brewery | JOS. Schlitz Brewing Co. (Pabst) |
| Alcohol % | 8.50% |
| Appearance | Pale straw-amber color |
| Aroma | Sweet corn, malt, light alcohol |
| Taste | Sweet, smooth, malty |
| Carbonation | High carbonation |
Ionizer Lager
| Brewery | Lightning Brewery |
| Alcohol % | 8.30% |
| Appearance | Dull golden-amber |
| Aroma | Grainy, honey, sweet, malty, corn |
| Taste | Sweet, malty, corn, fruity; leaves a sweet, yeasty aftertaste |
| Carbonation | Low carbonation |
Steel Reserve 211 Triple Export
| Brewery | Steel Brewing Company |
| Alcohol % | 8.10% |
| Appearance | Clear golden-yellow |
| Aroma | Malt, corn, grains, sweet |
| Taste | Sweet, grain, smooth, toasty |
| Carbonation | Low carbonation |
Titanium
| Brewery | Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse |
| Alcohol % | 7.40% |
| Appearance | Clear golden-amber |
| Aroma | Sweet, grainy, yeasty, floral |
| Taste | Sweet with a sugary-bitter aftertaste |
| Carbonation | High carbonation |
Redd’s Wicked Ale
| Brewery | Miller Brewing Co. |
| Alcohol % | 8% |
| Appearance | Clear, pale straw golden-amber |
| Aroma | Malty, apple cider |
| Taste | Strong, sweet, apple cider, yeasty, grassy, alcohol |
| Carbonation | High carbonation |
Colt 45 High Gravity Lager
| Brewery | Pabst Brewing Company |
| Alcohol % | 8.50% |
| Appearance | Light, pale gold-yellow |
| Aroma | Sweet corn, hops, malty |
| Taste | Sweet, malty, clean, alcohol, smooth, hops |
| Carbonation | Medium carbonation |
Olde English 800
| Brewery | Miller Brewing Co. |
| Alcohol % | 5.90% |
| Appearance | Golden, light amber-yellow |
| Aroma | Sweet malty |
| Taste | Deep taste, sweet, malty, tangy |
| Carbonation | Light to medium carbonation |
The second thing that comes to mind when you hear the word ‘malt’ is malt whiskey. You might be well aware of some popular brands such as Jack Daniel’s, Bushmills Original, Glenfiddich, Templeton Rye, and Crown Royal. There’s a whole range of malt whiskeys that you might like to try, such as Glenfiddich Ancient Reserve 18 Years Old, Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old, Bowmore Laimrig 15 Years Old, and Aberfeldy 12 Year Old. If price is not an issue, you might like to try Galileo by Ardbeg Distillery, Yamazaki 1984 by Yamazaki Distillery, Highland Park 21 Year Old by Highland Park Distillery, and Talisker 18 Year Old by Talisker Distillery. A whole range of malts awaits those who can appreciate their delicate aroma, taste, and texture.
